Prospero's Invocation Richard the Second on Kingly Greatness Hotspur's Description of a Fop Hotspur Reading a Letter Henry the Fourth on Sleep Henry the Fifth to his Troops before Harfleur THE BOOK OF RECITATIONS. PART I.-POETIC. THE DIVER. BY SCHILLER, TRANSLATED BY BULWER LYTTON. "OH, where is the knight or the squire so bold And o'er it already the dark waters flow; He spoke, and the cup from the terrible steep, I ask ye again-to the deep below?" And the knights and the squires that gathered around, Stood silent-and fixed on the ocean their eyes; They looked on the dismal and savage Profound, And the peril chilled back every thought of the prize. And thrice spoke the monarch-"The cup to win, Is there never a wight who will venture in ?" B And all as before heard in silence the king, Till a youth with an aspect unfearing but gentle, As he strode to the marge of the summit, and gave Casts roaringly up the Charybdis again; And as with the swell of the far thunder-boom, And it bubbles and seethes, and it hisses and roars, And flood upon flood hurries on, never ending; Yet, at length, comes a lull o'er the mighty commotion, The youth gave his trust to his Maker! Before That path through the riven abyss closed again, Hark! a shriek from the gazers that circle the shore,— And behold! he is whirled in the grasp of the main ! And o'er him the breakers mysteriously rolled, And the giant mouth closed on the swimmer so bold. All was still on the height, save the murmur that went From the grave of the deep, sounding hollow and fell, Or save when the tremulous sighing lament Thrilled from lip unto lip, “Gallant youth, fare thee well!' |