M'Fingal: A Modern Epic Poem, in Four Cantos

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E. & E. Hosford, 1813 - 112 pages
 

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Page 10 - And turn'd all whig committees out. Meanwhile our Hero, as their head, In pomp the tory faction led, Still following, as the 'Squire should please, Successive on, like files of geese. And now the town was...
Page 66 - M'Fingal shun the foe, But stood to brave the desp'rate blow; While all the party gazed, suspended To see the deadly combat ended; And Jove in equal balance weigh'd The sword against the brandish'd spade. He weigh'd; but lighter than a dream, The sword flew up, and kick'd the beam. Our 'Squire on tiptoe rising fair Lifts high a noble stroke in air, Which hung not, but like dreadful engines, Descended on his foe in vengeance, But ah! in danger, with dishonor The sword perfidious fails its owner; That...
Page 56 - At hand for new supplies in store, The tavern opes its friendly door, Whence to and fro the waiters run, Like bucket-men at fires in town. Then with three shouts that tore the sky, 'Tis consecrate to Liberty. To guard it from th...
Page 22 - Scrawl every moment he could spare From cards and barbers and the fair ; Show, clear as sun in noonday heavens, You did not feel a single grievance ; Demonstrate all your opposition Sprung from the eggs* of foul Sedition ; Swear he had seen the nest she laid in, And knew how long she had been sitting ; Could tell exact what strength of heat is Required to hatch her out Committees ; What shapes they take, and how much longer's The time before they grow t...
Page 7 - And found this new rebellion pleasing As his old king-destroying treason. Nor less avail'd his optic sleight, And Scottish gift of second-sight. No ancient...
Page 83 - And it came to pass at noon that Elijah mocked them, and said, Cry aloud : for he is a god ; either he is talking or he is pursuing, or he is in a journey, or peradventure he sleepeth, and must be awaked.
Page 27 - em o'er, and mend 'em ; Revise their vows, or change the text, By way of codicil annex'd ; Turn out a promise that was base, And put a better in its place. So Gage of late agreed, you know, To let the Boston people go ; Yet when he saw 'gainst troops that brav'd him, They were the only guards that sav'd him, Kept off that Satan of a Putnam, From breaking in to maul and mutt'n him, He'd too much wit such leagues t' observe, And shut them in again to starve.
Page 69 - You'll find it all in vain, quoth he, To play your rebel tricks on me. , All punishments, the world can render, Serve only to provoke tlf offender; The will gains strength from treatment horrid, As hides grow harder when they're curried. No man e'er felt the halter draw, With good opinion of the law; Or held in method orthodox His love of justice, in the stocks; Or fail'd to lose by sheriff's shears At once his loyalty and ears.
Page 6 - M'Fingal took his way, , And, graced with ensigns of renown, Steer'd homeward to his native town. His high descent our heralds trace To Ossian's famed Fingalian race ; For though their name some part may lack, Old Fingal spelt it with a Mac ; Which great M'Pherson, with submission, We hope will add the next edition. His fathers flourish'd in the Highlands Of Scotia's fog-benighted islands ; Whence gain'd our squire two gifts by right, Rebellion and the second-sight.
Page 72 - Each cuff capacious holds the flood; From nose and chin's remotest end, The tarry icicles descend; Till all o'erspread, with colors gay, He glitter'd to the western ray, Like sleet-bound trees in wintry skies, Or Lapland idol carved in ice.

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