An Hour Ago, or, Time in Dreamland

Purchase of this book includes free trial access to www.million-books.com where you can read more than a million books for free. This is an OCR edition with typos. Excerpt from book: But even he is sobered by the sight, When at his feet is laid the emperor's corpse, And he the last ? one worthy Rome's best days. On Constant i ne, Mahomet drops a tear, And, softenc-d, bids the useless carnage cease. The trembling crowd, in Saint Sophia bound, Are not given o'er to slaughter: ? so...
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Purchase of this book includes free trial access to www.million-books.com where you can read more than a million books for free. This is an OCR edition with typos. Excerpt from book: But even he is sobered by the sight, When at his feet is laid the emperor's corpse, And he the last ? one worthy Rome's best days. On Constant i ne, Mahomet drops a tear, And, softenc-d, bids the useless carnage cease. The trembling crowd, in Saint Sophia bound, Are not given o'er to slaughter: ? so farewell Where rose a Christian temple stands a mosque. So ends the empire of degenerate Rome. A voice I recognised full well, said low: ? Behold, 't is Truth who comes. I know her face. And forthwith there appeared a spirit fair, By the hand leading one, whom, while ago, The conq'ror Mahomet had gazed upon, And gazing, felt his bosom pierced through With sudden sorrow, ? felt himself enthralled, Even in his triumph, by that grand dead brow. If't was Mahomet's voice bade slaughter cease, Dead Constantino it was who ruled that voice By those life-deepened virtue-prints which Death Had into awful influence sublimed Beyond what sword or living sceptre knew. Perhaps 'twas human weakness could not rise To the full comprehension of that truth 'Fore whom the welcoming angels move as hosts When they yield way to highly honoured Guest Whose place is by the banquet Lord's right hand; Or was it human sympathy that made The human countenance of Constantino, In first light of eternal glory fresh, More comprehensible, that I did yearn To him as to a brother in the flesh, And that he, understanding, drew nigh me? Where is the spirit who did lead thee here ? I asked, and he replied with pointed hand To a long trail of light which settled down By a ship's helm in a breeze-freshened sea. In the ship sat a group of calm, grave men, With reason on their brow, and women sweet, With soul all o'er their face. Before their eyes Were spread strange ...