THE REFLECTOR. [No. LVII.] ALFRED, AN EPIC POEM, BY JOSEPH COTTLE. Cease to fear, Ye holy martyrs! honour'd shades, behold THE ALFRED. HE battle of Eddington proving fatal to the cause of the Danes, ALFRED was once more restored to the throne of these kingdoms. IVAR was slain during the fight; and HUBBA, who had received a wound, put an end to his existence with his own hands. The overthrow of the enemy appears to have been very great-though the British monarch, with his usual humanity, forbade unnecessary slaughter. Guthrum, in the mean time, retires with the remnant of the forces to a neighbouring fort, whither Oddune is sent to demand his surrender. The Danish chief, however, discovers his accustomed spirit and bravery. Oddune obtains Alswitha from Guthrum, and conducts her to ALFRED, who, of course, receives her with the most interesting sensations of gratitude. -To the King she rush'd, Alfred beheld her! Im each other's arins Speechless they stand! When, with ecstatic joy, Alfred exclaim'd And is it thou, O Queen! Belov'd ALSWITHA God of Heaven inspire This heart with everlasting gratitude!" The next book contains a narrative of Alswitha's sufferings, which she tells to Alfred-at the close of her account, her child, whom she thinks dead, is mentioned to her as being safe, by which she is highly delighted. Oddune is again sent to Guthrum, who consents to submit to ALFRED-is received by him at first with an assumed anger-but Alswitha pleading for the Danish General, is pardoned. Guthrum wishes to become a christianand deplores his daughter as dead, when she is brought to him. ALFRED then proposes Guthrum's daughter to Oddune for a wife; she having, by her amiable temper, soothed in a very great degree the sorrows of the Queen in her captivity. To Oddune then, Alfred his words addressed→→→ The smiles of her we love, th' endearing wife, Or constancy delight thee, gallant chief, "Guthrum's fair daughter, who shall not admire ? My vows are plighted; and I trust, ere long, The virtues of my great and noble King." ALSWITHA cried-❝ Brave man, thou hast a soul, Which all should reverence, all should imitate. The flower of British youth for her shall strive, Yet never one more worthy than thyself; ODDUNE, I like thy frank and manly speech! There is a race, vilest of human kind, Who rove from fair to fair, all maids alike, Deck'd with gay smiles, and courteous in all deeds, Boasting of conquests. On their tongues are found Maxims of worth, and true humanity. And they can loudly talk of right and wrong, -ODDUNE bow'd Graceful to earth, and from the tent retir'd. The 23rd book contains the Vision of Alfred's guardian Angel; here are some most excellent sen timents, worthy of the greatest attention. There is not, indeed, that dramatic variety, observable in other parts of the work, but it possesses great dignity, and produces on the mind of the reader a very pleasing effect. We must not quote it, the entire whole interested our sensibility. The 24th, or last Book, winds up the whole story, by the baptism of Guthrum and his followers-by an interview of Alfred and Alswitha with their infant child-and by the King's last address to his Troops, of which we will extract the emphatic conclusion -Now subjects! that your days Comfort may yet attend-one small return When speaking of your valour and your might, Each replied, "But to the God of Heaven-be all the praise! Thus have we finished our account of a poem, which (whatever may be its defects) has this trait, beyond all others we have read-that is, of deeply engaging the attention. The dignity of Alfred, and feminine mildness of Alswitha-the enthusiasm of Sigbert, and the steadiness of Oddune-the simplicity of Ceolric and Acca, together with the brutal fury of Ivar and Hubba, inciting their followers to deeds of cruelty, are most ably delineated. We know of no poem, indeed, in every respect, so favourable to the interests of the rising generation. Mr. Cottle deserves thethanks of the British community, The writer of this article, engaged in the tuition of youth, has read the POEEM over several times to his pupils, and found it highly impressive in its effect. It reminds him of the American war, and its termination. ALFRED bears a resemblance to the patriot WASHINGTON, who led on his brave followers to victory. THE LIFE OF LYCURGUS. THERE is to be and uncontroverted HERE is nothing to be related concerning Ly The accounts given of his family, his travels, his death, and especially of the laws he made, and the commonwealth which he founded, are very differ ent. But historians chiefly disagree as to the age in which he lived. Aristotle asserts that he flourished in the time of Iphitus*, and this appears the most * Iphitus instituted the Olympian Games 108 years before the first vulgar Olympiad, which commenced in the year of the world 3174, or 3938, of the Julian period, and 774 years before the Chris tian era. |