ODE IX.

DUNCAN's WARNING.

BY

J. AIKIN, M. D.

As o'er the heath, amid his steel-clad Thanes,

The royal DUNCAN rode in martial pride, Where, full to view, high-topp'd with glittering vanes, Macbeth's strong towers o'erhung the mountain's

side;

In dusky mantle wrapp'd, a grisly form

Rush'd with a giant's stride across his way ; And thus, while howlid around the rising storm,

In hollow thundering accents pour’d dismay.

Stop, O King! thy destin'd course,
Furl thy standard, turn thy horse,
Death besets this onward track,
Come no further,-quickly, back.

Hear'st thou not the raven's croak?
See'st thou not the blasted oak?

Feel'st thou not the loaded sky
Read thy danger, King, and fly.

Lo, yon' castle banners glare
Bloody through the troubled air;
Lo, what spectres on the roofs
Frowning bid thee stand aloof!

Murder, like an eagle waits
Perch'd above the gloomy gates,
Just in act to pounce his prey;
Come not near

-away! away!

Let not plighted faith beguile ;
Honour's semblance, Beauty's smile :
Fierce Ambition's venom'd dart
Rankles in the fest'ring heart.

Treason, arm'd against thy life,
Points his dagger, whets his knife,
Drugs his stupifying bowl,
Steels his unrelenting soul,

Now 'tis time; ere guilty night
Closes round thee, speed thy flight.
If the threshold once be crost,
DUNCAN! thou’rt for ever losta

.

On he goes - resistless Fate Hastes to fill his mortal date : Cease, ye warnings, vain tho' true, Murder'd King, adieu! adieu!

NOTES ON ODES

OF THE

FIRST, SECOND, AND THIRD CLASS.

NOTES ON ODES OF THE FIRST CLASS.

ODE XL.

Page 8. THE Attic sage exhausts the bowl,] Socrates, who was condemned to die by poison.

9. See there the injured Poet bleed !] Seneca, born at Corduba, who, according to Pliny, was orator, poet, and philosopher. He bled to death in the bath.

ib. Lo! there the wild Assyrian queen,] Semiramis, cum ei circa cultum capitis sui occupatae nunciatum esset Babylonem defecisse ; altera parte crinium adhuc soluta protinus ad eam expugnandam cucurrit: nec prius decorem capillorum in ordinem quam tantam urbem in potestatem suam redegit : quocirca statua ejus Babylone posita est, &c. Val. Max. de Ira.

Absorb’d in thought, great Newton stands ;] A noble statue of Sir Isaac Newton, erected in Trinity-College chapel by Dr. Smith.

IO.