[109] The birds called halcyons were said to build their nests on the water, and, while they were brooding, to keep it calm.

In the middle of the night, the sea being quite calm, we unfortunately struck upon a halcyon's nest, of an immense size, being about sixty stadia in circumference; the halcyon was sitting upon it, and was herself not much less; as she flew off, she was very near oversetting our ship with the wind of her wings, and, as she went, made a most hideous groaning.

In the middle of the night, the sea being quite calm, we unfortunately struck upon a halcyon's nest, of an immense size, being about sixty stadia in circumference; the halcyon was sitting upon it, and was herself not much less; as she flew off, she was very near oversetting our ship with the wind of her wings, and, as she went, made a most hideous groaning.

Her secret vows the Cyprian Queen approves, 410 And hovering halcyons guard her infant-loves; Each in his floating cradle round they throng, And dimpling Ocean bears the fleet along.

" 95 From ozier bowers the brooding Halcyons peep, The Swans pursuing cleave the glassy deep, On hovering wings the wondering Reed-larks play, And silent Bitterns listen to the lay.

None but the first number was ever completed, and perhaps we need not regret that no more followed it; but it is touching to see these two young men, both feeling their powers, confident in them, and sunning their halcyon's wings in the happy belief that they were those of the eagle, longing eagerly, earnestly, for the few poor guineas that they hoped from their work.

Halcyon days are now to open upon him.

These halcyons may be looked for with a little more assurance in that pure October weather which we distinguish by the name of Indian summer.

36 No civil broils have since his death arose, But faction now by habit does obey; And wars have that respect for his repose, As winds for halcyons, when they breed at sea.

The Naseby, now no longer England's shame, 230 But better to be lost in Charles' name, (Like some unequal bride in nobler sheets) Receives her lord: the joyful London meets The princely York, himself alone a freight; The Swiftsure groans beneath great Gloster's weight: Secure as when the halcyon breeds, with these, He that was born to drown might cross the seas.

Let halcyons lay the sea-waves and the winds, Northwind and Westwind, that in shores far-off Flutters the seaweedhalcyons, of all birds Whose prey is on the waters, held most dear By the green Nereids: yea let all things smile On her to Mitylenè voyaging, And in fair harbour may she ride at last.

But though sweeping years have borne away the halcyon days of childhood, the golden days of youth, and the sobered and subdued period of middle life, and our sun has passed its meridian and is verging rapidly towards its setting, still this grief comes back again with all its first freshness.

In the halcyon days of plenty and prosperity men know little of each other; trade has its accustomed way; balances are smoothly adjusted; notes are given and paid with smiling faces; one would think that honor and manliness were the commonest of qualities.

In the halcyon days of Queen Victoria, before the sad bereavement came upon her which has darkened her latter years and caused her to retire as much as possible from public viewat the time when she read her own speeches from the throneshe was pronounced, by competent critics, to be unsurpassed, as a reader, by any elocutionist in Europe.

JOHN SALTRAM V. HALCYON DAYS VI.

CHAPTER V. HALCYON DAYS.

This ought to be the halcyon age for "the liberty of man, woman and child."

THE NEW DEPARTURE A halcyon periodO'Neill, O'Brien, and Macwilliam of Clanricarde at GreenwichReceive their peerages,Attempt at establishing Protestantism in IrelandVehemently

Such was the ingenious arrangement of the thatch, that the birds were deceived, and, seeing there some grains to pilfer, red-beaked gulls, "arrhinisgas" of black plumage, and gray and white halcyons frequently came to rest upon it.

Amidst our arms as quiet you shall be, As Halcyons brooding on a winter sea.

And a few weeks latersix, seven weeks laterabout the beginning of October, these halcyon days had all come to an end.

His is the halcyon table That never seats but one, And whatsoever is consumed The same amounts remain.

Those were halcyon days which followed for de Cossé and the lady his loyalty had won; days of sweet meetings and tender partingsof a union of souls which even death was powerless to dissolve.

For the Turk, each one of these birds has a gentle meaning, or a benignant virtue: turtle-doves are favorable to lovers, swallows keep away fire from the roofs where they build their nests, storks make yearly pilgrimages to Mecca, halcyons carry the souls of the faithful to Paradise.

Amid the howl of more than wintry storms The Halcyon hears the Voice of vernal Hours, Already on the wing!