The Mirror of Literature, Amusement, and Instruction | Page 9

morning's splendour! Lebanon,
Dim in the distance, reared its lofty head; Light clouds o'erbung the
vale of Ajalon, And the Five Armies, by their monarchs led, Not to
mere mortal fight, but conflict far more dread.
How beautiful, at matin's early prime, Valley, and mountain, and that
city fair! Magnificent, yet fearfully sublime, In few brief hours the
scene depicted there! Below the battle raged, and high in air The
gathering clouds, with tempest in their womb, A supernatural darkness
seem'd to wear; As heralding, by their portentous gloom, Victory to
Israel's host, her foes' impending doom!
Upon a jutting crag, below the height Where stands the royal city in its
pride, The ark is rested! in the people's sight The priests and Joshua
standing by its side; Awhile the chief the sea of battle eyed, Which
heaved beneath:--in accents undismayed, "Sun, stand thou still on
Gibeon!" he cried, "And thou, O Moon, o'er Ajalon be stayed!" And
holiest records tell the mandate was obeyed.

Look on the horrid conflict; mark the stream Of lurid and unnatural
light that falls, Like some wild meteors bright terrific gleam, On
Gibeon's steep and battlemented walls; Her royal palace, and her
pillared halls, Seeming more gorgeous in its vivid blaze! While o'er
proud Lebanon the storm appals, In jagged lines the arrowy lightning
plays, Soften'd to Israel's sight by intervening haze.
But o'er the Amoritish camp the cloud Bursts in its fury! on the race
abhorred The parting heavens, as from a pitchy shroud. Their
desolating hail-storm's wrath out-poured, More vengeful in its ire than
Israel's sword! Thus was deliverance unto Gibeon shown; And by the
fearful battle of the Lord, The army of the Amorites o'erthrown, And
the almighty power of Israel's God made known.
Made known by marvels awfully sublime! Yet far more glorious in the
Christian's sight Than these stern terrors of the olden time, The gentler
splendours of that peaceful night, When opening clouds display'd, in
vision bright, The heavenly host to Bethlehem's shepherd train,
Shedding around them more than cloudless light! "Glory to God on
high!" their opening strain, Its chorus, "Peace on earth!" its theme
Messiah's reign!
Bernard Barton's New Year's Eve, &c.
* * * * *
MAKING ACQUAINTANCE.
What could be more natural than for Mr. Jackson to say to Dr. Smith, "I
am going to call on Markham?" And what could be more natural than
for Dr. Smith to say, "I will go with you, and you may introduce me?"
So then Markham's friend, Jackson, leaves his card, and Jackson's
friend, Dr. Smith, leaves his card too.--Rank and Talent.
* * * * *
GENTLEMEN'S FASHIONS.

We read much of the luxurious effeminacy of the old Romans, their
fantastically curled hair, their favourite robes, &c.; but what will
posterity think of some of the modes of puppyism in our times, when
they read in a chronicle of fashion, dated 1829, that gentlemen wore
elegant drab cloth opera manteaux lined with scarlet velvet, and
confined at the collar with a gold chain! In another dress, the waistcoat
is directed to be made of "a very beautiful white embroidered velvet;"
"some young men have appeared at balls with blue dress gloves
embroidered with white;" "the system of the cravat is to form the
organization of linen on the breast," the very "march" of foppery;
"cloaks of the gentlemen lined with plush silk of celestial blue;" "at
balls our young exquisites sport pocket-handkerchiefs of fine lawn,
with a hem as broad as their thumbs; the corners only are embroidered:"
"shoes tied with a small rosette;" "a young gentleman now suffers his
hair to grow, has it curled, and parted on the left side of the forehead,"
&c. &c.--This out-herods Herod.
* * * * *
PICTURE OF LONDON.
A new edition of this very useful and attractive volume has just
appeared, re-edited by Mr. Britton, who, by his extensive architectural
knowledge, as well as by his popular style of imparting that knowledge,
is calculated to produce a better "Picture of London" than any other
writer within our acquaintance. The introduction is, of course, the most
novel part of this edition, and as it enables Mr. Britton to embody much
authentic information on the public works now in progress, we have
abridged a few of these details, which will be found in a Supplement
published with the present Number. The Picture of London was, we
believe, first printed in 1806; and the extensive patronage which it has
enjoyed during twenty-two years has been well deserved by its
progressive completeness.
* * * * *

THE SELECTOR;
AND
LITERARY NOTICES OF
NEW WORKS.
* * * * *
RANK AND TALENT.
By the Author of Penelope, or Love's Labour Lost.
In our last volume we devoted nearly six of our columns to