Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1833-06-01
SELECTED POET r Y
, From a late British Publication. J
LONDON DURING A FIRE E.

Some two dull hours before the orb of day
Tiuges the steeple.tops win ruddy light:
When London all in leaden slumber lay.
The dreariest, darkest, stiiest time OF night
When youthful spirits flag in pleasures sPite'
Aud the long look ID for revel liresome grows;
When double vision Cheats the Students sight,
And o'erarought Da,ure stckens tnr iepose.
And novel.lo,ing maids Sir Walters pages
close;
When Pain and Sorrow find little rest.
And Pit, ,roops her head By sickness side;
When stated drunkards Loose their hithy zest,
Nights lonesome hour Is indlstincli, cried.
Aud tradesmen's doors by feons' hngefs tried;
With desperate stakes when dicers deepest
play,
glide,
And PICKERING !s@ps gin shed feeble ray
IN op,cast wanderers. without where their heads
tulay
In such dark and dreary time of night,
When all, who'd where 10 Law their heads,
suught rest;
And none, save those in darkness who delight,
Or human wolves in blood and pluudfr quest,
With weary ieet the heavy pavement press'd;
There, were an antique arch doth span the
street,
And shines, in bold relief. the cty's crest.
Where wantun youths their painted harlots
greet,
And lawyers add wherefore, to every why, they
meet:
A narrow. crooked lane, winds its dark way.
Rat chn m AT
knew;
Suffice u--there's house the light OF day
Doth seldom penetrate, ycIrped slew;
Blu, ~l,at its foul inside presents to view
May not b. told: save that in nightly round
OF beastIy revel an abandoned crew
Their orgies hoid-n" good can then be
found;
But want, guilt, shame, disease and misery a
bound.
There, while its inmates, IN foul revel bent,
Aud reckless how their Ill used lives may end.
Fierce flames, MS from some prison closely pent,
Sudden break forth, TO every part extend,
Buc.r through the roof and to the clouds ascend;
One scream Of horror wakes the dfowsy night.
Upstar,ins IN their Isgs-n" way TO "ehd;
Some dash to pieces, leapns from height.
And soon heap Of ruins crimson glow,
With Tin .nokeless sI!vcry flsme scarce
sPcn.
Is all that there. alas. is left to slow
OF what mans hahita.on late had been,
And those poor wretches' mortal parts, | ween
Whose hapless souls had to their audIts pass ID
Without the time Ia breathe prayer between;
For age, nor sickness there, nor uumpets
blast,
Did warn them Of their living hours, approached
the last.
Thence Vice was summOnd in his full career,
And stated Passion. from unwhoiesome sleep:
Without reflection, Youlh-hge, without 'ear'
They til, ough the night their filth, orgies keep.
While friends at home are Ieit to watch and
weep;
And lovely woman iu degraded state.
OF the full aine cup having drunken deep
All in the iulsnme prime Of joy, eiate,
Are on the instant called, firth 10 attend their
fate.
Death-fearful Death-iel on them in the night!
Aud ne'er had city. by furions Toe
Surp,s'd and .a,k'd, such sad cause OF light:
Vain then was woman's tear-hcr voice OF
woe,
Echo'd unanswer'd- round observation-disclosures
The lie was seycr'd-and her partner He'd.
And none did now that guilty creature know;
Vain we're Der liItrd hands-in vain She she'd
Tears, that uuuld husband brother, 10 her aid
have sped.
The lost one who had no husband, brother, then,
DRAGGED parent. on whom she Conld call;
And for the first time sadly miss'd them when
Il Vas too Iaie-she had no hope-of all
Ber.ft and friendless-iI must her betali.
A long forgotten duty-lo! she knee's;
Ai,hongh her peril well might her appa,
To Heaven for mercy. earnestly appeals
And more than deaths sharp pang her SOULS sad
anguish feels.
Y.
The scene hath shifted. and its horror spread,
And two more houses in the ruin share;
And the red flames frightful light have shed
On naked wretches. budding here and there.
shahi .