Delaware State journal and statesman., 1861-09-10
ALLITERATIoN.

IL
. lhe Washington Chronicle, an article on ailit-
/ erallve literature, from which we copy the fol-
lowing;
> one of the best specimens of ALTERATION, on
an extended SCALE is the famous poetical ae-
count of the Siege of Belgrade The author is
unknown' Belgrade was often besieged and
l"kcli--eeyen times between the year 34l
lwhen the Huns captured t) and 1883, (when
it was ;aken by Laudohn.) The siege com
lhemorated by the poet probably was the last,
when the famous fortress fell. There is al
liberation again.)
THE SIEGE OF BELdADE.
An Austrian army, awiully arrayed,
Boldly by battery besieged Belgrade.
Cossaek commanders cannonading come,
Dealing distinctions devastating doom.
Every endeavor engineers essay
For fame, for -fghting-furious fray
Gauut gunners grapple, giving gashes good,
llcayes high his head, heroic hardihood;
lbraham, Islam, Ismael-mps in i'll,
Jostle John Jarvilitz, Jem, Joe, Jack, Jill
Kick kndling Keetusof, kings kinsman kill
Labor low levels lotties, longest lines
Men march mid mounds, mid moles, mid
mnrderous mines.
NOW nightialls near, now needful nature mods
| Opposed, opposing, overcoming odds
| Cd
Quite quakiug "quarer quarterp quickly
quest.
Reason returns, recalls redundant rage,
Saves sinking soldiers, softens signior's sage,
| Truce, Turkey, Trucel truce, treacherous Tar
tar train
| Unjust, unwise, unmercifu Ukraine.
Vanish, vile vengeance vanish, victory vain
Wisdom walls waa-wals warning words
What were
Nerves, Xantippe, Ximenes, Xayier2
Yet Ynnys youth, ye yield your youthful vest,
Healously zanes, zealously, zeals zest.
This is the text, as given in Henry South
gates g Many Thoughts on Many things" and
adopted by Chambers, But there are uarise
leciioaes, in another copy supplied by a literary
friend in Philadelphia, which, especially the
closing lines, are worthy of being recorded for
comparison. Here are the different readings
Generals 'gainst generals grapple, gracious
How honors Heaven heroic hardihoodl
lniuriate, indscrminate, in ill.,
kindred kill kinsmen, kinsmen kindred kill
Now noisy noxious number notice nought
OF outward obstacles opposing ought
Poor patriots
Reason returns; religious sight rebounds,
Surwarrow stops such sanguinary sounds,
Truce to thee Turkey Triumph to thy train.
Why wish we warfarc2 Wherefore welcome
Were
Yerxes, Ximenes, Xanthus, Xavier?
Yield, yield, ye youths Ye yeomen, yield
your WE'LL
Zero's, Zarpater's Zoroasters zeal
Attracting ALL arms against acts appeal.
We throw the various readings down before
curious seholars-a hard nut for them to
crack Which is the accurate version
The friend above referred to sends us another
specimen, about which he writes thus
1t is perhaps, literally, the most accurate
alphabetical acrostic that has appeared
Without ut all entering into competition with
the wonderfully spirited Siege of Belgrade
on the score of expressive force it would be
easy to point out several particulars in which
ii has an advantage OF accuracy over that ad-
mirable composition. None of the peculiar
difficulties of the task are shirked-the lines
follow the exact order of the alphabet. No
one, without trial, would conceive the diff
Guilty OF finishing in a fair. Alexandriue on
the letter u, which becomes, in its place, the
most intractablc of ALL There is no Just
rhyme that am aware of between words end
ing with and 2 this may cause the illegiti-
mate zealed to pass muster, whilo similar
reason may excuse the manufacture of the
bobtail 'unwont.'"
We now subioin the alliterative acrostic
sent us by our friend. 1t certainly is spirit
ed and surprisingly correct specimen;
PRINCE CHARLES PROTECTED BY FLORA M'DoNALD.
All ardent acts alright an Age abased
BY brutal broils, by braggart bravery braced.
Crafts cankcred courage changed Culloden's
cry;
"Deal deep deposed "deal deathn-adecoy,7
"defy:"
Enough. Ere envy enters Englands eyes,
Fancy's false future fades, for Fortune flies.
Gannl,. gloomy guarded, graphing giant
Here hunted hard, his harrnssed heart he
heaves;
lu impous ire incessant ills invests,
Judging Joves jealous judgments, jaundiced
iestsl
Kneel kirtled knight keep keener kingcran
known,
Let larger lore life leveling lessons loan
Marauders must meet maleiactors' needs
No nation noisy noncontormsts needs,
o ordcles of old our orb ordain
Peace's possession-Plenty palmy plainl
Quiet Quixotc questsj quell quarreing;
Rebuke red riots resonant riile-rng.
Slumber seems strangely sweet since silence
smote
The threatening thunders throbbing through
their throat.
Usurperl under uniform unwont
Vail valors vaguest venture, vainest vaunt.
Well wot we which were wise.-Wars Wild
FIRE won
Ximenes, Nerxes, Xavier, Xenophon:
Yet you, ye yearning youth, your young years
yield
Zuinglius aeaot zest--Z --Zinzindorf's zion-zealed.
Stl, we think il deficient in the spirit which
chancterizes the "Siege of Belgrade"