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Literary
November 12, 1816
Portland Gazette, And Maine Advertiser
Portland, Cumberland County, Maine
What is this article about?
A young sailor, betrayed by a trusted confidant who steals his hard-earned money, contemplates drowning his sorrows in wine but is deterred by thoughts of his dependent father and wife. The tale is accompanied by a moral poem on ingratitude, temptation, and redemption.
Clipping
OCR Quality
95%
Excellent
Full Text
From the American-published at Hanover, N. H.
A young man, who had often rode the "mountain wave," and braved the "pelting of the pitiless storm," was treated with the basest ingratitude, by a person in whom he placed the greatest confidence, and in whose hands he had deposited a considerable sum of money, the reward of many toilsome days and sleepless nights at sea. This wretch decamped with the whole; which so affected the young man, that he determined to drown his sorrows in the bowl, and remember his poverty no more; he accordingly brought a quantity of wine-poured out a cup, and drank it--another--raised it to his lips, and paused; here the silent monitor within awoke, and reminded him that he had an aged father, and most affectionate wife, dependent on him for support. He dashed the cup and fled from the precipice which threatened his destruction.
"O GIVE me wine, my heart is sore;
Ingratitude hath pierced it deep:
Give me the cup--I'll drink once more:
Yes, drink till I forget to weep.
Then come, oblivious nectar, come,
And hail, thou sweetly poisonous cup:
For though thy brim with nightshade bloom,
I'll drink thy sparkling poison up
Yes--though the adder lurk below.
And mix with death this rosy wine,
Yet will I drink, till it shall flow
Through every pore and vein of mine,
For, on a dizzy, dangerous steep,
My aching head I'd sooner rest,
Without a friend to guard my sleep,
Than seek repose on human breast.
Less treacherous is the panther's wile.
Less to be feared the tiger's grin,
Than faithless friendship's wintry smile,
That kills the nobler part within.
Then come oblivious nectar, come;
I'll taste again the deadly cup;
For though its brim with nightshade bloom,
I'll drink its sparkling poison up";
He paus'd! for memory brought to view
The bleeding bosom of his sire!
And brought to mind! the fond adieu
Of her who wak'd his slumbering lyre.
O Memory! then 'twas thine to save
The noblest youth, the manliest form,
That ever rode the dark blue wave,
Or brav'd the fury of the storm
For quickly from his lips he spurn'd
The life and peace-destroying bowl;
And back to joy and health return'd,
Ere it had numb'd his generous soul.
A young man, who had often rode the "mountain wave," and braved the "pelting of the pitiless storm," was treated with the basest ingratitude, by a person in whom he placed the greatest confidence, and in whose hands he had deposited a considerable sum of money, the reward of many toilsome days and sleepless nights at sea. This wretch decamped with the whole; which so affected the young man, that he determined to drown his sorrows in the bowl, and remember his poverty no more; he accordingly brought a quantity of wine-poured out a cup, and drank it--another--raised it to his lips, and paused; here the silent monitor within awoke, and reminded him that he had an aged father, and most affectionate wife, dependent on him for support. He dashed the cup and fled from the precipice which threatened his destruction.
"O GIVE me wine, my heart is sore;
Ingratitude hath pierced it deep:
Give me the cup--I'll drink once more:
Yes, drink till I forget to weep.
Then come, oblivious nectar, come,
And hail, thou sweetly poisonous cup:
For though thy brim with nightshade bloom,
I'll drink thy sparkling poison up
Yes--though the adder lurk below.
And mix with death this rosy wine,
Yet will I drink, till it shall flow
Through every pore and vein of mine,
For, on a dizzy, dangerous steep,
My aching head I'd sooner rest,
Without a friend to guard my sleep,
Than seek repose on human breast.
Less treacherous is the panther's wile.
Less to be feared the tiger's grin,
Than faithless friendship's wintry smile,
That kills the nobler part within.
Then come oblivious nectar, come;
I'll taste again the deadly cup;
For though its brim with nightshade bloom,
I'll drink its sparkling poison up";
He paus'd! for memory brought to view
The bleeding bosom of his sire!
And brought to mind! the fond adieu
Of her who wak'd his slumbering lyre.
O Memory! then 'twas thine to save
The noblest youth, the manliest form,
That ever rode the dark blue wave,
Or brav'd the fury of the storm
For quickly from his lips he spurn'd
The life and peace-destroying bowl;
And back to joy and health return'd,
Ere it had numb'd his generous soul.
What sub-type of article is it?
Poem
Soliloquy
What themes does it cover?
Moral Virtue
Temperance
Friendship
What keywords are associated?
Ingratitude
Betrayal
Temperance
Sailor
Moral Redemption
Wine Temptation
Family Duty
Literary Details
Subject
Ingratitude And Temptation To Drink
Form / Style
Narrative Poem With Prose Introduction
Key Lines
O Give Me Wine, My Heart Is Sore;
Ingratitude Hath Pierced It Deep:
Give Me The Cup I'll Drink Once More:
Yes, Drink Till I Forget To Weep.
Then Come, Oblivious Nectar, Come,
And Hail, Thou Sweetly Poisonous Cup:
For Though Thy Brim With Nightshade Bloom,
I'll Drink Thy Sparkling Poison Up
Less Treacherous Is The Panther's Wile.
Less To Be Feared The Tiger's Grin,
Than Faithless Friendship's Wintry Smile,
That Kills The Nobler Part Within.
O Memory! Then 'Twas Thine To Save
The Noblest Youth, The Manliest Form,
That Ever Rode The Dark Blue Wave,
Or Brav'd The Fury Of The Storm
For Quickly From His Lips He Spurn'd
The Life And Peace Destroying Bowl;
And Back To Joy And Health Return'd,
Ere It Had Numb'd His Generous Soul.