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Literary
April 5, 1825
Constitutional Whig
Richmond, Virginia
What is this article about?
A dream poem depicting the speaker on a perilous precipice amid storm and despair, sustained by whispers of Hope promising rescue through melting ice or human mercy, but ultimately leaping into the abyss, awakening from the nightmare.
Clipping
OCR Quality
88%
Good
Full Text
From the New-York Minerva.
HOPE IN THE HOUR OF PERIL;
A DREAM.
Upon a precipice I stood:-
Below me foam'd the angry flood,
On either hand an icy glare:
Above dark clouds, below despair!
Thrice I resolved no more to strive,
But down the abyss of fate to drive;
Yet something whisper'd --"Stay, oh stay!
Yon low'ring cloud shall ope
Its flood-gates, and shall melt away
The icy glare."--This, this was Hope!
The clouds more dark and darker grew:
The whirlwinds fierce and fiercer blew;
The slippery slope, with hostile glare,
Forbade the hope of safety there!
The clouds no generous aid bestow-
They're gone—alas! I, too, must go!
"A little longer," whispers one,
"And man his heart shall ope,
To save a brother's widow'- son,
And lead thee hence."
This, too, was Hope.
Lethargic slumbers seize me now;
I sink upon the chasm's brow:
Hope whispers still--"O! don't despair,
There's mercy in the changing air;
The sun may send a cheering ray,
And melt the icy glare away
Fate's chilly winds more chilly grow,
And mercy's sun is gone;
More furious rave the waves below.
The crisis hastens on!
Long I cannot bear the hate,
Nor torments of malicious fate:
The gulf below the drear abyss.
Has nothing half as drear as this,
"Yet persevere," the whisp'rer says,
"Till mercy's God his power displays.
Impatiently I spurned the sprite,
And leap'd upon the slope!
Down! down!! I went!!! This put to flight
The Nightmare, with its rider--Hope.
HOPE IN THE HOUR OF PERIL;
A DREAM.
Upon a precipice I stood:-
Below me foam'd the angry flood,
On either hand an icy glare:
Above dark clouds, below despair!
Thrice I resolved no more to strive,
But down the abyss of fate to drive;
Yet something whisper'd --"Stay, oh stay!
Yon low'ring cloud shall ope
Its flood-gates, and shall melt away
The icy glare."--This, this was Hope!
The clouds more dark and darker grew:
The whirlwinds fierce and fiercer blew;
The slippery slope, with hostile glare,
Forbade the hope of safety there!
The clouds no generous aid bestow-
They're gone—alas! I, too, must go!
"A little longer," whispers one,
"And man his heart shall ope,
To save a brother's widow'- son,
And lead thee hence."
This, too, was Hope.
Lethargic slumbers seize me now;
I sink upon the chasm's brow:
Hope whispers still--"O! don't despair,
There's mercy in the changing air;
The sun may send a cheering ray,
And melt the icy glare away
Fate's chilly winds more chilly grow,
And mercy's sun is gone;
More furious rave the waves below.
The crisis hastens on!
Long I cannot bear the hate,
Nor torments of malicious fate:
The gulf below the drear abyss.
Has nothing half as drear as this,
"Yet persevere," the whisp'rer says,
"Till mercy's God his power displays.
Impatiently I spurned the sprite,
And leap'd upon the slope!
Down! down!! I went!!! This put to flight
The Nightmare, with its rider--Hope.
What sub-type of article is it?
Poem
Vision Or Dream
What themes does it cover?
Moral Virtue
Religious
What keywords are associated?
Hope
Peril
Dream
Despair
Fate
Mercy
Nightmare
What entities or persons were involved?
From The New York Minerva.
Literary Details
Title
Hope In The Hour Of Peril; A Dream.
Author
From The New York Minerva.
Key Lines
Yet Something Whisper'd "Stay, Oh Stay!
Yon Low'ring Cloud Shall Ope
Its Flood Gates, And Shall Melt Away
The Icy Glare." This, This Was Hope!
"A Little Longer," Whispers One,
"And Man His Heart Shall Ope,
To Save A Brother's Widow' Son,
And Lead Thee Hence."
This, Too, Was Hope.
"Yet Persevere," The Whisp'rer Says,
"Till Mercy's God His Power Displays.
Down! Down!! I Went!!! This Put To Flight
The Nightmare, With Its Rider Hope.