But since my breast is not so pure,
Since still the vulture tears my heart,
Let me this agony endure,

Not thee

-oh! dearest as thou art! In mercy, Clara! let us part,

And I will seek, yet know now how To shun, in time, the threatening dart Guilt must not aim at such as thou.

But thou must aid me in the task,
And nobly thus exert thy power;
Then spurn me hence - 'tis all I ask
Ere time mature a guiltier hour;
Ere wrath's impending vials shower
Remorse redoubled on my head;
Ere fires unquenchably devour

A heart, whose hope has long been dead.

Deceive no more thyself and me,

Deceive not better hearts than mine;

Ah! shouldst thou, whither wouldst thou flee, From woe like ours from shame like thine?

And, if there be a wrath divine,

A pang beyond this fleeting breath,

E'en now all future hope resign,

Such thoughts are guilt-such guilt is death.

STANZAS.

ΤΟ

THERE was a time, I need not name,
Since it will ne'er forgotten be,
When all our feelings were the same
As still my soul hath been to thee.

And from that hour when first thy tongue Confessed a love which equalled mine, Though many a grief my heart hath wrung, Unknown and thus unfelt by thine,

None, none hath sunk so deep as this
To think how all that love hath flown;

Transient as every faithless kiss,

But transient in thy breast alone.

And yet my heart some solace knew,
When late I heard thy lips declare,
In accents once imagined true,
Remembrance of the days that were.

Yes! my adored, yet most unkind!
Though thou wilt never love again,
To me 'tis doubly sweet to find
Remembrance of that love remain.

Yes! 'tis a glorious thought to me,

Nor longer shall my soul repine, Whate'er thou art or e'er shalt be, Thou hast been dearly, solely mine!

TO THE SAME.

AND wilt thou weep when I am low?
Sweet lady! speak those words again:
Yet if they grieve thee, say not so—
I would not give that bosom pain.

My heart is sad, my hopes are gone,

My blood runs coldly through my breast;

And when I perish, thou alone

Wilt sigh above my place of rest.

And yet, methinks, a gleam of peace

Doth through my cloud of anguish shine;

And for a while my sorrow cease,

To know thy heart hath felt for mine.

Oh lady! blessed be that tear

It falls for one that cannot weep:

Such precious drops are doubly dear

To those whose eyes no tear may steep.

Sweet lady! once my heart was warm
With every feeling soft as thine;
But beauty's self hath ceased to charm
A wretch created to repine.

Yet wilt thou weep when I am low?
Sweet lady! speak those words again:
Yet if they grieve thee, say not so —
I would not give that bosom pain.

SONNET.

TO GENEVRA.

THY cheek is pale with thought, but not from woe,
And yet so lovely, that if Mirth could flush
Its rose of whiteness with the brightest blush,
My heart would wish away that ruder glow;
And dazzle not thy deep blue eyes

but oh!

While gazing on them sterner eyes will gush,
And into mine my mother's weakness rush,
Soft as the last drops round heaven's airy bow.
For, through thy long dark lashes low depending,
The soul of melancholy Gentleness

Gleams like a seraph from the sky descending,
Above all pain, yet pitying all distress;
At once such majesty with sweetness blending,
I worship more, but cannot love thee less.

TO BELSHAZZAR.

BELSHAZZAR! from the banquet turn,
Nor in thy sensual fullness fall:
Behold! while yet before thee burn
The graven words, the glowing wall.
Many a despot men miscall

Crowned and annointed from on high;
But thou, the weakest, worst of all
Is it not written, thou must die?

Go! dash the roses from thy brow-
Gray hairs but poorly wreathe with them;
Youth's garlands misbecome thee now,

More than thy very diadem,

Where thou hast tarnished every gem

Then throw the worthless bauble by, Which, worn by thee, ev'n slaves contemn; And learn like better men to die.

Oh! early in the balance weighed,
And ever light of word and worth,
Whose soul expired ere youth decayed,
And left thee but a mass of earth.
To see thee moves the scorner's mirth:
But tears in Hope's averted eye
Lament that even thou hadst birth-
Unfit to govern, live, or die.