But thee and me he never can destroy; Change us he may, but not o'erwhelm ; we are Of as eternal essence, and must war

With him if he will war with us: with thee

I can share all things, even immortal sorrow;
For thou hast ventured to share life with me,
And shall I shrink from thine eternity?
No! though the serpent's sting should pierce
me thorough,

And thou thyself wert like the serpent, coil
Around me still! and I will smile,

And curse thee not; but hold

Thee in as warm a fold

For an immortal. If the skies contain

More joy than thou canst give and take, remain ! (1)
Anah. Sister! sister! I view them winging

Their bright way through the parted night.
Aho. The clouds from off their pinions flinging,

As though they bore to-morrow's light.

Anah. But if our father see the sight!

Aho. He would but deem it was the moon Rising unto some sorcerer's tune

An hour too soon.

Anah. They come! he comes!-Azazie!!
Aho.

To meet them! Oh! for wings to bear

Haste

(1) [This invocation is extremely beautiful: its chief beauty lies in the continuous and meandering flow of its impassioned versification. At its close, and it might well win down to earth erring angels from hea ven, - the maidens disappear in the midnight darkness, hoping the presence of their celestial lovers. WILSON.]

My spirit, while they hover there,

To Samiasa's breast!

Anah. Lo! they have kindled all the west,
Like a returning sunset ;-lo!

On Ararat's late secret crest
A mild and many-colour'd bow,
The remnant of their flashing path,

Now shines! and now, behold! it hath
Return'd to night, as rippling foam,

Which the leviathan hath lash'd
From his unfathomable home,

When sporting on the face of the calm deep, Subsides soon after he again hath dash'd Down, down, to where the ocean's fountains sleep.(1) Aho. They have touch'd earth! Samiasa! Anah.

My Azaziel !

[Exeunt.

SCENE II.(2)

Enter IRAD and JAPHET.

Irad. Despond not: wherefore wilt thou wander thus

To add thy silence to the silent night,

(1) [Lord Byron here takes a wide career, and is sometimes obscure and confused; but the flashes of fire continually break through, and illumine the clouds of smoke and vapour. The extravagance is dictated by passion. His muse, even in her riddles and digressions, has a sybil-like, prophetic fury. - JEFFREY.]

(2) [In the second scene, Japhet, Noah's son, and Irad—the earthly and despised lovers of the two maidens - appear. Their talk is somewhat dull; which, we presume, is natural in such circumstances WILSON.]

And lift thy tearful eye unto the stars?
They cannot aid thee.

Japh.

But they soothe me-now Perhaps she looks upon them as I look. Methinks a being that is beautiful Becometh more so as it looks on beauty, The eternal beauty of undying things. Oh, Anah!

Irad.

Japh.

But she loves thee not.

Alas!

Irad. And proud Aholibamah spurns me also.

Japh. I feel for thee too.

I loved her well; I would have loved her better, Had love been met with love': as 'tis, I leave her To brighter destinies, if so she deems them.

Japh. What destinies ?

Irad.

That I know not; but her air,

If not her words, tells me she loves another.
Japh. Ay, but not Anah: she but loves her God.
Irad. Whate'er she loveth, so she loves thee not,
What can it profit thee? (1)

(1) [This is one of those bitter, taunting sarcasms that escape from

Japh. I love.

Irad. And so did I.

Japh.

True, nothing; but

And now thou lov'st not,

Yes.

Or think'st thou lov'st not, art thou happier?

For being happy,

Deprived of that which makes my misery.

Irad. I take thy taunt as part of thy distemper, And would not feel as thou dost for more shekels Than all our father's herds would bring if weigh'd Against the metal of the sons of Cain

The yellow dust they try to barter with us,
As if such useless and discolour'd trash,
The refuse of the earth, could be received
For milk, and wool, and flesh, and fruits, and all
Our flocks and wilderness afford.-Go, Japhet,
Sigh to the stars, as wolves howl to the moon-
I must back to my rest.

Japh.

If I could rest.

Irad.

And so would I

Thou wilt not to our tents then?

Japh. No, Irad; I will to the cavern, whose Mouth they say opens from the internal world To let the inner spirits of the earth

Forth when they walk its surface.

Lord Byron's pen, in spite of himself. Japhet is afterwards introduced alone, in a mountainous cave; and his soliloquy, bemoaning his own fate, and the approaching destruction of mankind, is interrupted by a laugh of demons, rejoicing over the event. This scene is terrific. - JEFFREY.]

Irad.

Wherefore so?

Soothe further my sad spirit

What wouldst thou there?

Japh.

With gloom as sad: it is a hopeless spot,

I feel no evil thought, and fear no evil.

Irad. But evil things will be thy foe the more

As not being of them: turn thy steps aside,

Or let mine be with thine.

Japh.

I must proceed alone.

Irad.

No, neither, Irad;

Then peace be with thee!
[Exit IRAD.

Japh. (solus). Peace! I have sought it where it

should be found,

In love with love, too, which perhaps deserved it;

And, in its stead, a heaviness of heart

A weakness of the spirit-listless days,
And nights inexorable to sweet sleep-

Have come upon me. Peace! what peace? the calm
Of desolation, and the stillness of

The untrodden forest, only broken by

The sweeping tempest through its groaning boughs; Such is the sullen or the fitful state

Of

my mind overworn. The earth's grown wicked, And many signs and portents have proclaim'd A change at hand, and an o'erwhelming doom