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Else, I allow, most thankless.-But, at once,
From some dark seat of fatal power was urged
A claim that shattered all.-Our blooming girl,
Caught in the gripe of death, with such brief time
To struggle in as scarcely would allow

Her cheek to change its colour, was conveyed
From us to inaccessible worlds, to regions
Where height, or depth, admits not the approach
Of living man, though longing to pursue.
-With even as brief a warning-and how soon,
With what short interval of time between,
I tremble yet to think of—our last prop,
Our happy life's only remaining stay—
The brother followed; and was seen no more!

Calm as a frozen lake when ruthless winds
Blow fiercely, agitating earth and sky,
The Mother now remained; as if in her,
Who, to the lowest region of the soul,
Had been erewhile unsettled and disturbed,
This second visitation had no power
To shake; but only to bind up and seal;
And to establish thankfulness of heart
In Heaven's determinations, ever just.
The eminence whereon her spirit stood,
Mine was unable to attain. Immense
The space that severed us! But, as the sight

Communicates with heaven's ethereal orbs

Incalculably distant; so, I felt

That consolation may descend from far
(And that is intercourse, and union, too,)
While, overcome with speechless gratitude,
And, with a holier love inspired, I looked
On her at once superior to my woes
And partner of my loss.-O heavy change!
Dimness o'er this clear luminary crept
Insensibly; the immortal and divine
Yielded to mortal reflux; her pure glory,
As from the pinnacle of worldly state
Wretched ambition drops astounded, fell
Into a gulf obscure of silent grief,

And keen heart-anguish-of itself ashamed,
Yet obstinately cherishing itself:

And, so consumed, she melted from my arms;
And left me, on this earth, disconsolate!

What followed cannot be reviewed in thought;
Much less, retraced in words. If she, of life
Blameless, so intimate with love and joy
And all the tender motions of the soul,
Had been supplanted, could I hope to stand—
Infirm, dependent, and now destitute?

I called on dreams and visions, to disclose

That which is veiled from waking thought; conjured

Eternity, as men constrain a ghost

Το appear and answer; to the grave I spake
Imploringly ;-looked up, and asked the Heavens
If Angels traversed their cerulean floors,

If fixed or wandering star could tidings yield
Of the departed spirit-what abode

It occupies what consciousness retains

Of former loves and interests. Then my soul
Turned inward,—to examine of what stuff
Time's fetters are composed; and life was put
To inquisition, long and profitless!

By pain of heart-now checked-and now impelled-
The intellectual power, through words and things,
Went sounding on, a dim and perilous way!
And from those transports, and these toils abstruse,
Some trace am I enabled to retain

Of time, else lost; -existing unto me
Only by records in myself not found.

From that abstraction I was roused, --and how? Even as a thoughtful shepherd by a flash

Of lightning startled in a gloomy cave

Of these wild hills. For, lo! the dread Bastile,
With all the chambers in its horrid towers,
Fell to the ground:-by violence overthrown
Of indignation; and with shouts that drowned
The crash it made in falling! From the wreck
A golden palace rose, or seemed to rise,
The appointed seat of equitable law
And mild paternal sway. The potent shock
I felt the transformation I perceived,
As marvellously seized as in that moment
When, from the blind mist issuing, I beheld

Glory-beyond all glory ever seen,
Confusion infinite of heaven and earth,

Dazzling the soul. Meanwhile, prophetic harps In every grove were ringing, ' War shall cease; 'Did ye not hear that conquest is abjured? 'Bring garlands, bring forth choicest flowers, to deck 'The tree of Liberty.'-My heart rebounded ; My melancholy voice the chorus joined ; -Be joyful all ye nations; in all lands, 'Ye that are capable of joy be glad! 'Henceforth, whate'er is wanting to yourselves 'In others ye shall promptly find ;—and all, 'Enriched by mutual and reflected wealth,

Shall with one heart honour their common kind.'

Thus was I reconverted to the world;
Society became my glittering bride,

And airy hopes my children.-From the depths
Of natural passion, seemingly escaped,
My soul diffused herself in wide embrace
Of institutions, and the forms of things;
As they exist, in mutable array,

Upon life's surface. What, though in my veins.
There flowed no Gallic blood, nor had I breathed
The air of France, not less than Gallic zeal
Kindled and burnt among the sapless twigs
my
exhausted heart. If busy men
In sober conclave met, to weave a web

Of

Of amity, whose living threads should stretch

Beyond the seas, and to the farthest pole,
There did I sit, assisting. If, with noise
And acclamation, crowds in open air
Expressed the tumult of their minds, my voice
There mingled, heard or not. The powers
of song
I left not uninvoked; and, in still groves,
Where mild enthusiasts tuned a pensive lay
Of thanks and expectation, in accord
With their belief, I sang Saturnian rule

Returned, a progeny of golden years

Permitted to descend, and bless mankind.

-With promises the Hebrew Scriptures teem:
I felt their invitation; and resumed
A long-suspended office in the House

Of public worship, where, the glowing phrase
Of ancient inspiration serving me,

I promised also,-with undaunted trust
Foretold, and added prayer to prophecy ;
The admiration winning of the crowd;
The help desiring of the pure devout.

Scorn and contempt forbid me to proceed!
But History, time's slavish scribe, will tell
How rapidly the zealots of the cause
Disbanded-or in hostile ranks appeared;
Some, tired of honest service; these, outdone,
Disgusted therefore, or appalled, by aims
Of fiercer zealots so confusion reigned,

And the more faithful were compelled to exclaim,

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