"Devotion wafts the mind above, "That quench'd, what beam shall break my night? "Oh! would it shone to lead me still, Although to death or deadliest ill! “Why marvel ye, if they who lose "This present joy, this future hope, "No more with sorrow meekly cope; "In phrensy then their fate accuse: "In madness do those fearful deeds "That seem to add but guilt to woe? "Alas! the breast that inly bleeds "Hath nought to dread from outward blow: "Who falls from all he knows of bliss, "Cares little into what abyss. "To thee, old man, my deeds appear: "I read abhorrence on thy brow, "And this too was I born to bear! ""Tis true, that, like that bird of prey, "With havock have I mark'd my way: "But this was taught me by the dove, "To die-and know no second love. "This lesson yet hath man to learn, "But deem such feeble, heartless man, "Such shame at least was never mine- "For worlds I dare not view the dame Resembling thee, yet not the same. "The very crimes that mar my youth, "This bed of death-attest my truth! ""Tis all too late-thou wert, thou art "The cherish'd madness of my heart! "And she was lost-and yet I breathed, "But not the breath of human life: "A serpent round my heart was wreathed, "And stung my every thought to strife. "Alike all time, abhorr'd all place, "Where every hue that charm'd before "Thou see'st I soon shall part from hence: "And if thy holy tale were true, "The deed that's done canst thou undo? "Think me not thankless-but this grief "Looks not to priesthood for relief. (41) My soul's estate in secret guess: 66 "But would'st thou pity more, say less. "When thou canst bid my Leila live, "Then will I sue thee to forgive; "Then plead my cause in that high place "Where purchased masses proffer grace. "Go, when the hunter's hand hath wrung "From forest-cave her shrieking young, "And calm the lonely lioness: "But soothe not-mock not my distress! "In earlier days, and calmer hours, "When heart with heart delights to blend, "Where bloom my native valley's bowers "I had-Ah! have I now?-a friend! "To him this pledge I charge thee send, "Memorial of a youthful vow; "I would remind him of my end: "Though souls absorb'd like mine allow "Brief thought to distant friendship's claim, "Yet dear to him my blighted name. "'Tis strange-he prophesied my doom, "And I have smiled-I then could smile"When Prudence would his voice assume, "And warn-I reck'd not what-the while: "But now remembrance whispers o'er "Those accents scarcely mark'd before. "Say-that his bodings came to pass, "And he will start to hear their truth, "And wish his words had not been sooth: “Tell him, unheeding as I was, “Through many a busy bitter scene "Of all our golden youth had been, "In pain, my faltering tongue had tried "To bless his memory ere I died; "But Heaven in wrath would turn away, "If Guilt should for the guiltless pray. "I do not ask him not to blame, "Too gentle he to wound my name; "And what have I to do with fame? "I do not ask him not to mourn, "Such cold request might sound like scorn ; "And what than friendship's manly tear "May better grace a brother's bier? "But bear this ring, his own of old, "And tell him-what thou dost behold! "The wither'd frame, the ruin'd mind, "The wrack by passion left behind, "A shrivell'd scroll, a scatter'd leaf, "Sear'd by the autumn blast of grief! * * * "Tell me no more of fancy's gleam, "As something welcome, new, and dear: Forgetful of our former woes; "And rushing from my couch, I dart, |