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"What wert thou born for, denizen of earth?
To laugh and grieve as suits thy wayward will?
Scoffer!-the soul will have a second birth :-
Awake the song-the sparkling goblet fill-
Drown, in thy wine, all thoughts of future ill.
There is another world!" "Then be it so-

Of this already have I had my fill!".

"This will not save thee-this fantastic woe:

Thou knowest not, wretched man, where thou art doom'd to go!"

WRITTEN ON SEEING THE BODIES OF TWO BEAUTIFUL

WOMEN, CAST AWAY NEAR MILFORD.

A DREARY waste of snows around
O'er-spread the inhospitable ground;—
The storm-blast scarce had ceased to roar,
There lay two corpses on the shore.
Thou, pamper'd lecher, come and see
These shapes, so oft embraced by thee!-
What does it shame thee?—look again—
These were once women, ay, and vain ;
Rock-bruised and mangled now, they seem
More horrid than a ghastly dream.
Now kiss their livid lips, and bless
Their fragrant stench, sweet rottenness.
The gay gold rings bemock their fingers,
Where not one trait of beauty lingers;
But, like the shrivell'd star-fish, lie
Their hands in sand, all witheringly.
We start to see this loathsome clay,
Uncoffin'd, rotting fast away;
Yet, we can bear the noisome pest,
Vice, gathering, blackening in the breast.

TRUE LOVE.

I.

'Tis sweet on Truth's high vantage-ground to stand And gaze on men below, in mazes lost Of error ; sweet it is to break the wand Of juggling Comus, battling 'gainst a host Of frightful passions; or when tempest-tost To reach, by unexpected chance, the port; Sweet 'tis to have a Claude, though much it costSweet to the honest heart's the rural sport; Sweetest is woman's love when 'tis of good report.

II.

To share each other's joys, to live indeed
In our own little world of happiness,
With interchange of thought as time may need
To brighten fancy; make our troubles less;
To give and to return the kind caress;

To visit distant realms, not both unknown;

To be each other's helpmates in distress;

To laugh through mutual aid at fortune's frown;

Such were a bliss, indeed, which few can call their own.

EXTEMPORANEOUS LINES

WRITTEN AT

THE spoils of nations here collected seem
To realize an Eastern poet's dream :
Gold, gems, and ivory with rich inlay,
Urns, vases, books, magnificently gay,
Embroider'd couches, golden lamps, and all
That pride would choose for beauty's festival.
With intermingling hues fatigue the sight,
And "dazzle with their luxury of light."*
Nursed in the sunshine, orange-trees unfold
Their leaves of emerald, and their fruit of gold;

* See Gray's Epistle to Bentley, in Mason's edition of his works.

"As when conspiring in the diamond's blaze

The ineaner gems, that singly charm the sight,

Together dart their intermingling rays

And dazzle with a luxury of light!"

Exotics fling their exquisite perfume

From grand conservatories through the room
Where sits the fair Sultana of the place,
And to Zenobia's wealth adds Hebe's grace.
The glorious day-god cheers (what could he less?)
With vivid rays this seat of loveliness.

April 17, 1820.

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