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Fraught with mine earthward clinging happiness,
Forgetting Him who gave, and might resume,
Oh, pardon me!

If nature hath rebelled,
And from thy light turned wilfully away,
Making a midnight of her agony,

When the despairing passion of her clasp
Was from its idol stricken at one touch

Of thine Almighty hand-oh, pardon me!
By thy Son's anguish, pardon! In the soul,

The tempests and the waves will know thy voice-
Father, say "Peace, be still!"

[Giving the child to her husband.

Farewell, my babe!

Go from my bosom now to other rest!

With this last kiss on thine unsullied brow,

And on thy pale calm cheek these contrite tears,
I yield thee to thy Maker!

HUSBAND.

Now, my wife,

Thine own meek holiness beams forth once more
A light upon my path. Now shall I bear,
From thy dear arms, the slumberer to repose-
With a calm trustful heart.

AGNES.

Where wilt thou lay him?

HUSBAND.

My Edmund! where

Seest thou where the spire

Of yon dark cypress reddens in the sun

To burning gold?-there-o'er yon willow tuft?

Under that native desert monument

Lies his lone bed.

Our Hubert, since the dawn,

With the grey mosses of the wilderness

Hath lined it closely through; and there breathed forth,

E'en from the fulness of his own pure heart,

A wild, sad forest hymn-a song of tears,

Which thou wilt learn to love. I heard the boy
Chanting it o'er his solitary task,

As wails a wood-bird to the thrilling leaves,

Perchance unconsciously.

AGNES.

My gentle son!

Th' affectionate, the gifted!—With what joy—
Edmund, rememberest thou-with what bright joy
His baby brother ever to his arms

Would spring from rosy sleep, and playfully
Hide the rich clusters of his gleaming hair

In that kind youthful breast!-Oh! now no more—
But strengthen me, my God! and melt my heart
Even to a well-spring of adoring tears,

For many a blessing left.

[Bending over the child.] Once more farewell! Oh! the pale, piercing sweetness of that look! How can it be sustained? Away, away!

[After a short pause: Edmund, my woman's nature still is weakI cannot see thee render dust to dust! Go thou, my husband, to thy solemn task ;

I will rest here and still my soul with prayer

Till thy return.

HUSBAND. Then strength be with thy prayer! Peace on thy bosom! Faith and heavenly hope Unto thy spirit! Fare thee well awhile!

We must be pilgrims of the woods again,
After this mournful hour.

[He goes out with the child.

Agnes kneels

in prayer. After a time, voices without are heard singing

[blocks in formation]

England's field-flowers may not deck his grave, Cyprus shadows o'er him darkly wave.

Woods unknown receive him,

'Midst the mighty wild;

Yet with God we leave him,

Blessed, blessed child!

And our tears gush o'er his lonely dust,
Mournfully, yet still from hearts of trust.

Though his eye hath brightened

Oft our weary way,

And his clear laugh lightened

Half our hearts' dismay;

Still in hope we give back what was given,
Yielding up the beautiful to heaven.

And to her who bore him,

Her who long must weep,

Yet shall heaven restore him

From his pale sweet sleep!

Those blue eyes of love and peace again
Through her soul will shine, undimmed by pain.

Where the long reeds quiver,
Where the pines make moan,
Leave me by the river,

Earth to earth alone!

God and Father! may our journeyings on
Lead to where the blessed boy is gone.

From the exile's sorrow,

From the wanderer's dread

Of the night and morrow,

Early, brightly fled;

Thou hast called him to a sweeter home,

Than our lost one o'er the ocean's foam.

Now let thought behold him
With his angel look,

Where those arms enfold him,

Which benignly took

Israel's babes to their good Shepherd's breast,
When his voice their tender meekness blest.

Turn thee now, fond mother!
From thy dead, oh, turn!
Linger not, young brother,

Here to dream and mourn:

Only kneel once more around the sod,
Kneel and bow submissive hearts to God!

FROM "PROMETHEUS UNBOUND."

SHELLE Y.

[EXTRACT.]

Within the orb itself,

Pillowed upon its alabaster arms,

Like to a child o'erwearied with sweet toil,
On its own folded wings and wavy hair,
The spirit of the Earth is laid asleep,
And you can see its little lips are moving,
Amid the changing light of their own smiles,
Like one who talks of what he loves in dreams.

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