Our nymphs awaked the choral lay,

And danced around Cassotis' fount; As then, 'twas all thy wish and care

That mine should be the simplest mien,
My lyre and voice the sweetest there,
My foot the lightest o'er the green;
So still, each little grace to mould,
Around my form thine eyes are shed,
Arranging every snowy fold,

And guiding every mazy tread !
And, when I lead the hymning choir,
Thy spirit still, unseen and free,
Hovers between my lip and lyre,
And weds them into harmony!

Flow, Plistus, flow, thy murmuring wave
Shall never drop its silvery tear
Upon so pure, so blest a grave,

To memory so divinely dear!

RINGS AND SEALS.

Ώσπερ σφραγίδες τα φιλήματα.

ACHILLES TATIUS, lib. ii.

"Go!" said the angry, weeping maid,

"The charm is broken!-once betray'd,

"Oh! never can my heart rely

"On word or look, on oath or sigh.
“Take back the gifts, so sweetly given,
"With promised faith and vows to Heaven;
“That little ring which, night and morn,
“With wedded truth my hand hath worn ;
"That seal which oft, in moments blest,
"Thou hast upon my lip imprest,
"And sworn its dewy spring should be
"A fountain seal'd* for only thee!

mon,

* "There are gardens, supposed to be those of King Soloin the neighbourhood of Bethlehem. The friars show a fountain, which they say is the 'sealed fountain' to which the holy spouse in the Canticles is compared; and they pretend a tradition, that Solomon shut up these springs and put his signet upon the door, to keep them for his own drinking." -MAUNDRELL'S Travels. See also the Notes to Mr. GooD'S Translation of the Song of Solomon.

“Take, take them back, the gift and vow, "All sullied, lost and hateful now!"

I took the ring—the seal I took,
While, oh! her every tear and look
Were such as angels look and shed,
When man is by the world misled!
Gently I whisper'd, “ FANNY, dear!
"Not half thy lover's gifts are here:
"Say, where are all the seals he gave
"To every ringlet's jetty wave,
“And where is every one he printed
"Upon that lip so ruby-tinted—
"Seals of the purest gem of bliss,
"Oh! richer, softer, far than this!

"And then the ring-my love! recal
"How many rings, delicious all,

"His arms around that neck hath twisted,

66

Twining warmer far than this did!

"Where are they all, so sweet, so many? "Oh! dearest, give back all, if any!"

While thus I murmur'd, trembling too
Lest all the nymph had vow'd was true,

I saw a smile relenting rise

'Mid the moist azure of her eyes,
Like day-light o'er a sea of blue
While yet the air is dim with dew!
She let her cheek repose on mine,
She let my arms around her twine—
Oh! who can tell the bliss one feels
In thus exchanging rings and seals!

TO MISS SUSAN B-CKF――D.

ON HER SINGING.

I MORE than once have heard, at night, ·
A song like those thy lips have given,
And it was sung by shapes of light,

Who seem'd, like thee, to breathe of Heaven!

But this was all a dream of sleep,

And I have said, when morning shone,
"Oh! why should fairy Fancy keep
"These wonders for herself alone?"

I knew not then that Fate had lent
Such tones to one of mortal birth ;

I knew not then that Heaven had sent

A voice, a form, like thine on earth!

And yet, in all that flowery maze

Through which my life has loved to tread, When I have heard the sweetest lays From lips of dearest lustre shed;

When I have felt the warbled word

From beauty's mouth of perfume sighing, Sweet as music's hallow'd bird

Upon a rose's bosom lying!

Though form and song at once combined Their loveliest bloom and softest thrill, My heart hath sigh'd, my heart hath pined For something softer, lovelier still!

Oh! I have found it all, at last,

In thee, thou sweetest, living lyre,
Through which the soul hath ever pass'd
Its harmonizing breath of fire!

All that my best and wildest dream,
In Fancy's hour, could hear or see
Of music's sigh or beauty's beam,
Are realized, at once, in thee!