ANOTHER Song for you, dear maid,
However weak my verse,
The charms in which you are array'd
With sweetness to rehearse—

Another song for you whom I
Can scarcely view without a sigh.

Yet why that sigh? do I not see
Much to awaken thought,

In unison with artless glee,

With pride and pleasure fraught?
The spells of hope and beauty o'er me-
Can I sigh with you before me?

But looking in that joy-lit eye,
Whose light my soul entrances,
My mind flies back to times gone by,
And dreams of dearer glances-
Of smiles that once illumed my day,
But whose sweet power hath passed away!

You are so like her (save that years

Are wanting on your part)

That looking at you through my tears,
I feel my spirit start

From its long slumber of distress,
With a wild hope of happiness.

And more than this--to me your tones
An echo seem of hers;

And listening, my heart disowns

The thought that it but errs; Deeming the vision real-the cheat (If such it be) as strangely sweet.

But I can see, without this spell,
Much to admire in you;

A form where all the graces dwell,
And early virtues too-

The one attract admiring eyes,

The other make fond hearts their prize.

Long may'st thou wear that placid look,

So calm and so serene,

Unhurt by what no soul can brook

Insults and tortures keen:

Unmoved by griefs thou may'st not share,

And ever strong thine own to bear!

For all must have enough of woe

Yet may thy lot be light,

For thou art pure and lovely now,
And innocent and bright!
And may the promise of thy spring
A harvest rich in virtue bring.

THE saying may be old, but it is true,

That all the joys we have are very fleeting; And such as thought or feeling would renew, Will scarcely stay to have a second greeting;My years as yet are premature and few,

Yet it has been my destiny to meet in This little space of time the grief that tries The burthened soul with deepest agonies.

Lost are the hopes that early fortune raised—
Lost are the dreams that from ambition sprung-
Lost is the flame of love that softly blazed

Within my heart, when it was pure and young ;— Lost is the pride in which my soul was cased,

Ere crime her murky cloud upon it flungLost that respect for self which could excite To shun the wrong and vindicate the right.

But loss of losses!-gone is that deep glow
Of early feeling which illumined all
That I could dream or door bear and know;
Irradiating sorrow's darkest pall—
Making the notes of gladness merrier flow-
Trebling real life with its high power to call
From the mind's deep and fathomless abyss,
Pure, real creations of unearthly bliss.

7

136 REFLECTIONS AND REMINISCENCES.

Time was when day and night seemed a long hour In which to revel in unbounded joy

To feel of mind the magic and the

power,

And taste its freshness without an alloy :Time was-but that was early feeling's dower,

When my young soul yearn'd only to employ Its strength in thoughts, which had they but endured, Hope, love, truth, purity, had been ensured!

For they were things which came not of earth's clay—
Beings of beauty-children of the air-

Gifts which cold guilt alone could snatch away,
They faded only at the touch of care.

Ill-deeds create and strengthen sorrow's sway-
They blight hope's flower, however firm and fair,
Leaving a bosom spiritless and weak-

A sunken eye, pale brow, and faded cheek.

Thus joy though ever of itself too frail,

Would last us longer if we did not seek

All foolishly its basis to assail

With vices which but make its blessings weakIts visits seldom-if we did not fail

In duties and the laws of reason break, Heaven would bestow its blessing from above, And all our lives be peace, and truth, and love!

TO THEE, Almighty God! whose chastening power Teaches and tries me in this awful hour,

Amid my weakness and my agony,

Oh, Lord! I lift my trembling voice to Thee!
Beneficent Creator! God of love!

Dwelling in might and majesty above

Grant that thy prostrate creature's fervent prayer May, in thy mercy, find acceptance there.

Lord! if my prayer oppose not thy decree,
Let health and strength again revisit me ;-
Not that thy servant would return to life,
Once more to mingle in its care and strife-
Not that ev'n now she longeth to employ

Her thoughts in worldly grief and worldly joy ;—
This course of suffering and of trial o'er,
Lord! grant her life! that she may sin-no more!

But if, Almighty God! it be thy will

With lengthened sorrows to afflict me still-
O teach me, in thy mercy, to remove

My heart's desires from all things but thy love!
Alike unmov'd by levity or gloom,

With resignation let me meet my doom:
Lord! purify the soul earth's cares have riven,
So shall it find its home with Thee in heaven!