Endurable, and temperest the hues

And hearts of all who walk within thy rays!
Sire of the seasons! Monarch of the climes,
And those who dwell in them! for near or far,
Our inborn spirits have a tint of thee,

Even as our outward aspects ;-thou dost rise,
And shine, and set in glory. Fare thee well!
I ne'er shall see thee more. As my first glance
Of love and wonder was for thee, then take
My latest look: thou wilt not beam on one

To whom the gifts of life and warmth have been
Of a more fatal nature. He is gone :

I follow.

[Exit MANFRED.

SCENE III.

The Mountains.-The Castle of Manfred at some

distance. A Terrace before a Tower.-Time, Twi

light.

-

HERMAN, MANUEL, and other Dependants of MANFRED.

HER. 'Tis strange enough; night after night, for

years,

He hath pursued long vigils in this tower,
Without a witness. I have been within it,-
So have we all been oft-times; but from it,
Or its contents, it were impossible

To draw conclusions absolute, of aught

His studies tend to. To be sure, there is

One chamber where none enter; I would give The fee of what I have to come these three years, To pore upon its mysteries.

MANUEL.

'Twere dangerous;

Content thyself with what thou knowest already.

HER. Ah! Manuel! thou art elderly and wise,

And could'st say much; thou hast dwelt within the castle

How many years is't?

MANUEL. Ere Count Manfred's birth,

I served his father, whom he nought resembles. HER. There be more sons in like predicament.

But wherein do they differ?

MANUEL.

I speak not

Of features or of form, but mind and habits:

Count Sigismund was proud,-but gay and free,—

A warrior and a reveller; he dwelt not

With books and solitude, nor made the night
A gloomy vigil, but a festal time,

Merrier than day; he did not walk the rocks

And forests like a wolf, nor turn aside

From men and their delights.

HER. Beshrew the hour,

But those were jocund times! I would that such
Would visit the old walls again; they look

As if they had forgotten them.

MANUEL.

These walls

Must change their chieftain first. Oh! I have seen

Some strange things in them, Herman.

HER. Come, be friendly;

Relate me some to while away our watch:

I've heard thee darkly speak of an event

Which happened hereabouts, by this same tower.

MANUEL. That was a night indeed; I do re

member

'Twas twilight, as it may be now, and such

Another evening ;-yon red cloud, which rests

On Eigher's pinnacle, so rested then,—

So like that it might be the same; the wind
Was faint and gusty, and the mountain snows
Began to glitter with the climbing moon;

Count Manfred was, as now, within his tower,-
How occupied, we knew not, but with him
The sole companion of his wanderings

And watchings-her, whom of all earthly things
That lived, the only thing he seem'd to love,-
As he, indeed, by blood was bound to do,

The lady Astarte, his

Hush! who comes here?

Enter the ABBOT.

ABBOT. Where is your master?

HER. Yonder, in the tower.

ABBOT. I must speak with him.

MANUEL.

'Tis impossible;