And all was brightness where they fell! Fond soother of my infant tear! Fond sharer of my infant joy! When, meeting on the sacred mount, And danc'd around Cassotis' fount; And guiding every mazy tread! Flow, Plistus, flow, thy murmuring wave RINGS AND SEALS. «Ωσπερ σφραγίδες τα φιλήματα. Achilles Tatius, Lib. i. "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 promis'd faith and vows to Heaven; "That little ring which, night and morn, "With wedded truth my hand hath worn ; "That seal, which oft in moment blest, “Thou hast upon my lip imprest, "And sworn its dewy spring should be "A fountain seal'd* for only thee! "Take, take them back the gift and vow, "All sullied, lost and hateful now!" "There are gardens, supposed to be those of King Solomon, in 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 Solo mon. I took the ring-the seal I took, "And where is every one he printed "And then the ring-my love! recall "His arms around that neck hath twisted, 'Mid the moist azure of her eyes, TO MISS SUSAN B--CKF- -D. ON HER SINGING. I MORE than once have heard, at night, Who seem'd like thee, to breathe of But this was all a dream of sleep, And I have said, when morning shone, I knew not then that fate had lent And yet, in all that flowery maze Through which my life has lov'd 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 combin'd Their loveliest bloom and softest thrill, My heart hath sigh'd, my heart hath pin’d 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, |