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And he, amid his frolic play,

As if he would the charming air repay, Shook thousand odours from his dewy wings.

O Music! sphere-descended Maid,
Friend of pleasure, wisdom's aid,
Why, Goddess! why, to us denied,
Lay'st thou thy ancient lyre aside?
As in that lov'd Athenian bower
You learn'd an all-commanding power,
Thy mimic soul, O Nymph endear'd!
Can well recall what then it heard,
Where is thy native simple heart,
Devote to virtue, fancy, art?
Arise, as in that elder time,
Warm, energetic, chaste, sublime!
Thy wonders in that godlike age
Fill thy recording Sister's page-
'Tis said, and I believe the tale,
Thy humblest reed could more prevail,
Had more of strength, diviner rage,
Than all which charms this laggard age;
Ev'n all at once together found
Cecilia's mingled world of sound.
O bid our vain endeavours cease;
Revive the just designs of Greece;
Return in all thy simple state;
Confirm the tales her sons relate.

THE HOUR OF LOVE.

ANONYMOUS.

WHEN should lovers breathe their vows?
When should ladies hear them?

When the dew is on the boughs,
When none else are near them!

When the moon shines cold and pale;
When the birds are sleeping;
When no voice is on the gale;
When the rose is weeping!

When the stars are bright on high,
Like hopes in young Love's dreaming,
And glancing round, the light clouds fly,
Like fears, to shade their beaming.

The fairest smiles are those that live
On the brow by star-light wreathing,
And the lips their richest incense give,
When the sigh is at midnight breathing.

Oh! softest is the cheek's love-ray,
When seen by moonlight hours:
Other roses seek the day,

But blushes are night's flowers.

Oh! when the moon and stars are bright,
When the dew-drops glisten,

Then their vows should lovers plight-
Then should ladies listen!

ALONZO THE BRAVE, AND THE FAIR IMOGINE.

LEWIS.

A WARRIOR SO bold, and a virgin so bright,
Convers'd as they sat on the green;

They gaz'd on each other with tender delight;
Alonzo the Brave was the name of the knight-
The maid's was the fair Imogine.

"And oh !" said the youth," since to-morrow I go To fight in a far-distant land,

Your tears for my absence soon ceasing to flow, Some other will court you, and you will bestow On a wealthier suitor your hand!"

"Oh! hush these suspicions," fair Imogine said, "Offensive to love and to me;

For if you be living, or if you be dead,
I swear by the Virgin, that none, in your stead,
Shall husband of Imogine be.

"Or if e'er for another my heart should decide, Forgetting Alonzo the Brave,

God grant that, to punish my falsehood and pride,
Your ghost at the marriage may sit by my side,
May tax me with perjury, claim me as bride,
And bear me away to the grave!"

To Palestine hasten'd the hero so bold;
His love she lamented him sore-

But scarce had a twelvemonth elaps'd, when, be

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A Baron, all cover'd with jewels and gold,
Arriv'd at fair Imogine's door.

His treasures, his presents, his spacious domain,
Soon made her untrue to her vows;

He dazzled her eyes, he bewilder'd her brain,
He caught her affections so light and so vain,
And carried her home as his spouse.

And now had the marriage been blest by the priest; The revelry now was begun ;

The tables they groan'd with the weight of the feast, Nor yet had the laughter and merriment ceas'd, When the bell of the castle toll'd-One!

MS

Then first with amazement fair Imogine found
That a stranger was plac'd by her side;

His air was terrific; he utter'd no sound!
He spoke not, he mov'd not, he look'd not around,
But earnestly gaz'd on the bride!

His vizor was clos'd, and gigantic his height;
His armour was sable to view :---

All pleasure and laughter were hush'd at his sight,
The dogs, as they eyed him, drew back in affright;
The lights in the chamber burn'd blue!

His presence all bosoms appear'd to dismay,
The guests sat in silence and fear;

At length spoke the bride, while she trembled, "I pray,

Sir Knight, that your helmet aside you would lay, And deign to partake of our cheer!"

The Lady is silent; the stranger complies;
His vizor he slowly unclos'd;

Oh God! what a sight met fair Imogine's eyes!
What words can express her dismay and surprise,
When a skeleton's head was expos'd!

All present then utter'd a terrified shout,

All turn'd with disgust from the scene, The worms they crept in, and the worms they crept out,

And sported his eyes and his temples about,
While the Spectre address'd Imogine:-

"Behold me! thou false one; behold me!" he cried;

"Remember Alonzo the Brave!

God grants that to punish thy falsehood and pride, My ghost at thy marriage should sit by thy side;

Should tax thee with perjury, claim thee as bride, And bear thee away to the grave!"

Thus saying, his arms round the Lady he wound, While loudly she shriek'd in dismay;

Then sank with his prey through the wide-yawning ground,

Nor ever again was fair Imogine found,
Or the Spectre that bore her away!

Not long liv'd the Baron; and none since that time
To inhabit the castle presume;

For chronicles tell, that, by order sublime,
There Imogine suffers the pains of her crime,
And mourns her deplorable doom.

At midnight, four times in each year, does her sprite,
When mortals in slumber are bound,
Array'd in her bridal apparel of white,
Appear in the hall with the Skeleton-Knight,
And shriek as he whirls her around!

While they drink out of skulls newly torn from the grave,

Dancing round them the Spectres are seen : Their liquor is blood, and this horrible stave They howl-" To the health of Alonzo the Brave, And his consort, the false Imogine!"

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