While on the rock I mark the browsing goat, I shall not want the world's delusive joys; Shall think my lot complete, nor covet more; III.* Supposed to have been addressed by a female lunatic to a lady. LADY, thou weepest for the Maniac's woe, And thou art fair, and thou, like me, art young; Oh! may thy bosom never, never know The pangs with which my wretched heart is wrung. I had a mother once-a brother too (Beneath yon yew my father rests his head :) I had a lover once, and kind, and true, The green sod soon upon my breast will lie, And soft and sound will be my peaceful sleep. Go thou and pluck the roses while they bloom— My hopes lie buried in the silent tomb. st es * This quatorzain had its rise from an elegant sonnet, 'Occasioned by seeing a young female lunatic,' written by Mrs. Lofft, and published in the Monthly Mirror. IV. Supposed to be written by the unhappy poet Dermody, in a storm, while on board a ship in his Majesty's service. Lo! o'er the welkin the tempestuous clouds Successive fly, and the loud-piping wind Rocks the poor sea-boy on the dripping shrouds, While the pale pilot, o'er the helm reclin❜d, Lists to the changeful storm; and as he plies His wakeful task, he oft bethinks him sad, Of wife and little home, and chubby lad, And the half-strangled tear bedews his eyes; I, on the deck, musing on themes forlorn, View the drear tempest, and the yawning deep, Nought dreading in the green sea's caves to sleep, For not for me shall wife or children mourn, And the wild winds will ring my funeral knell Sweetly, as solemn peal of silent passing-bell. ས. THE WINTER TRAVELLER. GOD help thee, Traveller, on thy journey far; Of spirits howling on their stormy car, A dismal night and on my wakeful bed VI. BY CAPEL LOFFT, ESQ. This sonnet was addressed to the author of this volume, and was occasioned by several little quatorzains, misnomered sonnets, which he published in the Monthly Mirror. He begs leave to return his thanks to the much respected writer, for the permission so politely granted to insert it here, and for the good opinion he has been pleased to express of his productions. YE, whose aspirings court the muse of lays, The muse selects, their ear the charm obeys Of that distinguish'd import, lays, though sweet, RECANTATORY, IN REPLY TO THE FOREGOING ELEGANT. ADMONITION. LET the sublimer muse, who, wrapt in night, Let her, whom more ferocious strains delight, Who wake the wood-nymphs from the forest shade And give it power to please, as soft it flows Through the smooth murmurs of thy frequent close. VIII. ON HEARING THE SOUNDS OF AN EOLIAN HARP. So ravishingly soft upon the tide azad end van bad” Of the infuriate gust, it did career, It might have sooth'd its rugged charioteer, Borne to some wizard stream, the form appear Pour'd his lone song, to which the sage replied: IX. WHAT art thou, MIGHTY ONE? and where thy seat? Thou broodest on the calm that cheers the lands, And thou dost bear within thine awful hands The rolling thunders and the lightnings fleet; Stern on thy dark-wrought car of cloud and wind Thou guid'st the northern storm at night's dead noon, Or on the red wing of the fierce monsoon Dost thou repose? or in the solitude Hears nightly howl the tiger's hungry brood? Vain thought, the confines of his throne to trace, Who glows through all the fields of boundless space! A BALLAD. Be hush'd, be hush'd, ye bitter winds, Lie still, lie still, ye busy thoughts, Oh! cruel was my faithless love, When exiled from my native home, He should have wiped the bitter tear My child moans sadly in my arms, The winds they will not let it sleep: What makes its wretched mother weep. |