Hark! a strange sound affrights mine ear; "The GRAVE, that never spake before, "Art thou a WRETCH of hope forlorn, By fell despair? "Do foul misdeeds of former times Wring with remorse thy guilty breast? And ghosts of unforgiven crimes Murder thy rest? "Lash'd by the furies of the mind, From wrath and vengeance wouldst thou flee? Ah! think not, hope not, fool, to find A friend in me: "By all the terrors of the tomb,— Beyond the power of tongue to tell: By the dread secrets of my womb; By death and hell "I charge thee LIVE! repent and pray, And sin no more. "Art thou a WANDERER?-hast thou seen O'erwhelming tempests drown thy bark? A shipwreck'd sufferer, hast thou been Misfortune's mark? "Art thou a MOURNER?-hast thou known The joy of innocent delights; Endearing days for ever flown, And tranquil nights? "O LIVE!-and deeply cherish still The sweet remembrance of the past: Rely on Heaven's unchanging will For peace at last. "Though long of winds and waves the sport, "TO FRIENDSHIP didst thou trust thy fame, And was thy friend a deadly foe,— Who stole into thy breast, to aim A surer blow? "LIVE!—and repine not o'er his loss,— A loss unworthy to be told: Thou hast mistaken sordid dross For friendship's gold. "Seek the true treasure, seldom found, "Did WOMAN'S charms thy youth beguile,— And did the fair one faithless prove? Hath she betray'd thee with a smile, And sold thy love? "LIVE! "Twas a false bewildering fire; Too often Love's insidious dart Thrills the fond soul with wild desire, But kills the heart. "Thou yet shalt know how sweet, how dear, To gaze on listening Beauty's eye; To ask, and pause in hope and fear Till she reply. "A nobler flame shall warm thy breast,— In woman's love. "Whate'er thy lot-whoe'er thou be, Confess thy folly,—kiss the rod; And in thy chastening sorrows see The hand of God. "A bruised reed He will not break,Afflictions all his children feel: He wounds them for his mercy's sake,— He wounds to heal. "Humbled beneath his mighty hand, Prostrate his Providence adore: 'Tis done! Arise! HE bids thee stand, To fall no more. "Now, traveller in the vale of tears, To realms of everlasting light, Through Time's dark wilderness of years Pursue thy flight. "There is a calm for those who weep, "The Soul, of origin divine, GOD's glorious image, freed from clay, A star of day. "The SUN is but a spark of fire,— A transient meteor in the sky: The SOUL, immortal as its sire, SHALL NEVER DIE!" FRIENDS. FRIEND after friend departs; Who hath not lost a friend? Beyond the flight of time, Beyond this vale of death,— There surely is some blessed clime, Where life is not a breath; Nor life's affections transient fire, There is a world above, Where parting is unknown,- Thus star by star declines, As morning high and higher shines To pure and perfect day; Nor sink those stars in empty night, They hide themselves in heaven's own light. HANNAH. AT fond sixteen my roving heart Was pierced by Love's delightful dart; Where circling woods embower'd the glade, I met the dear romantic maid; I stole her hand, it shrunk !—but no; With all the fervency of youth, |