Yes, though my heart was sad the while, (As sad, alas! this heart can be,)

I've kist thee, till thou'st seem'd to smile, And in that smile was peace for me!

Yet go-and could she still restore,

As some exchange for taking thee, The tranquil look which first I wore, When her eyes found me wild and free;

Could she give back the careless flow,
The spirit which my fancy knew—
Yet, ah! 'tis vain-go, picture, go—
Smile at me once, and then-adieu!

FROM THE GREEK'.

I'VE prest her bosom oft and oft;

In spite of many a pouting cheek, Have touch'd her lip in dalliance soft,

And play'd around her silvery neck.

But, as for more-the maid's so coy,
That saints or angels might have seen us;
She's now for prudence, now for joy,
Minerva half, and half a Venus.

When Venus makes her bless me near,
Why then, Minerva makes her loth;
And-oh the sweet, tormenting dear!
She makes me mad between them both!

1 Μαζες χερσιν εχω, στοματι στομα, δε περί δειρην

Ασχετα λυσσώων βοσκομαι αργυρέην

Ούπω δ' αφρογενειαν ὁλην ἐλον· αλλ' ετι καμνων
Παρθενον αμφιεπον λεκρον αναινομενην.
Ήμισυ γαρ Παφίη, το δ' αρ ημισυ δωκεν Αθήνη

Αυταρ εγω μεσσος τηκομαι αμφοτέρων.

Paulus Silentiarius

FRAGMENT

OF

A MYTHOLOGICAL HYMN TO LOVE'.

BLEST infant of eternity!

Before the day-star learn'd to move,
In pomp of fire, along his grand career,
Glancing the beamy shafts of light
From his rich quiver to the farthest sphere,
Thou wert alone, oh Love!

Nestling beneath the wings of ancient night

Whose horrors seem'd to smile in shadowing thee !

1 Love and Psyche are here considered as the active and passive principles of creation, and the universe is supposed to have received its first harmonizing impulse from the nuptial sympathy between these two powers. A marriage is generally the first step in cosmogony. Timæus held Form to be the father and Matter the mother of the World; Elion and Berouth, I think, are Sanchoniatho's first spiritual lovers, and Manco-capac and his wife introduced creation amongst the Peruvians. In short, Harlequin seems to have studied cosmogonies, when he said " tutto il mondo è fatto come la nostra famiglia."

No form of beauty sooth'd thine eye,

As through the dim expanse it wander'd wide; No kindred spirit caught thy sigh,

As o'er the watery waste it lingering died!

Unfelt the pulse, unknown the power,
That latent in his heart was sleeping;

Oh Sympathy! that lonely hour

Saw Love himself thy absence weeping!

But look what glory through the darkness beams!
Celestial airs along the water glide :

What spirit art thou, moving o'er the tide

So lovely? art thou but the child

Of the young godhead's dreams,

That mock his hope with fancies strange and wild?
Or were his tears, as quick they fell,
Collected in so bright a form,

Till, kindled by the ardent spell

Of his desiring eyes,

And all impregnate with his sighs,

They spring to life in shape so fair and warm!

"Tis she!

Psyche, the first-born spirit of the air
To thee, oh Love! she turns,

On thee her eye-beam burns:
Blest hour of nuptial ecstasy!
They meet-

The blooming god—the spirit fair—
Oh! sweet, oh heavenly sweet!
Now, Sympathy, the hour is thine ;
All nature feels the thrill divine,
The veil of Chaos is withdrawn,

And their first kiss is great Creation's dawn!

BB