WHAT IS LIFE?

RESEMBLES life what once was deemed of light,
Too ample in itself for human sight?
An absolute self-an element ungrounded—
All that we see, all colors of all shade

By encroach of darkness made ?—

Is very life by consciousness unbounded?
And all the thoughts, pains, joys of mortal breath,
A war-embrace of wrestling life and death?

INSCRIPTION FOR A TIME-PIECE.

Now! it is gone.-Our brief hours travel post,
Each with its thought or deed, its Why or How:-
But know, each parting hour gives up a ghost
To dwell within thee-an eternal Now!

1830.

1829.

REMORSE.

A TRAGEDY. IN FIVE ACTS.

DRAMATIS PERSON Æ.

MARQUIS VALDEZ, father to the two brothers, and Doña TERESA's Guardian. DON ALVAR, the eldest son.

DON ORDONIO, the youngest son.

MONVIEDRO, a Dominican and inquisitor.

ZULIMEZ, the faithful attendant on ALVAR.

ISIDORE, a Moresco chieftain, ostensibly a Christian.

Familiars of the Inquisition.

ΝΑΟΜΙ.

Moors, Servants, &c.

DONA TERESA, an orphan heiress.

ALHADRA, wife of ISIDORE.

Time-The reign of PHILIP II., just at the close of the civil wars against the Moors, and during the heat of the persecution which raged against them, shortly after the edict which forbade the wearing of Moresco apparel under pain of death.

REMORSE.

ACT I.

SCENE I.-The sea-shore on the coast of Granada.

Don Alvar, wrapt in a boat cloak, and Zulimez (a Moresco), both as just landed.

Zul. No sound, no face of joy to welcome us!
Alv. My faithful Zulimez, for one brief moment
Let me forget my anguish and their crimes.
If aught on earth demand an unmix'd feeling,
'Tis surely this after long years of exile,
To step forth on firm land, and gazing round us,
To hail at once our country, and our birth-place.
Hail, Spain Granada, hail! once more I press
Thy sands with filial awe, land of my fathers!

Zul. Then claim your rights in it! O, revered Don Alvar
Yet, yet give up your all too gentle purpose.

It is too hazardous ! reveal yourself,

And let the guilty meet the doom of guilt!

Alv. Remember, Zulimez! I am his brother,

Injured indeed! O deeply injured! yet

Ordonio's brother.

Zul.

Nobly minded Alvar!

This sure but gives his guilt a blacker dye.

Alv. The more behooves it, I should rouse within him

Remorse! that I should save him from himself.

Zul. Remorse is as the heart in which it grows :

If that be gentle, it drops balmy dews

Of true repentance; but if proud and gloomy,
It is a poison-tree, that pierced to the inmost
Weeps only tears of poison.

p*