THE CRAZED MAID OF VENICE. Insania? An me ludit amabilis HORACE. How oft the mid-day beam hath blazed That seems, at times, of power to ope The portals of this house of sighs; Has ached in dimness, and no tear P Till once again, the happy voices. Of those whom Love had gathered there, In fairy galleys, far and near, Seemed well-nigh joyous to mine ear, And each sweet song stole through my heart, As when I, too, had borne a part ;For many a youthful band rejoices, Along those shores, when eve is come; While I, from out my living tomb, Far worse than dead, can still behold The gentle reign of young delight, Remembering years of swifter flight. Long centuries, methinks, have rolled Between that time and this which sees Me captive to all miseries. "Tis strange-but I, too, once could glide O'er that fresh wave, at even-tide, With him ;-oh! had I then but died! Oh! that I should remember bliss, Through hours, and days, and years like this, And know that once have beamed on me Days such as never should have set, But grown to an eternity,— When feelings all immortal seemed, And all our thoughts with sun-light teemed! Yes! others may at length forget: A spectre doomed to clay and breath, Thou hideous prison-roof, how long Wilt thou shut out all heaven from me? O parents! kindred! can it be That ye betrayed me to this wrong? So loved, and loving; shall my call Even here I have not ceased to bless Those who once blessed me. On whose white wings we soar above, Like native dwellers of the skies; Whose birth-place was in Paradise, That had but utterable joys, Before the birth of Love! Deem not that I could e'er resign This heavenly, hapless dream of mine: Than the best hopes the loveless cherish; And though each day, each hour, discovers How passion's truest zealots perish, For ever baffled,—still be mine The martyrdom-the pang divine! And hast thou, too, forgotten me, And all the ills I'm doomed to prove? Hast thou, too, learned to mock at love, It was for thee they withered thus; Those bitter tears began to flow Which have bedimmed mine eyes; and now, "Tis but for thee to bid them shine, Kindling their rays with looks of thine. Mark ye the flashing oar afar, Brighter than the brightest star That guides the journeyers of the deep? O welcome, long-expected friends! Haste, haste ye!-Soon once more I'll weep, In the free air this glad hour ends My most forlorn captivity, And I shall be a sighless creature, Most young and fair in soul and feature, As whilom it was mine to be A chantress on that joyous sea. Yes, some kind spirit has come down, And grieved to see a wretched maid Though distant yet, that form I know, For spirits shun the ray. How could I deem thee false, dear youth, How deem thy love was less than mine? |