As unsubstantial too, the daylight fades, Primitive Painter! Neither age, nor care, By Arno's banks, in Tempe's haunted vale; A FAREWELL. YES, I will join the world again, At least it shall be loud. 'Tis true, to bow before the shrine Of heartless revelry, Is slavery to a soul like mine; Than ever crouch to thee. A FAREWELL. Ay, better far to steep the soul The maddening thoughts that o'er it roll, Yet I have loved thee-oh, how well! The stubborn pride, none else might rein, But, as the pine upon the plain, So shall it fare with me. Though thou hast wrapped me in a cloud, Nought now may e'er dispel, In silentness my wrongs I'll shroud, 'Tis done the task of soul is taught; And now, Farewell-Farewell! 147 SCENES OF MY CHILDHOOD. SCENES of my childhood, once more I behold ye, 'Mid the green waving lindens that graced ye of yore; Friends of my childhood, once more I enfold ye, What would my gloom-boding spirit have more! Scenes of my childhood, in sadness I greet ye, Can your freshness and bloom youth's gay season restore? Friends of my childhood, in sorrow I meet ye, For a welcome is wanting can glad me no more! Scenes of my childhood, the breath of your flowers Scenes of my childhood, let strangers possess ye; I THINK OF THEE. I THINK of thee, I think of thee, I THINK OF THE E. When fiercest rage the storms of Fate, I pour on life's tempestuous sea The oil of peace with thoughts of thee! When Fortune frowns, and Hope deceives me, My wreck of wealth, sweet dreams of thee; Or if I join the careless crowd Where laughter peals, and mirth grows loud, I think of thee, I think of thee! I think of thee, I think and sigh In youth's gay hours, 'mid Pleasure's bowers, And told a tender tale to thee! 'Twas summer's eve; the heavens above, Earth, ocean, air, were full of love; Nature around kept jubilee, When first I breathed that tale to thee! The crystal arch that hung on high 149 I spoke of hope, I spoke of fear,— And more than I had asked of thee! I looked into thy dewy eye, That scene and hour have past; yet still That kindles at a thought of thee. We loved; how wildly, and how well Though years, long years, have darkly sped In dreams, at least, I'm still with thee! Thy beauty, helplessness, and youth,- The bitter frown of friends estranged; The chilling straits of fortunes changed; All this, and more, were borne for me;Then how can I be false to thee! |