His pleasure! what was his high pleasure in
The fumes of scorching flesh and smoking blood,
To the pain of the bleating mothers, which
Still yearn for their dead offspring? or the pang

300

Of the sad ignorant victims underneath

Thy pious knife? Give way! this bloody record

Shall not stand in the sun, to shame creation!

Abel. Brother, give back! thou shalt not touch my

altar

With violence: if that thou wilt adopt it,
To try another sacrifice, 'tis thine.

Cain. Another sacrifice! Give way, or else

That sacrifice may be

Abel.

Cain.

What mean'st thou ?

Give

Give way!-thy God loves blood !-then look to it :

Give way, ere he hath more!

Abel.

In his great name, 311

I stand between thee and the shrine which hath

Had his acceptance.

Cain.

If thou lov'st thyself,

Stand back till I have strew'd this turf along
Its native soil: else-

Abel (opposing him).

Than life.

I love God far more

Cain (striking him with a brand, on the temples, which he snatches from the altar).

Then take thy life unto thy God,

Since he loves lives.

Abel (falls). What hast thou done, my brother ?

Cain. Brother!

Abel.

Oh, God! receive thy servant, and

319

Forgive his slayer, for he knew not what
He did-Cain, give me give me thy hand; and tell
Poor Zillah-

Cain (after a moment's stupefaction). My hand! 'tis all red, and with

What?

[A long pause. ----Looking slowly round. Where am I? alone! Where's Abel? where

Cain? Can it be that I am he? My brother,
Awake!-why liest thou so on the green earth ?
'Tis not the hour of slumber;-why so pale ?
What hast thou!--thou wert full of life this morn!

Abel! I pray thee, mock me not! I smote

Too fiercely, but not fatally. Ah, why

Wouldst thou oppose me? This is mockery;
And only done to daunt me:---'twas a blow-
And but a blow. Stir-stir-nay, only stir!

330

Why, so that 's well!--thou breath'st! breathe upon

me!

Oh, God! Oh, God!

Abel (very faintly). What 's he who speaks of God?

Cain. Thy murderer.

Abel.

Then may God forgive him! Cain, Comfort poor Zillah:-she has but one brother Now.

[ABEL dies.

Cain. And I none! - Who makes me brotherless ? His eyes are open! then he is not dead! Death is like sleep; and sleep shuts down our lids. His lips, too, are apart; why then he breathes ; And yet I feel it not. - His heart! his heart! Let me see, doth it beat? methinks-No!-no!

This is a vision, else I am become

The native of another and worse world.

340

The earth swims round me:- what is this?-'tis

wet;

349

[Puts his hand to his brow, and then looks at it. And yet there are no dews! 'Tis blood-my bloodMy brother's and my own! and shed by me! Then what have I further to do with life, Since I have taken life from my own flesh ? But he cannot be dead! - Is silence death ? No; he will wake; then let me watch by him. Life cannot be so slight, as to be quench'd Thus quickly!- he hath spoken to me sinceWhat shall I say to him ?-My brother !-No: He will not answer to that name; for brethren Smite not each other. Yet-yet-speak to me.

Oh! for a word more of that gentle voice,
That I may bear to hear my own again!

Enter ZILLAH.

Zillah. I heard a heavy sound; what can it be? *Tis Cain; and watching by my husband. What 359 Dost thou there, brother? Doth he sleep? Oh, heaven! What means this paleness, and yon stream? No, no! It is not blood; for who would shed his blood ? Abel! what's this?-who hath done this? He moves

not;

He breathes not: and his hands drop down from mine
With stony lifelessness! Ah! cruel Cain!
Why cam'st thou not in time to save him from
This violence? Whatever hath assail'd him,
Thou wert the stronger, and shouldst have stepp'd in
Between him and aggression! Father!--Eve!-
Adah! come hither! Death is in the world!

370

[Exit ZILLAH, calling on her Parents, &c.

Cain (solus). And who hath brought him there ?-
I-who abhor

The name of Death so deeply, that the thought
Empoison'd all my life, before I knew
His aspect-I have led him here, and given
My brother to his cold and still embrace,
As if he would not have asserted his
Inexorable claim without my aid.
I am awake at last-a dreary dream

Had madden'd me;-but he shall ne'er awake!

FROM 'THE DEFORMED
TRANSFORMED'

THE TRANSFORMATION INTO THE SHAPE OF ACHILLES

BEAUTIFUL shadow

Of Thetis's boy!
Who sleeps in the meadow

Whose grass grows o'er Troy:
From the red earth, like Adam,
Thy likeness I shape,
As the being who made him,
Whose actions I ape.
Thou clay, be all glowing,
Till the rose in his cheek
Be as fair as, when blowing
It wears its first streak!
Ye violets, I scatter,
Now turn into eyes!
And thou, sunshiny water,
Of blood take the guise !
Let these hyacinth boughs
Be his long flowing hair,
And wave o'er his brows

As thou wavest in air!
Let his heart be this marble

I tear from the rock!
But his voice as the warble
Of birds on yon oak !
Let his flesh be the purest
Of mould, in which grew
The lily-root surest,

And drank the best dew!
Let his limbs be the lightest
Which clay can compound,
And his aspect the brightest
On earth to be found!

Elements, near me,

Be mingled and stirr'd, Know me, and hear me, And leap to my word! Sunbeams, awaken

This earth's animation! 'Tis done! He hath taken His stand in creation!

SONG OF THE SOLDIERS

40

J.

The black bands came over
The Alps and their snow;
With Bourbon, the rover,
They pass'd the broad Po.
We have beaten all foemen,
We have captured a king,
We have turn'd back on no men,
And so let us sing!
Here's the Bourbon for ever!

Though penniless all,
We'll have one more endeavour
At yonder old wall.
With the Bourbon we'll gather
At day-dawn before
The gates, and together
Or break or climb o'er
The wall: on the ladder

As mounts each firm foot,
Our shout shall grow gladder,
And death only be mute.
With the Bourbon we'll mount o'er

The walls of old Rome,
And who then shall count o'er

10

20