Each with his off'ring to the Almighty came,
Their altars raised, and fed the sacred flame.
Scarce could the pitying Abel bear to bind
A lamb, the picture of his Master's mind;
Which to the pile with tender hand he drew,
And wept, as he the bleating victim slew.
Around, with fond regard the zephyr play'd,
Nor dared disturb th' oblation Abel made.
The gracious flames accepted, upward flew,
The Lord received them,-for his heart was true.
His first-reap'd fruits indignant Cain prepares,—
But vain his sacrifice and vain his prayers,-
For all were hollow: God and nature frown'd,
The wind dispersed them, and the Lord disown'd.
He looks behind-what flames around him rise?
"O hell! 'tis Abel's, Abel's sacrifice!
Curst, hated sight! another look would tear
My soul with rage, would plunge me in despair!
Still must each wish that Abel breathes be heard;
Still must I see his suit to mine preferr'd!
Still must this darling of creation share
His parents' dearest love, his Maker's care;
But Cain is doom'd his sullen hate to vent→→
Is doom'd his woes in silence to lament :-
Why should the sound of Abel sound more dear,
More sweet than Cain's unto my father's ear?
Each look, that once on me with pleasure glow'd,
Each kiss, each smile, on Abel is bestow'd.
He loves me, views me with sincere delight;
Yet, yet I hate him, yet I loathe his sight!
But why detest him? why do I return
Hate for his love,- his warm affection spurn?
Ah! vain each effort, vain persuasion's art,
While rancour's sting is fest'ring in my heart!"
At this ill-fated moment when his rage
Nor love could bind, nor reason could assuage,
Young Abel came; he mark'd his sullen woe,
Nor in the brother could discern the foe.
As down his cheeks the gen'rous sorrow ran,
He gazed with fondness, and at length began :

"Why low'rs that storm beneath thy clouded eye? Why would'st thou thus thy Abel's presence fly? Turn thee, my brother! view me laid thus low, And smooth the threat'ning terrors of thy brow. Have I offended? is my fault so great,

That truth and friendship cannot change thy hate?
Then tell me, Cain, Otell me all thy care;

O cease thy grief, or let thy Abel share."
No tears prevail : his passions stronger rise;
Increasing fury flashes from his eyes;

At once, each fiend around his heartstrings twines,—
At once,
all hell within his soul combines,
"Ah serpent!"-At the word he fiercely sprung,
Caught th' accursed weapon, brandish'd, swung,
And smote! the stroke descended on his brow;
The suppliant victim sunk beneath the blow:
The streaming blood distain'd his locks with gore-
Those beauteous tresses, that were gold before:
Nor could his lips a deep-drawn sigh restrain,
Not for himself he sigh'd-he sigh'd for Cain:
His dying eyes a look of pity cast,

And beam'd forgiveness, ere they closed their last.
The murd'rer view'd him with a vacant stare,-
Each thought was anguish, and each look despair.
"Abel, awake! arise!" he trembling cried ;
"Abel, my brother !"--but no voice replied.
At ev'ry call more madly wild he grew,
Paler than hc, whom late in rage he slew.
In frighful silence o'er the corse he stood,
And chain'd in terror, wonder'd at the blood.
"Awake! yet oh! no voice, no smile, no breath!
O God, support me! O should this be death!
O thought most dreadful! how my blood congeals !
How ev'ry vein increasing horror feels!
How faint his visage, and how droops his head!
O God, he's gone!-and I have done the deed!"
Pierced with the thought, the fatal spot he flies,
And, plunged in darkness, secks a vain disguise.
Eve, hapless Eve! 'twas thine these woes to see,
To weep thy own, thy children's misery!

She, all unconscious, with her husband stray'd
To meet her sons beneath their fav'rite shade:
To them the choicest fruits of all her store,
Delightful task! a pleasing load she bore.
While with maternal love she look'd around-
Lo! Abel, breathless, welt'ring on the ground!
She shrieked his name--'twas all that she could say,
Then sunk, and lifeless as her Abel lay.

Not long the trance could all her senses seal,
She woke too soon returning woe to feel.
Those lips, that once gave rapture to her breast,
Now cold in death, the afflicted mother press'd.
Fix'd in the silent agony of woe,

The father stood, nor comfort could bestow.
Weep, wretched father! hopeless mother, weep!
A long, long slumber Abel's doom'd to sleep!
Wrapt in the tangling horrors of the wood,
The murd❜rer sought to fly himself and God.
Night closed her welcome shades around his head,
But angry conscience lash'd him as he fled.

"Here stretch thy limbs, thou wretch! O may this blast
Bear death, and may this moment be thy last!
May blackest night eternal hold her reign;
And may the sun forget to light the plain!
Ye shades, surround me! darkness hide my sin!
'Tis dark without, but darker still within.
O Abel! O my brother! could not all
Thy love for me preserve thee from thy fall!
Why did not Heaven avert that deadly blow,
That dreadful, hated wound, that laid thee low!
O I'm in hell! each breath, each blast alarms,
And ev'ry madd'ning demon is in arms :
The voice of God, the curse of Heav'n I hear;
The name of murder'd Abel strikes my ear,
Rolls in the thunder, rustles in the trees,
And Abel! Abel! murmurs in the breeze.
Still fancy scares me with his dying groan,
And clothes each scene in horrors not its own.
Curst be that day, the harbinger of woes,
When first my mother felt a mother's throes;
When sweetly smiling on my infant face,

She blest the firstling of a future race.

O Death! thou hidden, thou mysterious bane!
Can all thy terrors equal living pain ?--

Yet still there lies a world beyond the grave,
From whence no death, no subterfuge can save.
Thou, God of Vengeance! these my suff'rings see,-
To all the God of Mercy, but to me!

O soothe the tortures of my guilty state,
Great is thy vengeance, but thy mercy great.
My brother! thou canst see how deep I grieve;
Look down, thou injured angel, and forgive!
Far hence a wretched fugitive, I roam,

The earth my bed, the wilderness my home.
Far hence I stray from these delightful seats,
To solitary tracts, and drear retreats.

Yet ah! the very beasts will shun my sight,
Will fly my bloody footsteps with affright.
No brother they, no faithful friend have slain,
Detested only for that crime is Cain.
Had I but lull'd each fury of my soul,
Had held each rebel passion in control,
To nature and to God had faithful proved,
And loved a brother as a brother loved,—
Then had I sunk into a grave of rest,

And Cain had breath'd his last on Abel's breast!"

The following juvenile exercises (composed amidst the hurry of public examinations, and within the short time allowed on such occasions) were thought to give fair promise of future excellence in Latin versification. Some of the best verses which he wrote have been lost; and he never applied himself afterwards to the cultivation of his talents in that way.

GRECIA CAPTA FERUM VICTOREM CEPIT.

Intenta bellis, et rudis artium,

Victrix juventus ingruit Atticæ,

Sedesque doctrinæ dicatas,

Imperio subigit superbo :

Sed non Camœnas; hæ placido domant,
Hæ sæva cultu pectora molliunt,
Gratasque Romanum vaganti
Ingenio injiciunt habenas :
Victas Athenas en juvenum cohors,
Victas Athenas Ausonium petit
Examen; in campos Pelasgos

Roma ferex Latiumque fluxit.
Hinc mutuatur gymnasio forum
Torrentis æstus eloquii, et gravis
Demosthenis gustavit acer

Rhetoricum Cicero fluentum.

Rapta sonori Mæonidis tuba,
Dignos magistro dat numeros Maro ;
Audaxque clangorem strepentem
Increpat, attonitusque cantat.

Chordam in Latinas Eolicam lyras
Modumque Flaccus transtulit aureum, et
Mel dulce libavit, Poetæ

Aonii labiis caducum.

PRINCIPIIS OBSTA.

Surge! nec turpis teneat Voluptas ;
Arma, quæ Virtus dedit, atque Numen,
Indue, ad pugnam citus; ecce præsens
Advenit hostis.

Advenit dirum Vitium, ille primo

Prælio tantum superandus hostis ;

Conseras pugnam, cadat atque summo
Limine victus.

Viperæ sævam genitura prolem

Ova conculca; nisi sic latentes

Comprimas pestes, breviter tremenda
Pullulat Hydra.

Ergo vincendum Vitium juventa est :
Herculis vivas memor, et tenella
Strangulet, cunis etiam, ingruentes
Dextra dracones.