'Midst those mighty fathers dead,

In soft beauty thou wast led;

When before the shrine thy form
Quiver'd to some bosom storm,
When, like harp-strings with a sigh
Breaking in mid-harmony,

On thy lip the murmurs low

Died with love's unfinish'd vow;

When, like scatter'd rose-leaves, fled

From thy cheek each tint of red,

And the light forsook thine eye,

And thy head sank heavily;

Was that drooping but th' excess
Of thy spirit's blessedness?

Or did some deep feeling's might,
Folded in thy heart from sight,
With a sudden tempest shower,

Earthward bear thy life's young flower?
-Who shall tell us?—on thy tongue

Silence, and for ever, hung!

Never to thy lip and cheek

Rush'd again the crimson streak,

Never to thine eye return'd

That which there had beam'd and burn'd!

With the secret none might know,

With thy rapture or thy woe,

With thy marriage-robe and wreath,
Thou wert fled, young bride of death!

One, one lightning moment there

Struck down triumph to despair,

Beauty, splendour, hope, and trust,

Into darkness-terror-dust!

There were sounds of weeping o'er thee, Bride! as forth thy kindred bore thee, Shrouded in thy gleaming veil,

Deaf to that wild funeral wail.

Yet perchance a chastening thought,

In some deeper spirit wrought,

G

Whispering, while the stern sad knell

On the air's bright stillness fell;

"From the power of chill and change Souls to sever and estrange;

From love's wane-a death in life

But to watch-a mortal strife;

From the secret fevers known

To the burning heart alone,

Thou art fled-afar, away—

Where these blights no more have sway! Bright one! oh! there well may be

Comfort 'midst our tears for thee!"

THE ANCESTRAL SONG.

A long war disturb'd your mind-
Here your perfect peace is sign'd;

'Tis now full tide 'twixt night and day,
End your moan, and come away!

WEBSTER-Duchess of Malfy.

THERE were faint sounds of weeping;-fear and

gloom

And midnight vigil in a stately room

Of Lusignan's old halls:-rich odours there
Fill'd the proud chamber as with Indian air,
And soft light fell, from lamps of silver thrown,
On jewels that with rainbow lustre shone
Over a gorgeous couch :-there emeralds gleam'd,
And deeper crimson from the ruby stream'd

Than in the heart-leaf of the rose is set,
Hiding from sunshine.-Many a carcanet
Starry with diamonds, many a burning chain
Of the red gold, sent forth a radiance vain,
And sad, and strange, the canopy beneath
Whose shadowy curtains, round a bed of death,
Hung drooping solemnly ;-for there one lay,
Passing from all Earth's glories fast away,

Amidst those queenly treasures: They had been
Gifts of her lord, from far-off Paynim lands,
And for his sake, upon their orient sheen

She had gazed fondly, and with faint, cold hands
Had press'd them to her languid heart once more,
Melting in childlike tears. But this was o'er-
Love's last vain clinging unto life; and now-
A mist of dreams was hovering o'er her brow,
Her eye was fix'd, her spirit seem'd removed,
Though not from Earth, from all it knew or loved,
Far, far away! her handmaids watch'd around,
In awe, that lent to each low midnight sound