One moment in thy doubts-when my bless'd soul Ascended from the couch of pain and grief To liberty, and uncontrolled joy.
I look'd on thee, and though in bliss, there rose Something, which when on earth, had been a wish That thou couldst see me, and that I could soothe Thy grief, and bind thy faith; for thou didst doubt In thy affliction, and didst fear thyself
Of God and hope forsaken-then the prayer Of the departing Saint, the holy Man Of those dim caves, arose unto the Heaven For thy benighted soul, that thus the faith Of him whose heart was righteous, should not die As the guilt-spotted man's-then Heaven heard- And when the words of power were said, I swept Downward from my bright cloud, and with the stream Mingled my spirit, and from its misty breast, Rose up before thine eyes.
Oh, how my soul Blesses thy gentle love, that thus survives
The grave, and mingles with eternity!
I am more happy in this holy bond,
Than hadst thou lived on earth; and yet there is One bliss, if it may be, that I would claim-
I hear thee, see thee-might I touch thy hand With my still earthly lip?
The Spirit. No; for that hand Were charged for thee with death; and this is not Thine hour, Oh, Beloved!-but, it comes-
I feel a higher sense of joy than e'er
Mine essence knew before, for soon thou wilt Unfetter'd be, and thy delighted spirit Roam blessedly with me; but soft-the air Is cut before me; something human comes Tinted with richer hues, for there remain'd, The roseate colours of my flower-born robe, Memorial of my visit!-So, when man Hereafter, as he will,-shall seek this spot, He will behold with wonder the rose hues Blushing upon the snow!
Is portion'd to his actions; and that is
As the Almighty dooms him; sometimes he
Sleeps in a torpid sleep-the trance of death
Dull, heavy, senseless. Such are those who have
Inactive been, and reckless of the gifts
With which they were endow'd; their lives unmark'd By any good, although unstain'd by crime-
Spendthrifts of time-who dogg'd away their days As they were nights, or as, instead of time,
Eternity, was written on the brows
Of those who stood around them-The sin-stain'd Are darker doom'd-sometimes enfetter'd to
The earth which they have quitted, they are bound To mark the consequences of their guilt,
And watch their issue. The proud Greek of old, The Macedonian, who with toil and blood, Strode high above the necks of fellow-men, And trampled on warm hearts, and wither'd joy, To raise a mighty empire, was condemn'd To see his huge throne shaken, and his friends Sever, one by one, the columns !-He beheld The swords his own ambition had unsheath'd, Plunged in his children's hearts, and saw their shades Rise trembling from the earth, and mount afar Above his gloomy dungeon. These are those Who, chain'd within the womb of the fierce sea, Are tossed to and fro by the wild storm, And never rise in air, except to pour Destruction on the labouring vessel, which May bear some ancient friend, or child beloved, Or a lamenting wife. Some are compell'd To guide the thunderbolt of wrath, which rends To fragments their own home ;-such one I mark'd Weeping and throwing lightnings, and averting His eye from where they fell!-And others float A pestilence in air, and carry death
To the bosoms best belov'd. The Oppressor, who Rent from the hungry the coarse sordid meal, To heap up treasures for his heirs, beholds Those heirs expire of famine, which himself A deadly blight upon the herb and corn
Breathes o'er the healthy land. The Tyrant's scourge Is wielded by the Demons, who through space With stripes pursue the spectre-worse the lot Of him the envy-struck, who is condemn'd To watch the bliss of those he most abhors, And which he strove to crush; he is, indeed, The tortured-for the penalties of hell
Alone exceed the measure of his pangs.
Leontine. I love the theme, and yet I fear to ask, Lest with unhallow'd question I offend
The mercy of the Holiest !-If it be
Permitted thee to answer, hath thine eye Gazed on the Majesty of God?
Permitted thee to question, for thy tongue
Is chain'd from uttering the secrets deep, Which have been breathed into thy list'ning car. Thou art as yet but mortal, but ere long Thy soul shall be enfranchised; even now
I see, but thou canst not, where near thee stands The beauteous shadowy King, who looks on thee With a soft, solemn smile, and whose cold hand Will fall so lightly on thy youthful brow, That to the charm'd beholder his still rest Shall seem like infant's sleep; but guard thee well, Temptation cometh-danger and distress Will soon beset thy soul-but be thou firm, And thou wilt be with me-but not to gaze Upon the light of the Eternal's eye.
That may not be till after Earth and Heaven
Enter BASIL, ZENO, and GREEKS, with ANDRONICUS.
Conversing with the demons-now, old man,
Wring from thy son his secret, let him prove His innocence, or else behold him die!
Andronicus. Insatiate bigot! Oh! my son, my son!
Have mercy on thy father's snowy head;
Bring not the grey hairs to the grave in woe- Let me not see thy young blood fall to earth, Ere the old man's hath fail'd-My son, my son! Let me not lose thee-if thou canst-reveal Thy secret, and preserve thy life.
It is not worth a crime-I will not break
My promise-but I stand prepared to die. Weep not, oh father-death for me is bliss. I go to meet my Zoe-lead ye on.
The punishment of sorcery, though I
Am guiltless of the sin, I am prepared
To meet, oh friends-Peace, dearest father, peace! We shall soon meet again-Now to the death
My soul, my soul is ready.
Wilt thou destroy thy father?
To live a sinful, and a hopeless man.
Now, if I die, 'tis blessedly-I go.
High Heaven will heal thine anguish, as before It closed the wounds of mine.
Unshrinkingly-see-for himself, he has
No fears. Attack his young heart in its loves→→ Seize on his father-let him victim be
Of the young sorcerer's crimes.
Leontine. Content!-thou, righteous heaven! hear me! oh hear! Sinless is my pursuit, but if ye deem
My wanderings other, why then, let me die;
I stand prepared-bind on these hands your chains, And let my father
Nor urge him farther-Ye have wisely judged- Lead me unto the bed of peace, which waits
To clasp the limbs of the life wearied man. Zeno. Lead him unto his sentence.
With hours now, beloved.
With time is closed for ever; now thou step'st Within the circle of eternity.
Thou hast achiev'd the conquest of thy foe. The Tempter who beset thee-thou didst give Thine all for filial love, and wast resign'd
To live a groaning wretch; for this the wreath-- The coronet of Icicles doth wait
To bind thy happy brow, and that thy death Be favour'd as thy life, lo! I am sent To summon thee to glory, and to peace- Now then we part no more-thou art mine own. Henceforward and for ever, the loved charm, The golden chord is broken. Mourn thou not Thy father, peace will crown his few short days, For I have open'd his earth-clouded eyes, And now, with holiest joy, he looks upon us.— Thou didst once ask to touch my death-chill'd hand- Approach me now, and on thy lips receive
This holy kiss, and sink upon my breast.
"Tis done!-Earth take thy part, the silent clay!— Soul!-to the elements !
Art thou entranced too-what hast thou seen?
Zeno. Nought but a silvery cloud, from which there comes Sounds as of heavenly music. We have wrong'd
The innocent Leontine !-Is he dead!
Can that be death !—A smile is on his face!
O pardon, Heaven, if, in our zeal, we have Destroy'd the innocent.-Oh, good old man, Forgive us for thy son!
Glory to God!-My heaven-claim'd son is gone.
Gone from all misery-from pain, from sin
Unto eternal bliss.-Glory to God!
The flowers he planted, he hath gather'd young
To bloom in paradise! The stars he lent
To light this earth, he hath reclaimed now
To place within his crown!-Praise be to God! Glory to the Almighty! •
This subject is partly taken from a Tale, published some years since, entitled, “The Ring and the Well.”
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