With wild despair's reverted eye,

Close, close behind, he marks the throng, With bloody fangs, and eager cry ;— In frantic fear he scours along.

Still, still shall last the dreadful chase,
Till time itself shall have an end:
By day, they scour earth's caverned space,
At midnight's witching hour, ascend.

This is the horn, and hound, and horse,
That oft the lated peasant hears;
Appalled, he signs the frequent cross,
When the wild din invades his ears.

The wakeful priest oft drops a tear
For human pride, for human woe,
When, at his midnight mass, he hears

The infernal cry of, "Holla ho!"

THE

ERL-KING.

FROM THE GERMAN OF GOETHE.

It is necessary the Reader should be informed, that in the legends of Danish superstition, certain mischievous Spirits are supposed to preside over the different Elements, and to amuse themselves with inflicting calamities on man. One of these is termed the WATER-KING, another the FIRE-King, and a third the CLOUD-KING, The Hero of the present piece is the ERL or OAK KING-a Fiend, who is supposed to dwell in the recesses of the forest, and thence to issue forth upon the benighted traveller to lure him to his destruction.

O! who rides by night through the woodlands so wild? It is the fond Father embracing his Child;

And close the boy nestles within his loved arm,

From the blast of the tempest to keep himself warm.

"O father! see yonder! see yonder !" he says. "My boy, upon what dost thou fearfully gaze ?”

"O! 'tis the Erl-King, with his staff and his shroud !"

No, my love! it is but a dark wreath of the cloud."

THE PHANTOM SPEAKS.

"O! wilt thou go with me, thou loveliest child?
By many gay sports shall thy hours be beguiled;
My mother keeps for thee full many a fair toy,
And many a fine flower shall she pluck for my boy."-

"O father! my father! and did you not hear

The Erl-King whisper so close in my ear?”

"Be still, my loved darling, my child, be at ease!

It was but the wild blast as it howled through the trees.”—

"O wilt thou go

THE PHANTOM.

with me, thou loveliest boy?

My daughter shall tend thee with care and with joy;

She shall bear thee so lightly through wet and through wild, And hug thee, and kiss thee, and sing to my child."

"O father! my father! and saw you not plain

The Erl-King's pale daughter glide past through the rain?”– "O no, my heart's treasure! I knew it full soon, It was the grey willow that danced to the moon.”

THE PHANTOM.

"Come with me, come with me, no longer delay! Or else, silly child, I will drag thee away."—

"O father! O father! now, now, keep your hold! The Erl-king has seized me—his grasp is so cold.”—

Sore trembled the father; he spurred through the wild,
Clasping close to his bosom his shuddering child.
He reaches his dwelling in doubt and in dread;
But, clasped to his bosom, the infant was dead!

SONGS.