On that drear spot, within whose cavern'd womb • Her honour'd clay, alone and kneeling there • I found my Theodora! thrill'd with awe, • With facred terror, which the time, the place, Pour'd on us, fadly-folemn, I too bent My trembling knee, and lock'd in her's my hand • Across her parent's grave." By this dread scene! By night's pale regent! by yon glorious train "Of ever-moving fires that round her burn! By Death's dark empire! by the feeted duft "That once was man, now mould'ring here below! "But chief by her's, at whose nocturnal tomb "Rev'rent we kneel! and by her nobler part, "Th' unbody'd spirit hov'ring near, perhaps "As witnefs to our vows! nor time, nor chance, "Nor aught but Death's inevitable hand, "Shall e'er divide our loves!"-I led her thence, To where, safe station'd in a secret bay, Rough of defcent, and brown with pendent pines • That murmur'd to the gale, our bark was moor'd. We fail'd: But, O my father! can I speak • What yet remains! Yon ocean, black with storm, It's useless fails rent from the groaning pine! • The speechlefs crew aghaft! and that loft fair! Still, ftill I fee her! feel her heart pant thick! And hear her voice, in ardent vows to Heav'n For me alone preferr'd! as on my arm Expiring, finking with her fears, the hung! • I kiss'd her pale cold cheek; with tears adjur'd, ⚫ And won at laft with fums of proffer'd gold, • The boldest mariners this precious charge • Instant to fave, and in the skiff fecur'd, I i 215 220 225 230 235 240 245 • A fea A fea fwell'd o'er, and plung'd me in the gulph! Drew down-it must be fo!-the judgment due The lamp of day, tho' from mid-noon declin'd, 250 255 260 265 270 To field and mead; her ftraw-roof'd temple rood, 280 Lay full in view from scene to scene around Not we alone; alas! in ev'ry clime • Heirs of tranfmitted labour and disease, All have their mournful portion; all must bear ⚫ Where yonder vale, Amyntor, floping spreads Full to the noon-tide beam it's primrose lap, • From hence due eaft.' Amyntor look'd, and faw, Not without wonder at a fight fo ftrange, Where thrice three females, earnest each, and arm'd 295. With rural inftruments, the foil prepar'd For future harvest. These the trenchant spade, To turn the mould, and break th' adhesive clods, 300 395 For toils like thefe, the task of rougher man, • What yet neceffity demands fevere. • Twelve funs have purpled these encircling hills < With orient beams, as many nights along • Their dewy fummits drawn th' alternate veil 310 315 • Their island-skiff advent'rous on the deep: Them, while the sweeping net fecure they plung'd • Each creek and bay innumerable croud, I i2 320 < This 252 This little world of brothers and of friends! yon Inflaming the brown air with fudden blaze And ruddy undulation, thrice three fires, • Like meteors waving in a moonless sky, Our eyes, yet unbelieving, faw diftinct, 325 330 335 340 • Succeffive kindled, and from night to night 345 By fad conjecture damp'd, and anxious thought, How from yon rocky prifon to release Whom the deep fea immures (their only boat Deftroy'd) and whom th' inevitable fiege < Of hunger muft affault.-But hope fuftains 350 With love-taught fkill, and vigour not their own, The Author who relates this ftory adds, that the produce of grain that feafon was the most plentiful they had feen for many years before. Vide Martin's Defcription of the Western Isles of Scotland, p. 286. Amyntor, Amyntor, who the tale diftrefsful heard With fympathizing forrow on himself, 355 On his feverer fate, now pond'ring deep, Rapt by fad thought the hill unheeding left, And reach'd, with fwerving step, the diftant ftrand. Above, around, in cloudy circles wheel'd, Or failing level on the polar gale 360 That cool with ev'ning rofe, a thousand wings, With darkest night, meet region for defpair! 365 370 375 380 385 Or |