Stanzas For Music.[K]

Fare thee well! the dream is o'er; Loved one fare thee well! Tears and vows deceive no more, When broken every spell.

Stars that fade in morning light, Suns that set shall rise; But no dawn illumes the night, When Hope's last glimmer dies!

Oh! lay me where the willows weep, On some dreary shore; Calm shall be that colder sleep, Life's dark vision o'er.

Though earthly joys for ever fled, Yet mercy whispers nigh, Immortal life beyond the dead, And bliss beyond the sky.

FOOTNOTE:

[K] These stanzas have been set to a Spanish air by T. Ashworth. D'Almaine & Co., Soho Square.

STANZAS FOR MUSIC.

On yon dark bosom'd mountain The sunbeams are glancing, On lake and on fountain, The light ray is dancing. But yon mountain is dark, though the sunbeams are bright, And yon fountain is cold, though 'tis quivering with light.

So one bosom with sadness Feels dark and opprest, While around, mirth and gladness Illumine each breast. And the smiles that to others with rapture may glow, Leave that bosom alone to its darkness and woe.

STANZAS FOR MUSIC.

I've seen the smile on woman's cheek, The tear in woman's eye; But as I gazed, that smile grew dim, That liquid fount was dry.

Oh, I have heard her say she loved, And kiss'd the plighted token:-- But I have lived to feel how false What woman's lip hath spoken!

Yes, lighter than the lightest breath That skims the morning air Is woman's vow, that binds the heart In witchery or despair!

How she hath wrung this bleeding breast, I may not, dare not tell! I only know that I have loved Too fondly, and too well.

STANZAS.

Say, what is Love?--a bubble On life's dull current fleeting, A thousand hues and visions bright On its frail surface meeting; It breaks, and where that vision fair? Ocean's dark depth may answer, Where?

Say what is Love?--'tis light On life's dark billows thrown; Oh, glorious the first glance That on those waters shone! 'Tis gone,--those waves, illum'd no more, Roll darkly on life's desert shore.

Say what is Love?--a glimpse, Life's stormy clouds between, Of that bright heaven, where all Is cloudless and serene; A look, ere night and darkness come, Beyond the terrors of the tomb!

Come all whose blighted bosom, Love's cruel pangs deceive, Say what shall be the garland For lovers' brows to weave? A lone leaf on a blasted tree, This, this Love's coronal shall be!

SONG.

The following lines were written to the air No. 4, in the 5th book of Mendelsohn's "Lieder ohne Woerte."

Oh, say not, lady, That ought could ever This fond heart sever From love and thee Go, bid the billow Now calm its motion, The restless ocean Rest endlessly!

Should'st thou deceive me,-- All earthly blessing, Not worth possessing,-- Away I'd flee. And far from home, love-- My lost hopes mourning-- Nor thence returning,-- I'd pray for thee!

And though a stranger To earthly gladness, There is a sadness More glad than mirth,--

The joy of sorrow; The sweetest pleasure, A tear-bought treasure Of heavenly birth!

Though all around me Were darkness veiling, Yet light unfailing In death shall rise! Though day departeth, Nor cloud nor sorrow Shall dim that morrow In yonder skies!

THE FRIEND.

There is a friend, whose love Is closer than a brother's,-- Tender, endearing,--'tis above E'en fondness like a mother's:-- She may forget her suckling's cry, His ear attends the feeblest sigh.

On Him thy panting breast, By care and anguish riven, Bleeding and torn, hath found its rest, From other refuge driven:-- And earth, with all its joys and fears, Hath ceased to bring or smiles or tears.

Morn's dew-enamell'd flowers, The cloud through azure sweeping, Their brightness owe to sadder hours, Their calm, to storms and weeping.-- That Friend shall thus each tear illume, To forms of glory shape that gloom.

Eve's sapphire cloud hath been Dark as the brow of sorrow; Those dew pearls wreath'd in emerald green, Once wept a coming morrow:-- But glory sprang o'er earth and sky, And all was light and ecstacy.

Yon star upon the brow Of night's grey coronet, Morn's radiant blush, eve's ruddy glow, Had yon bright sun ne'er set, Were hidden still from mortal sight, Lost in impenetrable light.

Then should afflictions come, Dark as the shroud of even, A thousand glories glitter from The burning arch of heaven! Though earth be wrapt in doubt and gloom, New splendours dawn o'er daylight's tomb.

And who that azure hung With lamps of living fire? Who, when the hosts of morning sung, First listen'd to their quire? The Man of Sorrows mercy sent,-- In heav'n the GOD!--the Omnipotent!

HE is that friend, whose love Nor life nor death shall sever! Eternal as yon throne above, Unchanged, endures for ever. What would'st thou more, frail fabric of the dust; OMNIPOTENCE thy Shield!--thy Refuge!--Trust!