How like to me-how like to thee, when gentle, For then we are all alike; is 't not so, Cain? Mother, and sire, and son, our features are Reflected in each other; as they are

In the clear waters, when they are gentle, and When thou art gentle. Love us, then, my Cain! And love thyself for our sakes, for we love thee. Look! how he laughs and stretches out his arms, And opens wide his blue eyes upon thine,

To hail his father; while his little form

Flutters as wing'd with joy. Talk not of pain!
The childless cherubs well might envy thee
The pleasures of a parent! Bless him, Cain!
As yet he hath no words to thank thee, but
His heart will, and thine own too.

CAIN.

Bless thee, boy!

If that a mortal blessing may avail thee,

To save thee from the serpent's curse!

ADAH.

Surely a father's blessing may avert
A reptile's subtlety.

It shall.

CAIN.

Of that I doubt;

But bless him ne'er the less.

Our sister tells me that thou hast been wandering,

In high communion with a spirit, far

Beyond our wonted range. Was he of those

We have seen and spoken with, like to our father?

No.

CAIN.

ABEL.

Why then commune with him? he may be

A foe to the Most High.

CAIN.

And friend to man.

Has the Most High been so-if so you term him?

ABEL.

Term him! your words are strange to-day, my

brother.

My sister Adah leave us for a while—

We mean to sacrifice.

ADAH.

Farewell, my Cain;

But first embrace thy son. May his soft spirit,
And Abel's pious ministry, récal thee

The immortal, the unbounded, the omnipotent,

The overpowering mysteries of space

The innumerable worlds that were and are

A whirlwind of such overwhelming things,

Suns, moons, and earths, upon their loud-voiced spheres

Singing in thunder round me, as have made me Unfit for mortal converse: leave me, Abel.

ABEL.

Thine eyes are flashing with unnatural light-
Thy cheek is flush'd with unnatural hue-
Thy words are fraught with an unnatural sound-
What may this mean?

CAIN.

It means--I pray thee, leave me.

ABEL.

Not till we have pray'd and sacrificed together.

CAIN.

Abel, I pray thee, sacrifice alone

Jehovah loves thee well.

ABEL.

Both well, I hope.

CAIN.

But thee the better: I care not for that;

Thou art fitter for his worship than I am :
Revere him, then-but let it be alone-
At least without me.

ABEL.

Brother, I should ill

Deserve the name of our great father's son,

If as my elder I revered thee not,

And in the worship of our God call'd not
On thee to join me, and precede me in
Our priesthood-'tis thy place.

Asserted it.

CAIN.

But I have ne'er

ABEL.

The more my grief; I pray thee

To do so now thy soul seems labouring in
Some strong delusion; it will calm thee.

CAIN.

Nothing can calm me more.

No;

Calm! say I? Never

Knew I what calm was in the soul, although

I have seen the elements still'd. My Abel, leave me ! Or let me leave thee to thy pious purpose.

ABEL.

Neither; we must perform our task together.

Spurn me not.