Loudly through the city reeling,
Bacchanalian Pleasure pours;
While apart her woe concealing,
One forsaken breast deplores.
Joyless midst the glow of gladness,
Uncompanion'd, and dismay'd,
Walks Cassandra forth in sadness
To Apollo's laurell'd shade;
There the Priestess melancholy,
Seeks the deepest darkling wood,
Flinging all her chaplets holy,
On the earth in anguish'd mood.
"Life with bliss is overflowing,
Every other heart is blest,
"Parents' souls with hope are glowing,
Bright my sister's bridal vest
"I alone must lonesome languish,
"Me the dear illusion flies,
"O'er these walls, I see with anguish,
"In my sight a torch is gleaming,—
"Not alas! in Hymen's hand,—
"To the clouds its lustre streaming,-
"Not like holy altar brand;
"Feast and pomp I see preparing,
"But with sad foreboding eye,
"Soon he comes, the God unsparing "Comes to rend them ruthlessly.
SCHILLER'S CASSANDRA.
"And they chide my wild upbraiding,
"And they mock my bitter smart,—
"Where the wilderness is shading,
"Must I drag my lab'ring heart;
"By each happy soul forsaken,
"And a sport for all the gay-
"Cruel vengeance hast thou taken,
"Unrelenting God of day!
"Pythian! why with dire unkindness,
"Bid me here thy fates unroll,
"Midst these walls of mortal blindness,
"With a Heaven-illumin'd soul?
"Ah! why grant the gift of seeing,
" Woes I still in vain defy?
"From the destin'd there's no fleeing-
"Still the dreaded doom draws nigh.
" Boots it from impending terror,
"Rash the flatt'ring veil to raise?
"Life is our's alone in error-
"Death the price that knowledge pays;.
"Take, oh take the tort'ring visions!
"Blood-stained future from me flee!
"Horrid lot of thy decisions,
"Pow'rless instrument to be!
"Give my blindness back-the treasure
"Of my happy darkling state;-
"Never knew I joyous measure,
"Since I sang the notes of fate;
"See my youth's companions smiling,-
"All around me lives and loves,-
"Youthful joy each breast beguiling;
"Mine alone in sorrow moves!
"Spring for me in vain disposes
"O'er the glittering earth her store;
"Where's the joy that life discloses,
"When on fate's abyss we pore?
"Love's divine illusion blesses
"Polyxena's blooming charms-
"Soon with bridal joy she presses
"Græcia's Hero in her arms;
"Proud with joy her bosom's glowing,
"Soon her heart's delight to prove;
"Not for bliss of Heaven's bestowing
"Would she yield her dream of love.
"I too on the heart's desired
"Oft with sweet delight could gaze;
"I have seen his looks inspired,
"Plead with passion's lambent rays.
"Happy with the dear betrothed
"Had I dwelt a blissful bride-
"But a Stygian spectre loathed,
Nightly tore him from my side.
"Proserpine has fast possess'd me,
"With her lurid spectre crew;
"Where I wander, where I rest me,
"There the lurking fiends pursue:
"Midst gay youth's inspiring dances,
"Throng the shuddering monster train;
"In each eye the fury glances-
"Peace I ne'er shall know again.
"Lo! the murderous steel is gleaming!
"Glares the bloodshot murd'rous eye!—
"Right and left around me teeming,
"Threat'ning forms of horror fly-
"Pow'rless still the gulf to cover,
Knowing, seeing, bound I stand,"Doom'd, when Fate's despite is over "Sad to fall in foreign land."
Still resound her plaints immortal-
Hark! distracted murmurs run
Rushing from the Temple's portal-
Dead lies Thetis valiant son!
Eris all her snakes is shaking!
Fly th' immortals one by one,—
And the Thunder-clouds are breaking
Loud o'er fated Ilion.
GARDENS AND BALL AT BESSUNGEN. 43
Now pair by pair, now group by group unite,
The loveliest forms in thousand folded light,
That twinkle to and fro, and wreathe the wanton maze.
WIELAND'S OBERON. (SOTHEBY.)
I HAD the satisfaction of seeing more of the Grand Duchess of Weimar at a little fête and ball, with which her illustrious hosts entertained her, at an Orangerie of the Grand Duke of Hesse, a mile from Darmstadt. This may be taken as a specimen of the gay summer amusements with which the German Princes vary the monotonous routine of daily state dinners. The Gardens of Bessungen are small, and very prettily laid out, with a summer-house in the centre, in which the Court dined; and a handsome Orangery, to which the evening assembly, intended for a fête champêtre in the gardens, was obliged, by unpropitious weather, to be adjourned. The Court had dined at the usual primitive hour; and the Evening visitors, who, by a pleasant abatement of state, were per
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