SONG.

Air-Gramachree.

I.

If I had thought thou couldst have died, I might not weep for thee;

But I forgot, when by thy side,

That thou couldst mortal be:

It never through my mind had past,
The time would e'er be o'er,
And I on thee should look my last,
And thou shouldst smile no more!

II.

And still upon that face I look,

And think 'twill smile again;
And still the thought I will not brook,
That I must look in vain !

But when I speak-thou dost not say,
What thou ne'er left'st unsaid;

And now I feel, as well I may,
Sweet Mary! thou art dead!

III.

If thou wouldst stay, e'en as thou art,
All cold, and all serene-

I still might press thy silent heart,

And where thy smiles have been !

While e'en thy chill, bleak corse I have,
Thou seemest still mine own;

But there I lay thee in thy grave-
And I am now alone!

IV.

I do not think, where'er thou art,
Thou hast forgotten me;

And I, perhaps, may soothe this heart,
In thinking too of thee :

Yet there was round thee such a dawn

Of light ne'er seen before,

As fancy never could have drawn,
And never can restore!

He was asked whether he had any real incident in view, or had witnessed any immediate occurrence which might have prompted these lines. His reply was, "He had not; " but that he had sung the air over and over " till he burst into a flood of tears, in which " mood he composed the words."

The following song was written, at the request of a lady of high professional character as a musician, for an air of her own composition, which I believe was never published :

SONG.
I.

Go, forget me why should sorrow
O'er that brow a shadow fling?
Go forget me and to-morrow
Brightly smile and sweetly sing.
Smile-though I shall not be near thee;
Sing-though I shall never hear thee :
May thy soul with pleasure shine
Lasting as the gloom of mine !
Go, forget me, &c.

II.

Like the Sun, thy presence glowing, Clothes the meanest things in light; And when thou, like him art going, Loveliest objects fade in night. All things look'd so bright about thee, That they nothing seem without thee; By that pure and lucid mind Earthly things were too refined. Like the Sun, &c.

III.

Go, thou vision wildly gleaming,
Softly on my soul that fell;
Go, for me no longer beaming-
Hope and Beauty! fare ye well!
Go, and all that once delighted
Take, and leave me all benighted;

Glory's burning-generous swell,

Fancy and the Poet's shell.

Go, thou vision, &c.

THE FRAILTY OF BEAUTY.

I.

I must tune up my harp's broken string,
For the fair has commanded the strain;

But yet such a theme will I sing,

That I think she'll not ask me again:

II.

For I'll tell her-Youth's blossom is blown,

And that Beauty, the flower, must fade;

(And sure, if a lady can frown,

She'll frown at the words I have said.)

III.

The smiles of the rose-bud how fleet !
They come and as quickly they fly:
The violet how modest and sweet!
Yet the Spring sees it open and die.

IV.

How snow-white the lily appears!
Yet the life of a lily's a day;
And the snow that it equals, in tears
To-morrow must vanish away.

V.

Ah, Beauty! of all things on earth

How many thy charms most desire !

Yet Beauty with Youth has its birth,-
And Beauty with youth must expire.

VI.

Ah, fair ones! so sad is the tale,

That my song in my sorrow I steep;

And where I intended to rail,

I must lay down my harp, and must weep.

VII.

But Virtue indignantly seized

The harp as it fell from my hand;

Serene was her look, though displeased,

As she utter'd her awful command.

VIII.

"Thy tears and thy pity employ

"For the thoughtless, the giddy, the vain,

"But those who my blessings enjoy

"For Beauty alone ne'er bestow'd

" Such a charm as Religion has lent;

"And the cheek of a belle never glow'd
"With a smile like the smile of content.