Mourning the lot of man; and happy he

Who on his thread those precious drops receives;
If it be happiness to have the pulse

Throb fast with pity, and in such a world
Of wretchedness, the generous heart that aches
With anguish at the sight of human woe.

To her the Fiend, well hoping now success, "This is thy thread! observe how short the "And see how copious yonder Genius pours

span,

"The bitter stream of woe." The Maiden saw

Fearless."Now gaze!" the tempter Fiend exclaim'd,

And placed again the poniard in her hand,

For SUPERSTITION, with sulphureal torch

Stalk'd to the loom. This, Damsel, is thy fate! "The hour draws on-now drench the dagger deep! "Now rush to happier worlds!"

The Maid replied,

"Or to prevent or change the will of Heaven,

46

Impious 1 strive not: be that will perform'd !"

THE VISION

of

THE MAID OF ORLEANS.

THE SECOND BOOK.

She spake, and lo! celestial radiance beam'd
Amid the air, such odors wafting now
As erst came blended with the evening gale,
From Eden's bowers of bliss. An angel form
Stood by the Maid; his wings, etherial white,
Flash'd like the diamond in the noon-tide sun,

Dazzling her mortal eye: all else appear'd
Her THEODOre.

Amazed she saw: the Fiend

Was fled, and on her ear the well-known voice Sounded, tho' now more musically sweet

Than ever yet had thrill'd her charmed soul,

When eloquent Affection fondly told

The day-dreams of delight.

"Beloved Maid!

"Lo! I am with thee! still thy Theodore! "Hearts in the holy bands of Love combin'd, "Death has no power to sever. Thou art mine! "A little while and thou shalt dwell with me "In scenes where Sorrow is not. Cheerily

"Tread thou the path that leads thee to the grave,

Rough tho' it be and painful, for the grave "Is but the threshold of Eternity.

"Favour'd of Heaven! to thee is given to view "These secret realms. The bottom of the abyss "Thou treadest, Maiden! Here the dungeons are "Where bad men learn repentance; souls diseased "Must have their remedy; and where disease "Is rooted deep, the remedy is long

"Perforce, and painful."

Thus the Spirit spake,

And led the Maid along a narrow path,

Dark gleaming to the light of far-off flames,
More dread than darkness. Soon the distant sound

Of clanking anvils, and the lengthened breath

Provoking fire are heard: and now they reach
A wide expanded den where all around
Tremendous furnaces, with hellish blaze,

Flamed dreadful. At the heaving bellows stood
The meagre form of CARE, and as he blew
To augment the fire, the fire augmented scorch'd
His wretched limbs: sleepless for ever thus
He toil'd and toil'd, of toil to reap no end
But endless toil and never-ending woe.

An aged man went round the infernal vault,
Urging his workmen to their ceaseless task;
White were his locks, as is the wintry snow
On hoar Plinlimmon's head. A golden staff
His steps supported; powerful talisman,
Which whoso feels shall never feel again

The tear of Pity, or the throb of Love.
Touch'd but by this, the massy gates give way,
The buttress trembles, and the guarded wall,
Guarded in vain, submits. Him heathens erst
Had deified, and bowed the suppliant knee
To Plutus. Nor are now his votaries few,
Tho' he the Blessed Teacher of mankind
Hath said, that easier thro' the needle's eye
Shall the huge *camel pass, than the rich man
Enter the gates of heaven.
"Ye cannot serve

"Your GOD, and worship MAMMON."

"Missioned Maid!"

So spake the Angel," know that these, whose hands

*In the former edition I had substituted cable instead of camel. The alteration would not be worth noticing were it not for the circumstance which occasioned it. Facilius elephas per foramen acus, is among the Hebrew adages collected by Drusius; the same metaphor is found in two other Jewish proverbs, and this appears to determine the significa. tion.of καμήλος, Matt. 19. 24.