THE HAUNTED PALACE

IN the greenest of our valleys
By good angels tenanted,
Once a fair and stately palace

Radiant palace-reared its head. In the monarch Thought's dominion It stood there!

Never seraph spread a pinion

Over fabric half so fair!

Banners yellow, glorious, golden,
On its roof did float and flow,

(This

all this was in the olden

Time long ago,)

And every gentle air that dallied,

In that sweet day,

Along the ramparts plumed and pallid,

A winged odor went away.

Wanderers in that happy valley,

Through two luminous windows, saw

Spirits moving musically,

To a lute's well-tuned law, Round about a throne where, sitting,

Porphyrogene,

In state his glory well befitting,

The ruler of the realm was seen.

And all with pearl and ruby glowing
Was the fair palace door,

Through which came flowing, flowing, flowing

And sparkling evermore,

A troop of Echoes, whose sweet duty

Was but to sing,

In voices of surpassing beauty,

The wit and wisdom of their king.

But evil things, in robes of sorrow,

Assailed the monarch's high estate.
(Ah, let us mourn! for never morrow
Shall dawn upon him, desolate!)
And round about his home the glory
That blushed and bloomed
Is but a dim-remembered story
Of the old-time entombed.

And travellers, now, within that valley,
Through the encrimson'd windows see
Vast forms that move fantastically

To a discordant melody,

While, like a ghastly rapid river,
Through the pale door

A hideous throng rush out forever

And laugh- but smile no more.

ROME.

SCENES FROM "POLITIAN "

AN UNPUBLISHED DRAMA

I

·A Hall in a Palace. Alessandra and Castiglione.

Alessandra. Thou art sad, Castiglione.
Castiglione. Sad! - not I.

Oh, I'm the happiest, happiest man in Rome!
A few days more, thou knowest, my Alessandra,
Will make thee mine. Oh, I am very happy!

Aless. Methinks thou hast a singular way of show

ing

Thy happiness! — what ails thee, cousin of mine?

Why didst thou sigh so deeply?

Cas. Did I sigh?

I was not conscious of it. It is a fashion,

A silly a most silly fashion I have

When I am very happy. Did I sigh? (sighing.)

Aless. Thou didst. Thou art not well. Thou hast

indulged

Too much of late, and I am vexed to see it.

Late hours and wine, Castiglione, - these

Will ruin thee! thou art already altered

Thy looks are haggard — nothing so wears away

The constitution as late hours and wine.

Cas. (musing.) Nothing, fair cousin, nothing - not even deep sorrow

Wears it away like evil hours and wine.

I will amend.