Man's heart hath all forgotten thee,

And wander'd from thy will;

With lip alone he praiseth thee,
But, oh, forgive him still!

His flowing blood has stain'd my breast

With Death's unholy hue—

Forgive the creatures thou hast made !

Unborn the light that gently now

Sleeps pillow'd on my breast;

Unbreath'd the sportive gale that wakes
Each ripple from its rest.

Tide calleth unto ocean tide,

Sea calleth unto sea,

One mighty spirit from them all

Is calling unto thee!

Thy breath has roll'd me onward
From the infancy of Time:

I have travers'd ev'ry island shore,
I have circled ev'ry clime.

I have watch'd man in his innocence,
I've mark'd him in his fall,—

The nameless savage in his den,

The Cæsar in his hall.

*

I have met the pale sun's icy glance,

I have shrunk beneath his flame

Frail Nature changes as I flow,

But man is aye the same.

I crush'd within their cavern'd home
The young world's giant birth,—

No grasp of strength, no step of pride,
Save mine, was on the earth!

Then thou did'st spare-Oh! pity now,

And tarry yet to save,

As thou did'st rescue heretofore,

A remnant from the wave!

*

NOTES.

PAGE 3. STANZA IV.

Grew dark, and passion ripen'd into crime.

1 When the spiritual love which angels might feel for mankind as the work of a common creator, degenerated into a more earthly attachment.

2 The deluge.

Rose in dread witness of the coming time.

PAGE 4. STANZA VII.

Actheia, hence-go, seek thy Proserpine!

3 Axia, the sorrowing, a name bestowed on Ceres after the rape of

Proserpine.

PAGE 6. STANZA X.

And thou, her widow'd sister of the Nile.

4 Isis is the Ceres of Egypt.

Love-breathing Isis-lady of the smile.

5 Gentle, very gentle and sweet is the smile in almost all the figures of Isis which I saw.- -Scenes and Impressions in Egypt.

Ancient of days.

6 According to some the word Isis signifies ancient.

Queen of the present, future, and the past.

7 Alluding to the well-known inscription-I am all that has been, that shall be, and none among mortals has hitherto taken off my veil.

Τα οντα και τα εσομενα και τα γεγονοτα εγω ειμι τον εμον χιτώνα ουδεις απεκάλυψενον εγω καρπων ετεκον — ηλιος εγενετο

PAGE 6. STANZA XI.

Live thro' life's morn, but wither ere the night.

8 Quam modo nascentem rutilus conspexit Eous,

Hanc rediens sero vespere vidit anum,

Collige, virgo, rosas, dum flos novus et nova pubes;

Et memor esto Ævum sic properare tuum.

Ausonius.