How smit was poor Adelaide's heart at the sight! How bitter she wept o'er the victim of war! "Hast thou come, my fond Love, this last sor. rowful night, To cheer the lone heart of your wounded Hussar?" "Thou shalt live," she replied, "Heaven's mercy, relieving Each anguishing wound,, shall forbid me to mourn." "Ah, no! the last pang of my bosom is heaving! LINES INSCRIBED ON THE MONUMENT LATELY FINISHED BY MR. CHANTRY, Which has been erected by the Widow of Admiral To him, whose loyal, brave, and gentle heart, Mild in reproof, sagacious in command, To paint the traits that drew affection strong THE BRAVE ROLAND.* THE brave Roland!-the brave Roland!- *The tradition which forms the substance of these stanzas is still preserved in Germany. An ancient tower on a height, called the Rolandseck, a few miles above Bonn on the Rhine, is shown as the habitation which Roland built in sight of a nunnery, into which his mistress had retired, on having heard an unfounded account of his death. Whatever may be thought of the credibility of the legend, its scenery must be recollected with pleasure by every one who has visited the romantic landscape of the Drachenfells, the Rolandseck, and the beautiful adjacent islet of the Rhine, where a nunnery still stands. And thy faithful bosom swoon'd with pain, For the loss of thine own true knight. But why so rash has she ta'en the veil, For her vow had scarce been sworn, Woe! woe! each heart shall bleed-shall break! And he had clasp'd those peerless charms Yet Roland the brave-Roland the true- It was dear still 'midst his woes; There's yet one window of that pile, (When the chant and the organ sounded slow) She died!-He sought the battle-plain! When he fell and wish'd to fall: And her name was in his latest sigh, THE SPECTRE BOAT. A BALLAD. LIGHT rued false Ferdinand to leave a lovely maid forlorn, Who broke her heart and died to hide her blushing cheek from scorn. One night he dreamt he woo'd her in their wonted bower of love, Where the flowers sprang thick around them, and the birds sang sweet above. But the scene was swiftly changed into a churchyard's dismal view, And her lips grew black beneath his kiss, from love's delicious hue. What more he dreamt he told to none; but, shuddering, pale, and dumb, Look'd out upon the waves, like one that knew his hour was come. 'Twas now the dead-watch of the night-the helm was lash'd a-lee, And the ship rode where Mount Etna lights the deep Levantine sea; When beneath its glare a boat came, row'd by a woman in her shroud, Who, with eyes that made our blood run cold, stood up and spoke aloud: "Come, Traitor, down, for whom my ghost still wanders unforgiven! Come down, false Ferdinand, for whom I broke my peace with Heaven!" It was vain to hold the victim, for he plunged to meet her call, Like the bird that shrieks and flutters in the gazing serpent's thrall. You may guess the boldest mariner shrunk daunted from the sight, For the Spectre and her winding-sheet shone blue with hideous light; Like a fiery wheel the boat spun with the waving of her hand, And round they went, and down they went, as the cock crew from the land. THE LOVER TO HIS MISTRESS, Ir any white-wing'd Power above The day when thou wert born, my love- I laugh'd (till taught by thee) when told That ripen'd life's dull ore to gold, My mind had lovely shapes portray'd; |