This the pensive Lady knows,
So round her lovely frame she throws
The cloud-like float of her array,
And with a blessing and a prayer
She fixeth in her raven hair
The jewel that her lover gave
The night before he cross'd the wave
To kingdoms far away.
Soft steps are winding down the stair
And now beneath the morning air
Her breast breathes strong and free;
The sun in his prime glorious hour
Is up, and with a purple shower
Hath bathed the billowy sea.
Lo! morning's dewy hush divine
Hath calm'd the eyes of Edderline,
Shaded by the glooms that fall
From the old gray castle wall,
Or, from the glooms emerging bright,
Cloud-like walking through the light,
She sends the blessing of her smiles
O'er dancing waves and steadfast isles,
And, creature though she be of earth,
Heaven feels the beauty of her mirth.
How seraph-like the silent greeting,
Streaming from her dark-blue eyes,
At their earliest matin meeting
Upwards to the dark-blue skies!
Quickly glancing, gliding slowly,
Child of mirth or melancholy,
As her midnight dream again,
Of the hush'd or roaring main,
Comes and goes across her brain.
Now she sees the ship returning,
Every mast with ensigns burning
Star-bright o'er the cloud of sails,
As, queen-like, down the green sea-vales She stoops, or o'er the mountains green, Reascending like a queen!
Glad the heart of hoary ocean
In the beauty of her motion !
Now through midnight's deepest noon,
Howling to the wild monsoon,
She sees God's anger flash around her,
And the glorious vessel founder
To one vain signal gun!
While in the lightning's ghastly glow
The shipless ocean rolls below,
As in the midday sun!
Far, far below in rocky cell
Doth a seër-hermit dwell.
In solitude and in despair
He sits, with long, black, rusty hair,
Face dim as death, and his fix'd eye
Red-flashing with futurity.
A holy madman! with no chain
But those forged in his burning brain-
Shuddering, close beside his feet,
To see the frequent winding-sheet—
Spite of the water's din, to hear
Steps trampling gravewards with a bier—
Or like a sweep of wintry weather,
Wailing at midnight o'er the heather,
Cloud-coronachs that wildly rise
When far away a chieftain dies.
Down-downwards to his savage cave,
By steps the goat doth almost fear
To lead her little kids to browse
On wild herb that there thinly grows
'Mid spray showers from the dashing wave,
So dreadful 'tis the din to hear,
The Lady with a quaking prayer
Descends, as if upon the air,
Like sea-mew with white rise and fall,
Floating o'er a waterfall!
And now doth trembling Edith wait
Reluctant at the closing gate,
And wipes away her tears;
For the Lady motions her to stay,
Then with a wan smile sinks away,
And ghost-like disappears!
AIR as two lilies from one stem, which spring
In vernal fragrance sweetly blossoming,
And liker far in form, and size, and hue,
If liker could be, the Twin Sisters grew.
Each limb, each joint, each feature could compare,
Exact in one with what the other's were;
No look, no gesture, difference of mien,
Not e'en a look distinctive could be seen;
And like as were their outward forms design'd,
So were th' internal workings of the mind;
What could to one delight or pain impart,
Raised the same feelings in the other's heart;
Now gay with hope, and now with pity mild,
They wept together, and together smiled.
If Anna spoke, 'twas often she express'd
The thought just forming in Maria's breast;
And if Maria hasten'd to pursue
Some object, 'twas what Anna had in view.
No wonder-for the same maternal pang
Brought them to being, and they both did hang
On the same breast, and drew the nutrient stream
From the same fount; one cradle nestled them.
Both frolick'd in gay childhood's rapturous years,
Undamp'd as yet by life's maturer cares;
Close in each other's baby arms entwined,
With breast to breast, and cheek on cheek reclined,
And eyes, which beam'd infantine radiance mild,
They seem'd of Heaven, and, cherub-like, they smiled.
Together they did roam the mead or grove,
Chasing the gilded butterfly, or wove
Of heath-flowers wild, a wreath their brows to deck,
Or daisy spotted garland for the neck.
And as maturer seasons o'er them came,
And stronger glow'd within pure reason's flame,
Together they would scan the mind's wide range,
And share of thought the grateful interchange;
Together Nature's volume wide explore;
Together Nature's mighty God adore.
The mountain, forest, meadow, lake, and stream
Gave varied joy. What was the world to them,
Its pomp, its bustle, and its idle toil?
Society did their enjoyments spoil;-
They needed not its aid—a world they were
Each to the other-why aught else prefer?
But oft, alas! the lily, in the spring,
Even in its prime of vernal blossoming,
Struck at the root by some fell canker's fang,
Fading, its beauteous head begins to hang-
So fared it with Maria; the pure red,
Soft-blended on her cheek, was seen to fade;
The tincture of her lips, of rubied hue
Where smiles once sat, now changed to sickly blue;
No longer full of life, no longer gay,
With rapid strides came premature decay!
Her former haunts could now no longer please,
E'en the soft couch could scarce procure her ease.
There Anna closely sat, and watch'd her eye,
Aught that could soothe, or aid her to supply ;
All day she watch'd, and when the sufferer slept,
Hung o'er her midnight couch, and silent wept.
To cheer her thoughtful bosom Anna tries-
"The spring again returns, bleak winter flies,
Even now the golden crocuses are seen,
And soon the woodlands will resume their green;
When you are well, delighted we shall rove
The wood-paths through, and trim the bower we love." "Yes, Anna, flowers will bloom, and grove, and plain, All dormant nature spring to life again;
Grass clothe the ground, and blossoms crown the tree, But grove or plain will bloom in vain to me!
It was my hope, that as one hour began
Our beings, one should measure out life's span,
But Heaven forbids; to murmur would be vain :
A few short years shall make us one again."
Prophetic speech! for now life's fading flame,
Faint and more faint, did animate her frame;
Around she cast her eyes of deadly hue
On sorrowing friends, to bid a last adieu.
A parting look she gave—she could no more,
A throb―a long drawn sigh—then all was o’er.
A thrilling pang of horrible despair
Pierced Anna's breast, and marr'd all feeling there;
Long o'er the lifeless form she silent stood,
With vacant gaze the beauteous ruin view'd ;
Till her faint limbs no more her weight could stay,
And all unconscious she is borne away:
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