SONNET XLVI. 1st Oct. 1807. "WHY should'st thou ever strike the mournful string?" The world will say. Because that string repeats A tale responsive to my soul, that cheats My inward grief, by outward sounds that bring Brief alienation. Thus for those I sing Whose kindred thoughts on kindred themes may range; Whom no extreme transition could estrange From secret disappointment's festering sting. Better t' associate powers of thought with woe, To dress her in the scanty remnants left Of fancy, grace, and beauty, than bereft Of all alleviation, bid her go,— As inadmissible to claim a share In sympathy, to madness and despair. SONNET XLVII. 1st Oct. 1807. "TWERE like a dear lov'd long lost friend regain'd When least expected, in thy solitude To hear a voice which fits thy pensive mood: Men of the world, who joy's full cup have drain'd, Repress the sneer; nor selfishly arraigned, Miscall each sentiment not understood: There are, like me, viewed, who life's gay scenes have In sorrow's discipline too early trained. How oft have arid thought, and black despair, Which, numb'd by sorrow's iron guardian pride, Would never yield to grief personified,Seduced to tears-that long congealed had dwelt In cold repression, thus been mollified, When plaintive numbers breathed emotions felt. SONNET XLVIII. 1st Oct. 1807. COME, Poesy, celestial power, and bring Thy genial train of visionary joys! Raise my sad heart from sorrow that destroys; And gnawing cares that check the salient spring Of genius :-come, and teach me how to sing: The world by me unenvied with its toys, The world amused by vanity and noise, And, pledged to interest, universal king. Recall the time when Fancy yet was young, And fresh affection shed the generous tear; When falsehood was a stranger to my tongue, And vice, yet undetected, to mine ear, The dirge of murdered hope had not yet sung: Oh come, and rescue me from anxious fear! SONNET XLIX. IN THE CHARACTER OF ST. PREUX. Suggested by reading, in the Heloise of Rousseau, the description of the Heroine of his Tale and St. Preux visiting, by means of an excursion by water, the rocks of Meillerie. Oct. 2nd, 1807. SAILING at ease along that placid lake, It seemed as all the world were left behind; The universe was centred in my mind; And what an universe was there to make Strange stir and tumult: fancy was awake, And thoughts of love and joy throbb'd quick : the wind Soothingly breathed; and mellowing beams assigned To autumn, raised such notes from bush and brake, That every object made the sense to ache, In Nature's most voluptuous mood combin'd. For sailing thus along that placid tide, While hopeless love in bleeding misery Throbbed in my heart, fain would despair have tried 'Mid whelming waves, the wretches latest cure But conscience whisper'd, "Thou must yet endure." 97* * The author is aware that in this little composition, he has exceeded the warrant allowed to the structure of the sonnet in the number of lines of which it consists; but he takes the liberty, nevertheless, as it is more like a sonnet than any thing else, of classing it with compositions so entitled; and he hopes that, lost in a crowd, its overwieldiness of bulk will scarcely be perceived, where it has so many near relations at least, Facies non omnibus una Nec diversa tamen, qualis decet esse sororum, who, be fears, have each of them their respective blemishes. Q |