Fortune, if it be thy will,
Shoot thy cruel arrows still;
Pour thy hail-storm on my head;
Let thy clouds be thickly spread;
Warm'd within this heart, some ray
Soon will chase each cloud away;
Yet O heaven grant protection,

Shield, O shield me from Deception-13

(1842.)

T

"Fashion"

ELL me not, tell me not
Of the pleasures which spring
From the soil which proud
Has brush'd with her wing;
Oh! say not, Oh! say not,
Those flowrets are bright;
Tell me not of the lustres

Which dazzle the night—

Tell me not, tell me not

That the smiles which are there,

Have banish'd for ever

The wrinkles of care

The soil glimmers green
When the torch is uprear'd;
Go-see it by daylight,

"Tis wither'd and sear'dThose blossoms are sparkling

Like bright burnish'd steel;

Go see them by daylight,
No flowret is real-

Blandly smile yon smooth cheeks,
Yet believe not the feint;

Each care-furrow'd wrinkle

Is hidden with paint

Yon velvet is drap'd

With voluptuous care,
Yet methinks 'twould be well
If more velvet was there—
Yon soft wavy tresses

What grace they impart―
Yet Nature might whisper,

She stole them from Art-
Tell me not how the dance
Can enliven each breast,
When the sleep-pillow'd rustic
Is taking his rest;

Tell me not how the pulse

Burns with melody's fire, When midnight re-echoes The notes of the lyreSofter far, softer far

Is the spring-mantled lawn When dew-drops are sparkling At morn's early dawnSweeter far, sweeter far

Is bright Nature, and hark!

What lyre can compare

With the notes of yon lark? Frown, frown if ye will,

"Tis unheeded by me;

Know

ye not that a monarch (DD) Once bade the deep sea,

To fly from his presence

And quickly retreat,

Nor dare pour its billows

On Royalty's feet?

But say-did the sea

Check its fast-flowing wave?

The ocean quail'd not,

Though the monarch was brave ;

Such strains I well see

Suit ye not, for ye frown, And strive with the Babel

Of "Fashion" to drown

So rebellious a voice

In days long gone bye, The flashes of Passion

Shot forth from the eye, Of a monarch who rul❜d (EE) In a land of the East, Within whose proud ear

Truth had timidly ceas'd

To whisper her tale;

Yes-he fancied when he Had said to the Hellespont

"Cease to be free,"

That the waves would be still

Round the boats which stretch'd o'er

The deep waves form'd a bridge

To fair Grecia's shore

"Flow gently," he cried;

Did the billows obey

The words of the proud

Turban'd despot?-not they

They answer'd, "On Earth
Thou art mighty, but we
Have the mastery here

O'er the fathomless sea;
Vain man thou art mortal,

Remember thou this;

We will teach thee yet more Near our own Salamis; (FF)

We reck not thy voice"

Then indignant he said, "Slaves fetch me yon fetters; Each foam-circled head Of the billows which rage

On this arrogant sea Shall be chain'd till they bow In obedience to meWhat-dare ye still murmur?Fetch hither the scourge,

Ye yet shall be hush'd

To obedience, and urge

Your crested heads gently;
"Tis vain to repine-
Ah!-the Empire of Ocean
Will never be mine"-

See you not, see you not

*

Some fair maiden replies, How diamonds flash brightly O'er yon beaming eyes? Look, look how they sparkle

You surely must see ;