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THE REPROACH.

TO A FAITHLESS HUSBAND.

CAN the voice of reason reach you
In the midst of frantic joys?
If it can, ah! let it teach you
What my peace of mind destroys.

Oh! 'tis not the wrong you've done me
Preys upon my wounded mind;
But the heart, with which you won me,
To another you've resign'd.

Souls, more gross than mine, may pleasure
Feel in what the brutes partake;

But to me, the dearest treasure

Was the faith that ne'er could break.

Let the syren, who's ensnar'd thee,
Glut upon the grosser part,
If you only could have spar'd me
All I wish'd to have-your heart!

But too well I know, that never
Such a partnership can be;
Soul and body ne'er can sever,
Until death has set them free.

That I lov'd you (ah! how dearly!)
Heaven knows who heard my vows:
That my faith I've kept sincerely,
Self-approving conscience knows.

Not by merely chastely keeping;
(That each matron ought to do)
But my thoughts, awake or sleeping,
Never once have stray'd from you.

Oh! you had (cease tears from flowing!)
A heart so tender and so true;
Every joy of heaven's bestowing
All were centred once in you.

While I write, my babe lies sleeping,
Cradled by his mother's arms,
Unconscious that her eyes are weeping
O'er the author of his charms.

But no more-though thus I've shewn thee
All that rends my heart in twain,
Think not, that 'twill ever own thee,
Or receive thee back again.

The die is cast, for I can never
Sue for a divided heart;
Nor imagine time will ever
Soothe my soul or ease its smart.

Yet I wish thee every blessing
Heaven can give, or man receive;
And tho' absent, still possessing
All those joys for which I grieve.

J. H. Vy.

LYRA.

A DREAM OF LOVE.

"On she came,

"Such as I saw her in my dream.

Milton.

ALL hail! the scene where fancy's mien
Smiles fair and marks of love discloses,
Whose wanton freak leaves on the cheek
The kiss from Lyra's lips of roses!

"Twas thus I dream'd, as twilight gleam'd
Across the eastern arch of heaven,
Like growing hope, that strives to cope
With chill despair's infectious leaven.
Methought 'twas noon: the summer's suu
Beam'd from a cloudless sky upon me;
Beneath the shade my limbs I laid,

And listlessness came gently on me.

A lovely form, that well might warm
The clay-cold apathy to feeling,
Her presence deign'd, and o'er me lean'd,
Her rising bosom half revealing.

And beauties rare I ween were there,

And looks the young May-morn outshining, Her eyes blue light, twin planets bright, Like sunbeams seem'd on air reclining.

She knelt and took a wistful look,

More sweet than love itself supposes,
And with a smile, oh! bliss the while!
She kiss'd me with her lips of roses.

And could she kiss! of promis'd bliss
A pledge too pure to ask concealing!
And look so fond! esteem beyond!

That from her eyes her soul seem'd stealing!

The fact was proved, 'twas clear she loved!
Away flew care, and bale, and sorrow!
Hope came, and joy without alloy,

And blithely bade despair good-morrow.

Alas! in vain: the twilight's wane,

And sun from out the ocean beaming,
Led forth the hour, whose wakeful power
Convinced me that I'd been a-dreaming.

So 'tis through life, in present strife
We dream of future joy and gladness!
Youth wanes apace, a daylight race
That leaves behind its night of sadness.

But if in youth, our bosom's truth
Should meet with love's returning kisses,
We're doubly bless'd, enrapt, caress'd,
And life's a ceaseless flow of blisses.

Then, Lyra! say no longer nay,

Since joy on mutual love reposes; My passion bless! oh! whisper yes! And kiss me with your lips of roses.

W.

EDWIN AND MARIA.

A ballad founded on fact, written at Ramsgate in the summer of 1817.

FAR from the busy scenes of life,
On Thanet's sea-girt shore,
Whose rocks to ocean's foaming strife
In mournful echoes roar,

Maria dwelt, whose guileless heart
The taint of vice ne'er knew;
Of nature she a lovely part
Fair as a lily grew.

Serenely gay in art untaught,
In sentiment refined;

Her better part with virtue fraught
Was an unspotted mind.

No wayward passion urged her breast,
Nor aught her fancy fired

Save one pure flame, a flame that blest
The heart that it inspired.

That heart was Edwin's, happy swain!
To her what bliss he ow'd!"

In either breast a mutual flame
With mutual ardour glow'd.

Sweet is the bliss that youthful hearts
In mutual love bestow:

The joy that virtuous love imparts
Alone is bliss below.

But ah! how transient is that bliss!

As fades the blooming flower,

So fades each joy, and only is

The solace of an hour.

While thus their hearts in love's sweet chain

Affection fondly bound,

That ritual tie alone remain'd

That Hymen's altar crown'd.

But heaven forbade that happy state,
On earth forbade her stay,

And send the herald dire of fate
To call its own away.

Night's silent gloom was closing in,
And cheerless was the scene,
Ab! little thought Maria then
How fate would intervene !

When lo! the hand of heaven came,
And summon'd her away,

The pains of death unnerved her frame,
And nature felt decay.

And scarce Aurora had dispelled
The gloomy shades of night,
Ere her pure spirit had beheld
Her God in realms of light.
Yet ere the vital spark had left
Its tenement of clay,

Ere yet the soul of earth bereft

Had wing'd its course away,

While round her couch in life's last scene
Each friend in sorrow press'd,
The dying maid with placid mien
Her Edwin thus address'd.

"Forbear, my Edwin, cease to sigh,
Oh! check that falling tear!
On seraph's wings to heaven I fly,
My Saviour waits me there.
"Yet while to thee still to pursue
Life's varied course is given,
Oh! keep that blissful path in view
That leads the soul to heaven.

"Let virtue teach thy youthful heart
The ills of life to scan,

Teach thee to act that manly part
That man should act to man.

"And oh! should vice in tempting form

E'er lure thy heart to stray,

Think thy Maria did thee warn,
And turn thyself away.

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