COULDST THOU BUT KNOW.

BY LADY CAROLINE LAMB,

COULDST thou but know what 'tis to weep-
To weep unpitied and alone,
The livelong night whilst others sleep,
Silent and mournful watch to keep,

Thou wouldst not do what I have done.

Couldst thou but know what 'tis to smile,
To smile when scorn'd by every one;
To hide by many an artful wile,
A heart that knows more grief than guile,
Thou wouldst not do what I have done.

And, oh! if thou couldst think how drear,
When friends are changed, and health is gone,
The world would to thine eyes appear,

If thou, like me, to none wert dear,

Thou wouldst not do what I have done.

ABJURATION.

BY MISS BOWLES.

THERE was a time-sweet time of youthful folly !-
Fantastic woes I courted, feign'd distress;
Wooing the veiled phantom, Melancholy,
With passion born, like Love, "in idleness."

And like a lover, like a jealous lover,

I hid mine idol with a miser's art

(Lest vulgar eyes her sweetness should discover), Close in the inmost chambers of mine heart.

LYRE.

L

218

ABJURATION.

And there I sought her-oft in secret sought her, From merry mates withdrawn, and mirthful play, To wear away, by some deep stilly water,

In greenwood lone, the livelong summer day,

Watching the flitting clouds, the fading flowers,
The flying rack athwart the wavy grass;
And murmuring oft, "Alack! this life of ours-
Such are its joys-so swiftly doth it pass !"

And then, mine idle tears (ab, silly maiden!)
Bedropt the liquid glass, like summer rain ;-
And sighs, as from a bosom sorrow-faden,
Heaved the light heart, that knew no real pain.

And then I loved to haunt lone burial-places,
Pacing the churchyard earth with noiseless tread;
Το pore in new-made graves for ghastly traces,
Brown crumbling bones of the forgotten dead:

To think of passing bells-of death and dying— Methought 'twere sweet in early youth to die, So loved, lamented-in such sweet sleep lying, The white shroud all with flowers and rosemary

Strew'd o'er by loving hands!—But then 'twould grieve me

Too sore, forsooth! the scene my fancy drew ;— I could not bear the thought, to die and leave ye; And I have lived, dear friends! to weep for you.

And I have lived to prove that fading flowers

Are life's best joys, and all we love and prizeWhat chilling rains succeed the summer showers, What bitter drops, wrung slow from elder eyes.

And I have lived to look on Death and dying,
To count the sinking pulse—the shortening breath :
To watch the last faint life-streak flying-flying,-

To stoop to start to be alone with-Death.

And I have lived to wear the smiles of gladness, When all within was cheerless, dark, and coldWhen all earth's joys seem'd mockery and madness, And life more tedious than "a tale twice told."

And now-and now, pale pining Melancholy!
No longer veil'd for me your haggard brow,
In pensive sweetness-such as youthful folly
Fondly conceited—I abjure ye now!

Away-avaunt! No longer now I call ye
"Divinest Melancholy! mild, meek maid!"
No longer may your siren spells enthral me,
A willing captive in your baleful shade.

Give me the voice of mirth, the sound of laughter-
The sparkling glance of Pleasure's roving eye.
The past is past.-Avaunt, thou dark Hereafter!
"Come, eat and drink-to-morrow we must die!"

So, in his desperate mood, the fool hath spoken-
The fool whose heart hath said, "there is no
God."

But for the stricken heart, the spirit broken,
There's balm in Gilead yet. The very rod,

If we but kiss it, as the stroke descendeth,
Distilleth balm to allay the inflicted smart,
And "Peace that passeth understanding," blendeth
With the deep sighing of the contrite heart.

Mine be that holy, humble tribulation—

No longer feign'd distress-fantastic woe,— I know my griefs,—but then my consolation— My trust, and my immortal hopes I know.

THE END OF TIME.

"And I saw another mighty Angel come down from Heaven, clothed with a cloud; and a rainbow was upon his head; and he set his right foot upon the sea, and his left foot upon the earth, and cried with a loud voice. And the Angel which I saw stand upon the sea and upon the earth lifted up his hand to Heaven; and sware by Him that liveth for ever and ever, who created Heaven, and the things that therein are, and the earth, and the things that therein are, and the sea, and the things that therein are, that there should be time no longer!

REVELATIONS, Chap. x.

I SAW an Angel on a cloud,

Come floating through the air;

The Heavens look'd like the world's dark shroud,
All blacken'd with despair:
With mighty stride he stalked forth,
Encompassing the south and north,

And eke the middle clime;

Earth reel'd beneath his ponderous weight,
The ocean roll'd all agitate,

Tumultuous and sublime.

A garb of light he round him cast,
Blended with Heaven's pure blue;
And thunder's blighting, withering blast,
He round his pathway threw :

Heaven's radiant arch entwined his brow
(Which shone forth with a heavenly glow

Of majesty divine),

Seal of the Covenant firm and sure,
That through all ages shall endure,
Until the end of time.

The Heavens drew back to let him pass,—
With terror hence they fled;
All wither'd was the vernal grass,-
The sea laid bare its bed:

The mountains skipped to and fro,
Threat'ning the vales to overthrow,-
The troubled world did groan;
The sun withdrew his glittering rays,
Quenched beneath the brighter blaze,
That round the Angel shone.

Upon a mountain's rugged height
He fix'd his left foot sure,—
And on the ocean's waves so bright
Planted his right secure :

With arms uplifted to the sky,
He swore, by Him who reigns on high,
Girded with might and power:

And who created earth and sea
In all their vast immensity,-

That-Time should be no more!

Earth quaked at the fatal sound,
And to its centre shook,-
It reach'd creation's utmost bound;
Then with majestic look,

He stretch'd his arm up to the sun,
And thence pull'd forth that mighty one,
And hurl'd him to the sea :

The moon grew pale with wild affright,

The stars withdrew their glimmering light,—

For light no more could be!