SELECT POEMS.

ΤΟ

THE CUCKOO.

HAIL, beauteous stranger of the grove!
Thou messenger of Spring!
Now heav'n repairs thy rural seat,
And woods thy welcome sing.

What time the daisy decks the green,
Thy certain voice we hear;
Hast thou a star to guide thy path,
Or mark the rolling year?

Delightful visitant! with thee

I hail the time of flowers,
And hear the sound of music sweet
From birds among the bowers.

The school-boy, wandering through the wood
To pull the primrose gay,

Starts, the new voice of Spring to hear,

And imitates thy lay.

What time the pea puts on the bloom
Thou fliest thy vocal vale,

An annual guest in other lands,
Another Spring to hail.

Sweet bird! thy bower is ever green,

Thy sky is ever clear;

Thou hast no sorrow in thy song,
No winter in thy year!

O could I fly, I'd fly with thee!
We'd make, with joyful wing,
Our annual visit o'er the globe,

Companions of the Spring!

THE LOVERS.

The Lovers, in the following Poem, were descended of houses that had been long at variance. The Lady is first introduced as leaving her father's house, and venturing out in the darkness of the night to meet with her Lover. They meet at the appointed hour. The rest of the dialogue passes in the

chariot.

HARRIET.

'Tis midnight dark: 'tis silence deep;
My father's house is hush'd in sleep;
In dreams the lover meets his bride,
She sees her lover at her side;

The mourner's voice is now suppress'd,
Awhile the weary are at rest:

'Tis midnight dark; 'tis silence deep;
I only wake, and wake to weep.

The window's drawn, the ladder waits,
I spy no watchman at the gates:
No tread re-echoes through the hall,
No shadow moves along the wall.
I am alone. 'Tis dreary night ;-
O come, thou partner of my flight;
Shield me from darkness, from alarms;
O take me trembling to thine arms!

The dog howls dismal in the heath,
The raven croaks the dirge of death;
Ah me! disaster's in the sound!
The terrors of the night are round;

A sad mischance my fears forebode,
The demon of the dark's abroad,
And lures, with apparition dire,

The night-struck man through flood and fire.

The owlet screams ill-boding sounds,
The spirit walks unholy rounds;
The wizard's hour eclipsing rolls;
The shades of hell usurp the poles;
The moon retires; the heaven departs-
From opening earth a spectre starts:
My spirit dies Away my fears,
My love, my life, my lord appears!

HENRY.

I come, I come, my love! my life!
And nature's dearest name, my wife!
Long have I lov'd thee; long have sought;
And dangers brav'd and battles fought;
In this embrace our evils end:
From this our better days ascend;
The year of suffering now is o'er,
At last we meet to part no more!
My lovely bride! my consort, come!
The rapid chariot rolls thee home.

HARRIET.

I fear to go I dare not stay.

Look back:-I dare not look that way.

HENRY.

No evil ever shall betide

My love, while I am at her side.