Faust. Haste, Margaret, haste! For, if thou lingerest here, We both shall pay it dear. Marg. What, thou canst kiss no more? Away so short a time as this, And hast so soon forgot to kiss! Why are my joys less ardent than they were? Once in those folding arms I loved to lie, Clung to that breast, and deem'd my heaven was there, Till, scarce alive, I almost longed to die! Those lips are cold, and do not move, Alas! unkind, unkind! Hast thou left all thy love, Thy former love, behind? Faust. Follow me! follow, Margaret! be not slow: With twice its former heat my love shall glow. Margaret, this instant come, 'tis all I pray. Marg. And art thou, art thou, he, for certain, say? Faust. I am, come with me. Marg. Thou shalt burst my chain, And lay me in thy folding arms again. How comes it, tell me, thou canst bear my sight? Know'st thou to whom thou bring'st the means of flight? Faust. Come, come!-I feel the morning breezes breath. Marg. This hand was guilty of a mother's death! I drown'd my child! and thou can'st tell, If it was mine, 'twas thine as well. I scarce believe, though so it seem- What hast thou done? put up thy sword; Faust. Oh, Margaret! let the hour be past; Marg. No; you must live till I shall trace For each their separate burial place. For my poor mother keep the best; Faust. Then be persuaded-come with me. Faust. To be free. Marg. To death! I know it-I prepare. The grave, no further-'tis our journey's end. Faust. You can! But wish it, and the deed is done. It is so sad to roam through stranger lands, THE FLOWER OF GNIDE. THE following Ode is translated from the original Spanish of Garcilaso de la Vega, by Mr. J. H. Wiffen. "It is not often," to use a cant phrase of the present day, we meet with such poetry as this. The sentiments do honor to the original writer; the language does equal honor to the translator, and shews what the English language is capable of in the hands of a master. If this Ode were read to a foreigner, totally ignorant of the English language, he would perceive a strength, harmony, and fire, of which he could not trace a vestige in the sing-song lullabies, of which the bulk of modern poetry is composed. The words are happily selected, and still more happily disposed of, the vowel and consonant sounds being so judiciously blended with each other, that the language is nervous without being harsh, and musical without being effeminate. In the first stanza, almost every word is an echo to the sense, an effect which will always take place unconsciously, whenever the poet is truly inspired by his subject, particularly when an analogy exists between his ideas and any modification of sounds whatever. This Ode reminds us of Gray: it possesses all his classic elegance and chastity of manner, and has not a feature, in common, with any of our modern schools.-ED. Had I the sweet resounding lyre, Whose voice could in a moment chain Think not, think not, fair flower of Gnide, And forg'd the chains that now controul The frenzy of the Frank. No, no! its harmonies should ring, Of that poor captive, too, contemn'd, I speak-his doom you might deploreIn Venus' galliot still condemn'd To strain for life the heavy oar. Not now he wields, for thy sweet sake, Consults not now, it can but kiss Through thee, my dearest friend, and best, In snows, on rocks, sweet Flower of Gnide, Should ne'er be signaliz'd for scorn ; Else tremble at the fate forlorn Of Anaxarete, who spurn'd The weeping Iphis from her gate, Who, scoffing long, relenting late, Was to a statue turn'd. Whilst yet soft pity she repell'd, Whilst yet she steel'd her heart in pride, From her friezed window she beheld Aghast, the lifeless suicide; Around his lily neck was tied, What freed his spirit from her chains; Imperishable pains. |