f>H LEL1A. 



Vows, prayers, and offerings were made in vain ; 

 Nor lavished wealth, the wish'd-for aid could gain. 

 The terror-stricken slaves forgot their awe, 

 When 'midst their ranks the pestilence they saw ; 

 Shook off restraint, and scorn'd their master's nod, 

 Which late they worshipp'd as the will of God. 

 Then burst their bonds, and, all submission lost, 

 They fled away to join the wandering host 

 Of self-freed slaves, whose wild unbridled might 

 New horrors added to the fearful night. 

 Affrighted Rome then knew the fatal power 

 Which slavery can assume in danger's hour : 

 Then felt the curse that slavery ever brings 

 The fearful hate which from oppression springs, 

 When the crush'd heart again begins to feel, 

 And fierce revenge its blighted hopes reveal ; 

 When hate, long smother'd, turns to withering flame, 

 And deeds are done of unrecorded shame. 



Within the walls, where hundreds lately slept, 

 The few that still remain'd sad vigil kept : 

 Like a bruised flower, the gentle Lelia lies, 

 And, wild with grief, on Heaven her sister cries, 

 Whilst Flavius kneels, and sheds the bitter tear, 

 Wrung from a Father's heart by mortal fear. 



His noble girl his best, his dearest child, 

 In whose fair features all her mother smiled, 

 Had fall'n before the plague's unpitying power- 

 Oh ! who can tell the torture of that hour 

 The scalding tears, the agonies that speak 

 The struggle of a heart that fain would break 

 When one, whose love has like a jewel hung 

 Within man's inmost soul, and there has flung 

 A heavenly radiance, as the day-star bright 

 That o'er life's breakers sheds its saving light, 

 When one thus loved seems parting from the shore 

 To bless man's sight, to cheer his heart no more ! 

 Thus sorrow'd Flavius for no hope remain'd 

 That help from gods or man would be obtain'd. 



O God of Love ! to thee the Christian kneels, 

 When life's extremest woes he keenly feels ; 

 When all is dark, and not one ray of light 

 Gleams through the shadow of the fearful night. 

 He kneels to thee, when human love is dead 

 He kneels to thee, when hope from man is fled. 

 O blessed faith! the faith that Christ has given, 

 Which thus can lift man's thoughts from earth to heaven, 



Lelia, the dying Lelia, felt its aid, 

 When near her couch the Christian maiden pray'd : 

 Though all around were sunk in silent fear, 

 Aza, the slave, knew that her God was near \ 



