144 
The merman’s wife was Agnes there; 
She bore him sons and daughters fair. 
One day by the cradle she sat and sang, 
And heard above how the church bells rang. 
She went to the merman, and kiss’d hisbrow : 
«* Once more to church I would gladly go.” 
« And I full gladly will grant thee leave, 
But thou must return, or thy babes will 
grieve.” 
He stopp’d her mouth, as he did before, 
» And he lifted her up to the salt-sea shore. 
And when she enter’d the church,there came, 
In haste, to meet her, an aged dame. 
“O Agnes! Agnes! daughter dear ! 
Where hast thou been this many a year?” 
<< O I have been deep, deep, under the sea, 
And liv’d with the merman in love and glee. 
“« He gave me silver, he gave me gold, 
And sprigs of coral my hair to hold.” 
Then straight to the altar’s foot she stepp’d, 
And there she prayed, and there she wept. 
But soon she heard a voice that cried, 
“‘ Much longer, my love, thou must not 
bide :— 
* Much longer, my love, thou must not stay ; 
The tide is flowing—so come away.” 
Then thrice she told each Ave bead, 
And thrice she said the Apostles’ creed. 
So long she prayed, so long she stood, 
She thought at last she would stay for good. 
Then into the church the merman came ; 
His eyes they shone like a yellow flame ; 
His face was white, and his beard was gréen: 
A fairer demon was never seen. 
«©O Agnes! Agnes! Agnes, come! 
Thy babes are crying for thee at home.” 
“ J will not come, thou loathsome elf ! 
Go home, and nurse the babes thyself.”’ 
“ Think on them, Agnes! think on them all; 
Think on the great one —think on the 
small.” 
«“ Little, O little care J for them all ; 
Or for the great one, or for the small.”’ 
O bitterly then did the merman weep ; 
He hied him back to the foamy deep. 
But often his shrieks and mournful cries, 
At midnight’s hour, from thence arise. 
G. B. 
; BALLAD, 
OCCASIONED BY THE SEDUCTION OF A YOUNG, 
BEAUTIFUL, AND ACCOMPLISHED GIKL, 
1 
OH ! lovely and bright, as the blush of the morning, 
” When balm-scented breezes awaken the spring ; 
And pure as the dew-drop, the wild rose adoming — 
And blithe as young birds, when they’re first on the 
wing; _ ‘ "yt of 
Like an air-wafted sylph in a fond poet’s dreaming, 
She seem’d as a vision of beauty to glide,— 
Her dark tresses flowing—her eye mildly beaming :— 
Oh! such was Maria—of Beauty the pride. 
Original Poetry. 
Mar. I, 
It. 
She spoke! and the flow’r-fresh’ning zephyr was 
round us,— 
For fragrance,with melody, flow’d from her tongue : 
Tho’ caught by her beauty, ’twas sentiment bound us, 
Enchaining the ag’d, and entrancing the young ! 
Her mind so accomplish’d, so perfect each feature, 
That Art strove with Nature, the praise to divide; 
Heav’n seem’d to confess her its loveliest creature :-— 
Yes! such was Maria--of Beauty the pride.” 
Ill. 
In scenes of retirement thus modcstly blooming, 
Till those who should shield her were brib’d to 
betray : 
Andtherude spoiler came, whoa falsesmile assuming, 
First woo'd the young blossom—then tore it away ! 
But curs’d be the triumph, nor envied the feeling 
Of him who, in arts of seduction well tried, 
In smiles, like a flow’r-hidden serpent, came stealing, 
To crush poor Maria—of Beauty the pride. 
IV. 
Now slow is her footstep, her heart inly pining, 
And lilies are pale, where the roses have been ; 
And tears dim that eye, where the bright soul was 
shining : ; 
Dejected and joyless, the mourner is seen. 
Her own living monument,—statue of sadness, 
She droops o’er the mem’ry of hopes that have 
died,— 
Of all that she was in her bright days of gladness, 
When hail’d as Maria—of Beauty the pride. 
LL. T. 
SONG. 
I 
Ox! think not that, in scenes of noise, 
Allur’d by thoughtless pleasure, 
The heart can find those hallow’d joys 
That mem’ry loves to treasure : 
No,—seek the bow’rs remote from art, 
‘That Love and Peace illumine ; 
And share the sunshine of the heart— 
The smile of lovely woman ! 
ie 
Beticve not, in the sparkling bow], 
‘That bliss has e’er resided ; 
It lights the eye, but shades the soul,— 
Then let it be derided : 
Go,—seek the bow’rs removy’d from art, 
That Love and Peace illumine ; 
And share the sunshine of the heart— 
The smile of lovely woman ! 
: Nn Oey! be, 
SOLICITATION. 
Come down to the lattice, 
“Come down, love, and list, 
When the eve lights lier stars 
In the purple of mist: — 
My heart, like a traveller, . 
Long journeying afar, 
Looks up to thy zenith— 
Hope’s beautiful star ! 
I have vows for thy bosom 
To sigh unto truth ; 
I have perilous tales 
Of the bridal of youth: 
O! come to the lattice, love! 
Come thee and list, 
When the stars are so bright 
In the beautiful mist. 
R. Prior. 
