1826; ] , Songs of a Summer Night. 697 
iding, the, laughing youth now that she discovered. the si ation his 
stig io He her in, but a well-phrased , plea, from yee ea 
eveluntary.offer of a song from another, relieved the timid girl, and, the 
_ party, were, again preparing for silence... The person who. had proposed 
himself was, a,,swarthy muscular young, man,, with .short,.curled black 
hair, and beard, a free unceremonious deportment, and altogether. with 
»the appearancejof one.who had not always been in the land of his, birth. 
-His,face,showed the) tinge of an: eastern sun, and the. buffeting of 
_rougher,winds than those that shake the branches of an Italian. forest. 
It. appeared, in his, travels he had once been captured by a band of 
_ marauders, and in their retreat had learned from their leader the only 
_song he ever knew... It was a wild and rugged air, partaking more of 
the rolling of the sea, and the dashing of the cataract, than the low- 
voiced stream and the playful fountain. He rested against the stem of 
a mighty elm, and in a deep-toned and harmonious voice, sang— 
THE ROBBER’S SONG. 
: Weare the souls that fear not fate, 
And the blasts of life defy : 
We ’ve hearts for love, and brands for hate, 
_.. And can reckless live or die. 
‘Our lives have all an earthquake been, 
Let the timid then shrink and wail; 
But we, who the worst of the storm haye seen, 
Will ne’er at its thunder quail. 
Then laugh, ha! ha! 
And drink, ho! ho! 
..To sorrow’s overthrow. 
Why droop the head at a woman’s frown ? 
Here ’s enough in the world to smile: 
The revenge of the scorned is the ivy crown, 
And kinder lips the while. 
Then as on the sea of life we sail, 
Let us heed not the wind or the sky ; 
., But mount with the billow, and fly with the gale, 
Nor fear in the wreck to die. 
‘Then laugh, ha! ha! 
And drink, ho! ho! 
To sorrow’s overthrow. 
This song did not find that favour with the ladies the two preceding 
ones had found, though the gallants were loud in their praises of his 
' powerful cadences, and the deep intonations of his voice ; nor was the 
~ singer displeased when one compared his tones to the hoarse roar of the 
» forest. lion, but laughed right jovially, and ascribed any fault that might 
‘be’ found with his, style to his bandit tutor, and seemed particularly 
_ tickled by the remarks on his strength of voice, as the, forte tone his 
conversation afterwards assumed fully proved. The company were now 
‘veryourgent to preyail on some lady to attempt a gentle strain, and 
» bring, back: their thoughts and feelings to love, and sighs, and tenderness, 
» from whieh the rough-rolling. sounds of the robber’s song: had roused 
them; but in vain—none would at present trust their delicate voices. to 
oisuch, an overwhelming contrast; and after much debate and intreaty, a 
svyouth, who had taken little interest in the procéedings of the party, 
» carelessly assented to a general solicitation that he should be the next 
‘osingér. He was reclining on the ground, resting his face on the palm 
of his\ hand; and looking through a space in the foliage,above him at a 
bobright starywhich, .fixed in that spot of the heavens, seemed watching 
