974 ANNUAL REGISTER, 1805. 



Shakes her sear'd brow, and dooms, — " lie ne'er shall passr 

 " The barriers of weakness and of woe I" 



And doubt'st thou this ? go ask at yonder shed, 

 For there au aged man of sorrows dwells : 

 Oft hath tho pilgrim left liis mossy bed. 

 To ponder o'er the tale which Aldran tells i 



*' Born of a noble line of warlike sires, 

 *' Full ripcn'd honours seem'd his just bequest : 

 *' But all he lost, to which high birth aspires, 

 *' For treasons blotted out his father's crest. 



*' With all the virtues gen'rous blood could give 

 *' Without the fault, which tarnish'd o'er its fame, 

 *' He sought once more its lustre to rctricTC, 

 *' Or in the field of honour bury shame. 



** But Fortune, erst propitious to the brave, 



*' Frown'd on his hopes ; and him who well had borne 



*' The swords keen edge, — she doom'd a hapless slavo 



" To bleed and shrink beneath the kish of Scorn ! 



•' Two, whom like sad captivity made dear, 

 *' Taught him to know the names of Friend and Love, 

 ** More than the names, he knew not ; for the fair, 

 *' The friend to wanton perfidy did move. 



V *' Nor heeded Aldran now his master's threat ! 

 " Nor heeded Aldran now his scornful blow ! 

 *' From morn to ev'n in sorrow would he set, 

 " Mute, — as attentien to a Syren's woe I 



*' Dang'rousis deem'd the madd'ning son of caro, — 



" 'Twas when the billows foam'd, and hcav'us were dark 5 



" As quick arose this captive of despair, 



*' The corsair push'd him headlong from the bark. 



*' 'Twas near to fam'd Liguria's rocky shore, 

 " And thither borne upon the rushing wave, 

 " 'Twas still his lot to live — and to deplore 

 " In pensive grief, — or frantic wilduess ravct 



" The woods his mansion, and its herbs his feast, 

 " Long did heart-broken Aldran wildly roam ; 

 " Loathing the sight of man, — he onward pac'd 

 << 'Till there, at length he fix'd his lonely home I 



3 *' Of 



