598 ANNUAL REGISTER, 1817. 



She, who would rather die with him. 



Than live to gain the world beside ! — 

 Her arms are round her lover now. 



His livid cheek to hers she presses. 

 And dips, to bind his burning brow. 



In the cool lake her loosen'd tresses. 

 Ah ! once, how little did he think 

 An hour would come, when he should shrink 

 With horror from that dear embrace. 



Those gentle arms, that were to him 

 Holy as is the cradling place 



Of Eden's infant cherubim ! 

 And now he yields — now turns away. 

 Shuddering as if the venom lay 

 All in those proffer' d lips alone — 

 Those lips that, then so fearless grown. 

 Never until that instant came 

 Near him unask'd or without shame. 

 " Oh ! let me only breathe the air, 

 " Tiie blessed air, that's breath'd by thee, 

 "■ And, whether on its wings it bear 



" Healing or death, 'tis sweet to me ! 

 " There, — drink my tears, while yet they fall,— 



" Would that my bosom's blood were balm, 

 " And, well thou know'st, I'd shed it all, 



" To give thy brow one minute's calm. 

 "■ Nay, turn not from me that dear face — 



" Am I not thine — thy own lov'd bride — 

 " The one, the chosen one, whose place 



"In life or death is by thy side ! 

 " Think'st thou that she, whose only light, 



" In this dim world, from thee hath shone, 

 " Could bear the long, the cheerless night, 



" That must be hers, when thou art gone ? 

 " That I can live, and let thee go, 

 " Who art my life itself ? — No, no — 

 " When the stem dies, the leaf that grew 

 " Out of its heart must peiish too ! 

 " Then turn to me, my own love, turn, 

 " Before like thee I fade and burn ; 

 " Cling to these yet cool lips, and share 

 " The last pure life that lingers there I" 

 She fails— she sinks — as dies the lamp 

 In charnel airs or cavern-damp. 

 So quickly do his baleful sighs 

 Quench all the sweet light of her eyes ! 

 One struggle^and his pain is past — 



Her lovey is no longer living ! 



One 



