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The leaflets of the coral groves beneath. 

 The sun burns down upon the " Amber Isle ' 

 Intensely, and no coal refreshing breath 

 Of feeblest breeze is trembling there the while, 

 To fan the lacy foliage on the boughs 

 Of the green Tamarind trees, or shake one tress 

 On the deep-sliimbering Palms : e'en motionless 

 Hang the tale Filaos, whose voice (like vows 

 Poured from some sorrowing heart at eve) is heard 

 When the serenest heaven with faintest wind is stirred. 



II 



This solitude and silence fill my soul 



With a religious awe ; each thought retreats 



Into the shrine of memory, where whole 



And undiminished, treasured up like sweets 



Saved from the grasp of time, my fancies dwell .... 



How genius sanctifies, endears each spot 



And sheds around it a delicious spell, 



Which once experienced, never is forgot ! 



Poet of Nature, Bernardin ! — .'tis here 



Thy soul exhaled that sad melodious lay 



Which wets the cheek with an unconcious tear, 



And rends the heart of him who far away 



Reads of the desolate rocks and furious sea 



That quenched love's holy flame in gentle Virginie. 



Ill 



Methinks e'en now amidst this calm intense 



I hear the thundering of the rushing winds, 



I view the sea in wild magnificence 



Sweep o'er the stately ship which heaves and grinds 



Its yawning timbers on the pointed crags. 



Shattered the snowy sails which proudly wooed 



The Ocean-breeze for months, — all courage flags — 



The mariners' iron spirit is subdued— 



For men have done what mortal arm could dare. 



Though dared and done in vain ! the tempest- waves 



Flash death aroimd, .. Rending the sombre air 



A shriek is heard — a plunge — " AVho^saves, who saves 



" My Virginie ? yield her thou tyrant Ocean 



And let me chasp her now with love's supreme devotion !' 



