1837-38. LINES TO BE SUNG. 137 



took the '^Eolian harp' and soon despatched eight lines, and 

 sent both off with a letter. They were most favourably re- 

 ceived, and I was down on Saturday night to hear them sung. 

 James's did not sing well, in spite of the goodness, especially of 

 the last verse. There was, from his almost complete want of 

 musical ear, a certain indescribable roughness, which threw a 

 discord over their singing. Mine own did better ; in truth, they 

 were declared faultless ; and both B. and R sung them (you 

 know it is a duet), as they said, with great pleasure. Like 

 Campbell, I'll squeeze them in here, as they won't take up much 

 room ; and I have a very useless head to-night ; but mind you 

 don't give anybody a copy, for I think they are the property and 



copyright of the Misses L , for whom they were written. 



Only, as I used formerly, when I promised to keep a secret, 

 to make the reservation that I should tell you ; I now send you 

 them, premising that I was restricted to two verses, that each 

 line must have a double rhyme, and that the first rhyme must 

 be a dissyllable, or equivalent to it. Here, then, the lines are. 

 ' To be said or sung/ 



" The deep tones are dying that haunted mine ear, 

 Like the summer wind sighing, when autumn is near ; 

 When the fairies are singing along the green lea, 

 And bright birds are winging their way o'er the sea. 



" That music revealing awhile to my heart, 

 Each heaven-born feeling, too soon to depart, 

 But awakes the desire, that so witching a strain 

 Should steal from the lyre o'er my senses again. 



" I amuse myself in my afternoon ramble in stringing to- 

 gether different rhymes promised for insertion in ladies' albums, 

 in somewhat an odd fashion. I have the three somewhat oppo- 

 site subjects of a quizzing Conversation with a Skull, an Ode to 

 a Soap-Bubble, and a Hymn on Death. They are all begun, 

 none of them ended. Now I apostrophize the grinning cranium, 

 now I address the resplendent soap -bell, and I again move in 

 the trappings of woe. My mind is a mobile one, and loves the 

 shifting. I don't hurry with the execution of these poems, as 

 I don't care to lose the amusement very speedily. 



" I will not let slip any opportunity I can improve, of writing 

 to you, spite of anatomy, biology, and all the ologies." 



