Darcissus.

HADED in woody dell from glaring light,

A spring there was unruffled by the breeze, In which like silver mirror burnished bright Were pictured wondrously the o'er-arching trees: No shepherd thither led his flocks to drink,

No boar nor wolf that limpid fountain stained; The graceful hind paused at its grassy brink,

Doubtful if her light step the spot profaned, And from the sacred spring her thirsty lips refrained.

Wearied with hunting in the noontide heat,
Narcissus, youth of fairest form and face,

Came unawares upon this cool retreat,
And laid him down, forgetful of the chase;

VOL. X.

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But as he kissed the wave to quench his thirst,

Another thirst into his bosom stole :

He who had scorned the charms of beauty erst, Now bows insensibly to Love's control'Tis his own image there that penetrates his soul!

He knows it not, but deems that image fair
Some Arethusa whom the spring conceals;
That girlish face with freely flowing hair
No token of its own true sex reveals.
Narcissus in admiring rapture sighs,
Gazing intently at the lovely face,
And, as in Parian marble sculptured, lies,
Fearing to lose that vision full of grace,
So motionless remains, fixed to the fatal place.

Soft earnest eyes return his loving gaze,
More sweetly tender than twin stars of eve;
Like blushing fruit, smooth cheeks he there surveys,
And locks that one might well a Nymph's believe;
That glossy neck with ivory might vie,

The column that supports so fair a head;
But most those tempting lips enchant his eye,
Of graceful curve and as the cherry red :

He bends to kiss that mouth-greets the cold spring instead.

Narcissus.

"I cannot read those tender looks amiss;

Surely she loves me," sighs the ill-fated boy, "Willing she lifts her face to meet my kiss,

Yet can I not the proferred feast enjoy;
When round her neck I seek mine arms to throw,
She too extends her arms for fond caress,
And as I speak, those sweet lips part and show
That she is uttering words that love confess,
For smiles that answer mine betoken nothing less."

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Narcissus feels instinctive tears arise,

As disappointment checks his first delight, And tears responsive dim those lovely eyes: Poor boy! he scarce can bear that piteous sight: "Alas! 'tis mine own features that appear:

Was e'er affection known before like mine? To deem the object of one's love too near,

And, with fond heart, for separation pine. Would that I ownèd not, fair boy, that face of thine!"

When Phoebus' glowing orb had left the sky,
And softest moonlight silvered all the leaves,

Still motionless doth young Narcissus lie,

While at the mournful sight chaste Phoebe grieves;

His own sad eyes reflected in the spring

Hold him entranced with their resistless spell;
He cannot hear sweet Philomela sing,

Nor when her warble ceases can he tell :
Sleepless he keeps his watch beside the fatal well.

Ere fresh Aurora in the roseate East

Next morn came heralding the birth of day, Kind Heaven had from his woe the youth released, And rapt his self-enamoured soul away;

And where that form of peerless grace had lain

A lovely flower greeted the morning light:
Nor did the woodland Nymphs that flower disdain,

As first it opened on their wondering sight.

Still doth it bloom on earth-the sweet Narcissus hight.

LINCOLN COLL., OXFORD.

R. B. B.

The People which sat in Darkness have

seen a Great Light."

REAR was the night, and proof to earthly ray,
That spread her murky wings o'er every soul,
When e'en the purest groped, and found no way
Through Sin's shades thick and foul.

Till beams of Heavenly splendour pierced the gloom,
And shed o'er all mankind their gladsome light,-
Till our great Sun arose, and broke the doom
Of everlasting night.

Fair burst that day upon Man's sinful world,
Fairest of Days! whereon Creation's Sun
With rays of Love imperishable hurled

The powers of darkness down.