In the loud trumpet blast of death:
Retain thy simple weed, to roll

Its witness on the murderer's soul Dark be thy wrath as frowning night, And mine as dire volcano bright."

Swift as the linnet from the spray,
His lightsome step hath sped away;
And Albert breathes the secret groan,
For woes more lasting than his own.
"So young, so beauteous, so enslaved
To Satan's bidding-lost-depraved
By sins unnumbered: yet he spoke

Of pleadings he would fain control;
Perchance the Lord indeed hath woke
A voice within his conscious soul.
'Freedom and faith, a dream of bliss'-
Oh would that waking prize were his!
My spirit loathes his foul intents,
Yet with a mother's woe laments;
Gladly I'd brave a life of pains,
To wrest him from these burning chains.
Confederate in his fell design,

Leagued to destroy, yet fixed to save
His victim,-Saviour, be it mine

To call this slumberer from the grave! Bid him awake, and rise to view Beams that can pierce his darkness through. It were a miracle-what less

Could change our heart of mortal mould? Speak, and the work is done-now bless Thy word-O Lord, our Righteousness, Conduct this wanderer to thy fold!"

While yet he breathed the broken prayer, The fiery Mexican was there : He came on Albert's wondering sight, Like some gay dream of fairy sprite : His form, in snow-white vest arrayed, Its beauteous symmetry displayed; Soft as the wing of summer fly, His robe outshone the Tyrian dye ! Each naked arm a circlet wore Of pearls to shame a regal store; The emerald and the ruby graced His ancles, tissued gold his waist. The plumes-his country's coronetEnwreathed among his locks of jet, With every gesture waving, bow Majestic o'er his graceful brow. Their quills in clustering diamonds bound, They breathed a costly perfume round, And rivalled, in their glancing dyes, The glories of the western skies. The tress confined, his brow was bare, Softened in thought, and pale with care. Though from his eye-beam toil had reft

Awhile the fervid blaze of noon, Yet all the floating light was left

That steals around the midnight moon.
A naked dirk his belt displayed,
Its ivory hilt with gold inlaid,
And rich with gems; the tempered blade
Gleamed a blue death-fire, sternly bright;
And Albert's sickening thought surveyed
The unborn horrors of the night.
Abrupt he spoke, "Thou dazzling sin,
I would thou wert as fair within."
"Nay, Albert, all within is dark;

These gauds no living lustre shed;
Revenge alone, with crimson spark,
Lights the drear mansions of the dead.
It is for such as thee to dwell
In rays that demons cannot quell.
My soul is black as thunder's cloud,-
The gathering peal will echo loud,
And fierce the flash: this louring gloom
Is but the shade of Gondolph's tomb.
I have not slumbered since I lay
Beneath the jaguar's gaze-Away!
We'll to the bowl, and nectar drain,
Till young life bound in every vein."

"And would'st thou feed the angry mood,
With wilder fire inflame thy blood,
Hurl reason from her tottering throne,
And change thy heart to very stone!
O drink thou of the stream that swells

Far from the scenes of ruthless strife, Drawn from the everlasting wells,

That spring beneath the tree of life." In wayward humour, Izram flung

His limbs upon a couch of pride, Its canopy with plumage hung,

And feigning regal scorn, replied"What! bar me from the gen'rous bowl? Ev'n here my lordly will control ? Rebel, wilt thou dethrone thy king?" "Jest not, but heed."-" I will not hear; If but one native note I sing,

These royal echoes straight will ring,

With descant meet for monarch's ear. Now mark."-In cadence sweet and strong Sudden he raised a lofty song.

IZRAM.

"Line, in the annals of glory known,

"Where have ye hidden your ancient throne?
"Throbs no bold current in regal vein?
"Be ye the vassals of ruffian Spain?
"The base surmise from my soul I fling-
"Ye are the nation; where is your king?"

Richly the clear melodious sound
Floats through the sparry caverns round;
And ere the notes could melt away,
Abruptly rose an answering lay;
Strong voices pealed it loud and nigh
Filling the vaults with harmony.

His tapestried hall is the crystal stone,

To grace an exiled monarch's home.
Albert, entranced, a while forgot
The captive's doom, the murderer's lot,
Yearning to bid the caves prolong,
And still renew that thundering song.
The full red torches flickered wide,
The banners waved in martial pride,

throne."

IZRAM.

"Once, where the isle's blue waters swell, "Her princes fought, and her nobles fell; "The meanest in Aztlan's native train

To ecstasy relit, and raised In uncurbed majesty on high,

With answering splendour keenly blazed.

The sound dissolved, the spell was broke, Drooping his waving plumes he spoke. "Hearts fond and true! far other meed

chain.

From Izram, might ye claim. Now speak,
Thou silent Briton; well I trace,
In the bold blood that warms thy cheek,

The fervour of thy freeborn race.
What miracle hath struck thee dumb-
The preacher by the man o'ercome?"

"Perchance some tinge of honest shame,

For slight respect to monarch shown; Thy sin I hate, the sinner blame ;

And if, thy regal rank unknown"-
"O peace, my friend; my brother, peace:
When thy bold faithful counsels cease,
Izram is lost indeed: I love

To hear thy fearless tongue reprove,
But deemed it well to show thy speech
To other ears than mine might reach.
These caverns teem with life; a race
Of nobles, this dark dwelling grace.
They know the jaguar's dauntless foe,
Thy daring deed, thy wrongs they know ;

But other themes beseem them not:

Think'st thou my single arm could bring Thee slumbering from the woodland cot? That were a feat for fairy king."

While thus in playful grace he spoke,
Sudden the startling echoes woke,
As though a wide battalion sped,
With one broad flash, the winged lead.
Izram is on his feet: his lip

Quivers; his veins to blackness swell:
"They come! triumphant vengeance dip
Deep in the flames, where demons dwell,
Thy crimson torch!" With furious stride,
Swift to the central space he hied:
Then with a whistle, loud and shrill
As eaglet's scream, the signal gave;
And figures, darkly mantled, fill

The niches of each opening cave: On every head bright plumage played, The rest was wrapped in folding shade.

Their chieftain waves the circling sign,
And sternly speaks-" No hand but mine."
Their lofty crests in silence bow,
And the fair plumes dance on every brow.

Again th' exulting echoes rung, While wide a massy door was flung, And fiercely struggled, half repressed, The burning ire in Albert's breast,

And wildly throbbed his temperate blood, When to his frowning glance confessed His brother's murderer stood: "Twas nature's fever; mercy rolled Her current, and the fire controlled. Blinded beneath the burst of light, The Spaniard veiled his aching sight; Then proudly, with expanding eye, Drew his majestic form on hight, And firmly stepped, with measured pace, The features of his foe to trace.

The youth in bitter mockery Bent, till the plumes had kissed his knee, Then tossed them, while with fiery gaze His eye belied the courtly phrase,"Thrice welcome be th' Iberian lord To exiled Izram's humble board." (Full well betrayed the sudden start How shot that name through Gondolph's heart.) "Fain would the Mexican repay, Well as attainted traitor may,

The rites of Gondolph's princely dome,
That cheered his spirit many a day,

Ere yet his steps behoved to roam."
Then burst the smothered fury high,
"Ruffian! thine hour of doom is nigh!"
Calm, in his fixed obdurate pride,

The Spaniard spoke, untouched by fear; "While Izram in my view shall bide,

Murder, I judge, must needs be near."
Darting his glances round, they rest
On Albert's form, and crimson vest:
Shrunk the firm eye. "What! can ye call.
The dead to your infernal hall ?
And who are these? a goodly train,
Fresh reeking from the lash and chain ;-
Ye native bondsmen lured to stray,
By this mad boy, from duty's way,
Liegemen of Spain! the crime disown;

Those dainty limbs in fetters bind,
Bend to your sovereign's outraged throne,
Forgiveness seek; his royal mind
The grace will freely grant." A sound
Of stifled laughter murmured round.
"Before our sovereign's outraged throne,
Duteous we bend: we'll bind him well;
In fetters he shall joy to own,

Ev'n loyal love's securest spell."

With dimpling smile and glowing cheek,
Izram exclaims, "Essay once more;
Pardon's faint breath is all too weak,-

What think'st thou, if the glittering store
Of wealthy Spain might change their song?
Gold, gold, my lord is wondrous strong.
If all thy bandit tribes could drain
Forth from the land's exhausted vein,
Since first they trod the vanquished isle,
And all the coffered hoards of Spain
Were rifled out to swell the pile,
That mass might almost match the place
That Gondolph's presence deigns to grace."
Then in a tone more sternly slow,
Where hate and pride commingling glow,
"Hear, thou abhorred! this costly mine
Were but the shadow of a shade,
Measured by those our princely line
Have never to the grasp betrayed
Of impious foes. Our stores could buy
Fleets to command the subject waves,
Cities to pierce the wondering sky,
Empires for toys, and kings for slaves."

The Spaniard curled his lip in scorn— "Methinks the yoke is lightly borne: Why club ye not your stores, to buy The glittering bauble, liberty? Why bribe ye not, with ample pence, Some stout ally to chase us hence, And on their ancient seat replace Your puny and diminished race?"

A sullen murmur muttering crept From the dark bands; and Izram stept, Glaring beneath his scowling brow, Like a chafed lion on the foe:

Burning mid everlasting fires,

In torments yell your murderous sires;
Mated with him, who first in crime,
Brought ruin into Eden's clime.
Diminished! aye, beneath the yoke
How many a gallant heart hath broke!
How have the mighty bowed in death,
Blighted by pestilential breath;
The beauteous drooped, and died away
Before oppression's blasting ray;
Leaving a remnant firm and true,
Noble and brave-but oh how few!
Shall we profane our sacred store,

And bribe some distant robber band, Greedy of sordid hire, to pour

Destruction on the groaning land? Earth from her dregs could ne'er defile Our country with a pest so vile, Nor vomit forth a crew so base As dark Iberia's felon race;

Yet seek we not with foreign steel
The ripening crop of weeds to mow,
A parricidal hand shall deal

With deeper gash the destined blow, And o'er your pride, your towering pride, In bold career exulting ride.

There lurks, within the womb of fate,
A sorer pang, a deadlier bane,
Than eastern scorn or western hate

Could mingle in the cup of Spain:
Spawn from her own corruption bred,
Then on their putrid parent fed.
Oft hath my spirit rose in glee,
A glimpse of coming times to see,
When the unwieldly cub shall breathe
Defiance in his parent's teeth;
To hear the angry beldame chide,

In contest with the heedless air;
Her blood-stained talons stretching wide,
Across th' Atlantic's laughing tide,
In impotent despair."

"Thou taunting fool! though wayward fate The augury of thy brain-sick hate Should e'en fulfil, what higher grace Than change of lords awaits thy race? Loosened awhile the servile chain, Tools for their need, then locked again."

"Take thou no care for that: we hold The master-key, the secret gold:

Let Liberty's resplendent eye
Once beam, then farewell jealousy!
Let freedom's lightsome banner play,
And, brethren, leagued in firm array,
We conquer, or we die !
What reck we, so your caitiff blood
Be mingled with your cities' mud;
What reck we, so your leaguered town
Re-echo to the thundering guns;
Though they who spill the crimson flood,
And rend the flaunting standard down,
And trample on the empty crown,

Should be the tyrant's sons?
Just heaven, retributive in wrath,
Will hide that serpent in your path,

In memory of the shameful wile,
That lured the bands of Tlascala
To mingle in the impious fray,
Against th' imperial isle.
Then shall Chiapa's sons arise,
And pour the reeking sacrifice
To names that in her mystic roll
Live to inflame the warrior's soul.
Long by your blinking race forgot,
Their eye can mark the very spot
Where the firm aim of justice sped
The bolt to Montezuma's head:
VOL IL
3

To vengeful gaze the site unfold,
Where rose Mexitli's pile of gold,

The temple of an erring creed,
But sanctified by noblest deed,
In history's page enrolled.
There, in his sacrilegious pride,

Glutting his savage eye with blood,
Presiding o'er the purple tide,

The fell hyena, Cortez, stood.
Aside their spears and quivers flung,
"Twas there the princely brothers came,
And, kneeling, to his mantle clung,

Bold barter! with a moment's shame
To purchase never-dying fame,
And venge their country's cause: around,
In suppliant guise, their arms they wound,
With awful pause, a breathless space,
The homage in abhorrence given,
-Twin seraphs dwelling on the face

Of that arch-rebel spurned from heavenThey bent on his accursed brow,

With upward gaze, the beaming eye, And silently arose the vow,

Not to the tyrant, but the sky. They pointed to the battle plain,

Where swelled and sunk, in plumy surge,
The billows of the fight; they strain
Their youthful sinews; bend, and gain,

With their dark prize, the giddy verge:
Wreathing in stern embrace their prey,
They hurl them from the height;
Wrapped like the sinking orb of day,
In a shroud of native light."

"But watchful Heaven preserved its own; The wily traitors died alone."

"Alone! how deep the conscious flood
Blushed with the taint of Spanish blood,
And murmured, in its patriot bed
To harbour such polluting dead,
When, sickening deep with wild affright,
Beneath the favouring veil of night,
The panting robbers fled for life,
And perished in the causeway strife!
Alone! why every element

Hath leagued in freedom's sacred cause; The earth her firm enclosure rent,

And opened her devouring jaws :
Along your veins the fire hath crept,
While pestilence, with vengeful gust,
Wide o'er your vaunting armies swept,
And breathed them into dust.

Your crimes the circling years rehearse,
Pointing the deep unuttered curse:
The glorious sun looks fiercely down,
And withers you with scorching frown;
The sullen mists enfold you round,
And strike unseen the aguish wound :

Ye spread the banquet, rich and fair,
Intemperance drops her poison there:
While lazy monks the gains devour
Of many a long laborious hour,
And tax you with a galling price
For juggling feats and fooleries.
Homeward the shrivelled remnant wend,
Wasted by care, debauch, and toil,
As yellow as the gold they rend,

And parched like the exhausted soil;
Their public seal the robbers show,
Murder's black signet stamps the brow;
And grinning fiends, with greedy eyes,
Unnoticed haunt each branded prize.
Methinks I view the victims rolled
In burning seas of molten gold,
And hear the taunts, the laughter shrill,
'Now, sons of avarice, grasp your fill.' "

With ghastly smile the Spaniard sought To veil the pang of shuddering thought. "Albeit thy phrase is aptly set,

I weary of the prating speech ;A wondering congregation met

To hear one half-taught savage preach. I ween 'twas in Anselmo's school Thou learn'dst to rail and rant by rule."

His mock the youth unruffled heard :"Thou yet shalt bide that railing word,

My private wrong will plead in vain ; This blade a nation's vengeance wreaks, Not Izram to Almarez speaks,

But Mexico to Spain.

Cast round thine eye and view the spoil,
Of free-born hands the willing toil,
Relics of matchless worth: behold
Those arrows in their sheaths of gold,
Studded with gems: the rusted darts,
Drawn from the robbers' quivering hearts;
The warrior belts of jewels twined,
Yon plumy crowns with pearls combined:
Elastic plates of scaly mail,
For manly war; too slight and frail
To bide the dint of murderous lead,
From Spain's infernal engines sped.
These plume-wrought banners, drooping now
Beneath the sheltering earth, again
To combat borne, shall float and bow,
Rejoicing, o'er the piles of slain,
While Guatimozin's battle-word
Loud through the vengeful field is heard,
And hearts of wrath intensely flame
At that imperial martyr's name;
And mocking demons blithely spread,
In nether gulfs, such flowery bed
For your eternal rest, as lay
Glowing beneath your guiltless prey:

Though slumbering justice linger yet,
Deeply she'll pay the burning debt.—
Gondolph, now sate thy favoured eye
On that mysterious treasury,
Whose warrior monarch, firm in will,
Baffled thy father's fiendish skill;
Constant in torture, shame, and death,
To us the rich bequest he gave,
And ne'er till now Iberian breath
Tainted the golden cave:

But thou hast earned the grace to fall
Within this dungeon's glittering wall."

"Aye, like the captive heroes, slain Beneath your hideous idol-fane; Whose heart-pulse, bared by butcher-knife, Bounded and throbbed with struggling life On the foul shrine, and slaked the thirst Of ruthless cannibals; accursed By earth and heaven. What did we more Than baulk your gods of human gore? Dispatching with a swifter stroke

Those tens of thousands doomed to die, Beneath Mexitli's demon yoke,

In torture, rage, and blasphemy. Had fate restrained the righteous hand, That swept this wrath-devoted land, Your sacrificial knives had gored More victims than our conquering sword."

With eye reproachful, sad, and stern,

Fixed the dark youth his piercing gaze: "And came your Christian band to turn Those sinners from destruction's ways? To burst the veil of mental night, And spread their hoard of gospel light Wide o'er the lovely fertile spot, Enrobed, by Him we worshipped not, In Eden's garb? the fairest gem On nature's brilliant diadem. Ye found a clime where seraph guest Might fold the downy wing and rest; Epitome of every grace Strewed o'er creation's dwelling-place; As western skies had kissed the earth, Enamoured of her beauteous birth, And stamped their tints, divinely fair, On every tribe that nestled there, Till bird, and flower, and insect glowed, Bright as the vesper sun's abode ; And deep the burning radiance rolled, Ripening her very dust to gold; And kindling in her caverns drear Such diamond sparks as glimmer here. Spreads not the lake its crystal breast To woo again that azure guest? While emulous, with crested brow, Cedar and palm arise to bow;