"To-morrow shall the traveller come; he that saw me in my beauty shall come. His eyes will search the field, but they will not find me."
It was the loveliest ev'ning of the year!
The bean-field's blossom, and the poet's flower—
The rose of Yemen-mingled perfumes rich;
The distant low of cattle, on the gale,
Breathed soft and mellow; and the song-
The latest song of eve-was faintly heard.
Within the gorgeous chambers of the west,
I saw, in light subdued, the Lord of day,
Then verging to repose. I marked his slow
Descent! A moment more, and all his rays,
In all their splendour, sank beneath the wave!
Yet shone the sky with many a growing tint
Of gold and purple, glorious to the eye,
In promise fertile of the morrow's dawn.
'Twas beautiful! 'Twas soothing to the soul
Of contemplation! Long I gazing mused,
And, all unconscious of th' approach of night,
Adored the GOD OF NATURE in his works.
The moon had risen, and, with milder beam,
Illumed the arch of heaven. Her tender light
Diffused a soft and balmy spell around:-
All nature slept in loveliness and peace.
Spirit of beauty!-how thy subtle essence
Stole o'er the tranquil heart and willing mind!
How bright, yet how serene, the firmament!
See how those worlds of light pursue their course,
In trackless radiance, through the vast expanse !
What speaking silence! what mute harmony!
To sooth, to charm, to elevate the soul!
Night's orison I paid, and sank to rest.
Sweet were my dreams, for sweet the waking hour,
And sweet the gentle close of day had been.
Rose to my view, in Fancy's fairy round,
CLAREMONT, thy woods and groves, thy hills and vales,
Thy bright parterres, thy ever-verdant lawns!
Thy stately mansion with its rich demesne,
The seat of royal worth and wedded love-
Of Britain's pride, and Britain's fondest hope-
Stood full before mine eye. 'Twas Nature's feast
Of mirth, and love, and warm delight-the Spring-
When health and music float on ev'ry gale;
When all is fresh and joyous to the sense ;-
When circulates the blood in fuller streams;
When youthful being owns a livelier thrill!-
Blithe was the note that burst from every spray!
Blithe the response from each fond warbler there!
The deer, wild bounding, frolicked o'er the plain;
The horse, loud neighing, snuffed the chartered breeze.
Joyed not the lovely mistress of the scene, As with her lord she sped the morning walk, And saw that all was blest beneath her care? Joyed not that favoured youth, as on his arm His soul's delight in wedded rapture hung? O yes! their full eyes raised to Heaven declared The heart's proud wealth- -affection's purest glow!
Honoured in age, a venerable Oak,
The forest's stately King, rear'd high his head,
And widely spread his noble branches round.
A thousand summers might have thrown their beams,
A thousand winters might have shed their snows,
On his unbending strength; but firm he stood,
As though unnumbered ages yet might roll,
And leave him still rejoicing in his pride!—
Beneath this ancient tree, in sweet repose-
The heart's loved converse-sat the royal pair,
And hailed and blessed its dear monarchal shade!
Swift, as in dreams full oft, the scene was changed; Summer's o'erpowering splendour blazed around; The sun's fierce influence checked the song of love; And nature flagg'd beneath the sultry ray.
But still, dear CLAREMONT! still thy groves were green;
And still the princely dwellers fondly roved
Amid thy cool retreats. Thy lordly Oak,
In fuller verdure clothed, of deeper hue,
Nature's rich painting, darker umbrage cast.
Another change! and, lo! autumnal airs, And ripened fruits, and Harvest's jocund train, And golden foliage, mark the matron year. How rich the scenery glows! But, ah! it tells Of chilling blasts, and wint'ry hours in store!
CLAREMONT, how sweet thy vales at this mild hour! How sweet beneath thy time-proud Oak to sit, When nature's minstrels trill the evening lay, And sooth, with unbought melody, the soul ! O, envied, honoured pair!—when Fancy's eye Dwells on the blushing image of your loves—— Sees constancy and passion hand in hand,
Walk through Joy's blooming Eden-tears of grief
Dim her sad gaze; for, lo! a vista dark
Frowns in the distance! Swift-ah, swift the hours-
The white-winged hours-of hope and transport fly !-
A few brief years, and every full-blown joy
That showered its treasures on the head of youth-
Beauty and sweetness-hearts of matchless faith,
And minds that tower in all the lofty strength
Of true nobility—shall sink in death,
And moulder in the darkness of the grave!
While moralising thus a sable cloud
In night's deep gloom involved the peaceful scene,
And silenced each gay songster of the grove,
Pealed the electric shock upon my sense,
And all the vision fled!-Sudden I wake,
And hear the pelting storm-the howling wind-
Rave through the midnight sky. Blue lightnings flash,
And distant thunder o'er the concave vast
Rolls on, and on, in deep and sullen peal,
As though the elemental strife would rend
Earth's fabric to the centre! Where is now
Eve's golden promise of a radiant morn ?—
Whelmed in the tempest !-Thus, too oft, alas!
Perish the brightest, fairest hopes of man!
At length the storm passed o'er: again I slept :-
When to my couch soft visions once more stole,
And poured their sweetness on my raptured spirit.
Again, O CLAREMONT! I beheld thy groves,
That rich in Autumn's foliage, charmed the sight;
And there beneath that honoured Oak were seen,
Each loving and beloved, the gentle pair.
Her head reclining on her lover's breast,
In all the luxury of wedded bliss,
And all the tender trust fond Woman feels,
When clasped by the protecting arms of HIM
"She singled from the World"-methought she looked, Amid the taintless lustre of her charms,
Like Virtue's flower-pure child of heavenly birth-
That Time can neither tarnish nor destroy!
Rapid as thought's transition, burst again
The freshly gathered storm! Fierce lightnings glared— And thunder pealed its dread artillery!
The fiend of desolation roamed abroad
The night-bird screamed-the boding raven croakedAnd nature, shuddering, in convulsion writhed!
Sheltered that ancient oak the princely pair? Ah, no!-I saw them flee! One lurid flash Disclosed the dire event! Heaven's fiercest bolt Had struck the dear beloved one to the earth, And all that erst was gen'rous, kind, and good, And all that erst was lovely, breathed no more!
O, vast calamity! Unmeasur'd woe!--
A father's joy, in all its pride is crush'd!
A husband's hopes are wither'd in their bloom!
A nation's glory blasted by the shock!
CLAREMONT! thy walls resound the wail of grief-
Hark to wild Horror's cry!-again-again-
A shriek of agony-and all is mute!
Another flash!--I see that lordly Oak:
The bolt of Heaven hath reft its fairest limb,
And hurled the beauteous ruin o'er the plain.
His trunk, alone, of all his pride remains,
Branchless and bare, and shattered to the stem.
How lonely, drear, and desolate the scene, Where, brightly smiling, in, her kindest mood,
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