Whose roof I left to wed a wretch like thee,- And bound up all our anguish in the folds 290. Destruction to the hand that would controul The free-born spirit that to man was giv'n "What ails?" she answers, "Odin,-I'm not mad! I loathe thee! and a hundred swords unsheath'd Mirandah, never, never on the face 300. Of him who vow'd to kill the righteous No❜h, Again can look! Away! hell's progeny! Away! Away! begone!" "Be still, foul dame! Since thou canst not The sight of him whom wedlock made thy Odin replies, "I have a room retir'd life In very anguish!-There the form of him night; And Shem and Japhet stand at thy bedside, 310. Wringing their hands in wonder at thy doom!"' Thus speaketh Odin: and he now descends And say was not the law a wholesome one 320. That set a barrier 'twixt the sons of God, And race of murd'ring Cain? 'Tis sin to join the ranks of wickedness!- 323. 'Tis sin to marry 'mongst idolators.-Marriage is a holy, a very holy rite. It was instituted by God himself! and the first wedding of which we have received intelligence, was solemnized in the Garden of Eden! If, then, marriage is itself a holy ordinance, its design must have been the promotion of holiness personally and reciprocally in and between all whom it unites. It is highly expedient, then, if the sacred character of wedlock is to be maintained unsullied, that the married couple be not at 'Tis sin to stray one inch from truth's domain! Whoe'er does so when morning's blush is bright, Shall weep unmeasur'd tears at th'evening hour! Now croaks the raven thrice! and thrice the dove Utters a doleful,-very doleful note! Fierce Odin hears it, and he turneth pale! strife between themselves touching the one vast overwhelming matter of religious doctrine. It has been said, " a man may not marry his grandmother,"-it might have been added, "a Christian may not marry an idolator-a baptized person, who wears the cross upon his forehead, may not marry an infidel, who tramples that cross beneath his feet." "Be ye not," says St. Paul, “yoked together with unbelievers." Alas! alas! for those who sanctify, as it were, their basest carnalities at the very altar of holiness. How few such persons, did they reflect for an instant that the union between man and wife is typical of Christ and his church, -how few such persons, I say, did they reflect on this great truth, would dare to marry. Matrimony is in its very nature, as well as in its design and tendency, a religious ordinance, and should never be engaged in without the same preliminaries as are requisite to the due performance of any other sacred and devo. tional rite. 330. For though his boast is manliness and might, His ruling passion is a dastard fear! He stands aghast unable yet to move :- Amongst the crowd, to hear the Patriarch read first He found Mirandah, girl so fair, so lov'd, 340. The dove and raven follow cow'ring low, And, circumvolitant, they make his head The centre of their flight! Ah, little dreams doom'd To be the king's ambassadors o'er beds |