My curdling blood, my madd'ning brain, And still thy heart, without partaking Pour me the poison; fear not thou! My wounded soul, my bleeding breast, D LEAD.* OUBTLESS, sweet girl! the hissing lead, And hurtling o'er thy lovely head, Has fill'd that breast with fond alarms. Surely some envious demon's force, Vex'd to behold such beauty here, Diverted from its first career. * As the author was discharging his pistols in a garden, two ladies passing near the spot were alarmed by the sound of a bullet hissing near them; to one of whom the following stanzas were addressed the next morning. Yes! in that nearly fatal hour The ball obey'd some hell-born guide; But Heaven, with interposing power, In pity turn'd the death aside. ; Yet, as perchance one trembling tear Say, what dire penance can atone Might I perform the judge's part, The sentence I should scarce deplore; It only would restore a heart Which but belong'd to thee before. The least atonement I can make But thou, perhaps, may'st now reject Come then, some other mode elect; Choose then, relentless! and I swear Nought shall thy dread decree prevent ; Yet hold-one little word forbear! Let it be aught but banishment. HE roses of Love glad the garden of life, Though nurtured 'mid weeds dropping pestilent dew, Till time crops the leaves with unmerciful knife, Or prunes them for ever in love's last adieu! In vain with endearments we soothe the sad heart, |