The time shall come, nor long remote, when thou May the strong curse of crush'd affections light As loathsome to thyself as to mankind! prayer, Look on thine earthly victims-and despair! March 29. 1816. (1) [In first draught-" weltering."-"I doubt about weltering.' We say 'weltering in blood;' but do not they also use 'weltering in the wind,' 'weltering on a gibbet?' I have no dictionary, so look. In the mean time, I have put festering;' which, perhaps, in any case is the best word of the two. Shakspeare has it often, and I do not think it too strong for the figure in this thing. Quick! quick! quick! quick!"- Lord B. to Mr. M. April 2.-E] STANZAS TO AUGUSTA. (1) ["WHEN ALL AROUND," &c.] I. WHEN all around grew drear and dark, II. In that deep midnight of the mind, III. When fortune changed-and love fled far, Thou wert the solitary star Which rose and set not to the last. (1) [His sister, the Honourable Mrs. Leigh. These stanzas- the parting tribute to her, whose unshaken tenderness had been the author's sole consolation during the crisis of domestic misery-were, we believe, the last verses written by Lord Byron in England. In a note to Mr. Rogers, dated April 16th, he says," My sister is now with me, and leaves town to-morrow: we shall not meet again for some time at all events, -if ever! and, under these circumstances, I trust to stand excused to you and Mr. Sheridan, for being unable to wait upon him this evening." On the 25th, the poet took a last leave of his native country.-E] IV. Oh! blest be thine unbroken light! V. And when the cloud upon us came, VI. Still may thy spirit dwell on mine, And teach it what to brave or brookThere's more in one soft word of thine Than in the world's defied rebuke. VII. Thou stood'st, as stands a lovely tree, Still waves with fond fidelity Its boughs above a monument. VIII. The winds might rend—the skies might pour, But there thou wert-and still would'st be Devoted in the stormiest hour To shed thy weeping leaves o'er me. IX. But thou and thine shall know no blight, For heaven in sunshine will requite X. Then let the ties of baffled love Be broken-thine will never break; Thy heart can feel-but will not move; Thy soul, though soft, will never shake. XI. And these, when all was lost beside, |