English

(From " Tales of the Hall " )

There was a Widow in the village known
To our good Squire, and he had favour shown
By frequent bounty. — She as usual came,
And Richard saw the worn and weary frame,
Pale cheek, and eye subdued, of her whose mind
Was grateful still, and glad a friend to find,
Though to the world long since and all its hopes resigned:
Her easy form, in rustic neatness clad,
Was pleasing still, but she for ever sad.

" Deep is her grief! " said Richard, — " truly deep,

ELLEN.

Bleak was the morn — said Richard, with a sigh,
" I must depart! " — " That, Brother, I deny, "
Said George — " You may; but I perceive not why. "

This point before had been discuss'd, but still
The guest submitted to the ruling will;
But every day gave rise to doubt and fear, —
He heard not now, as he was wont to hear,
That all was well; — though little was express'd,
It seem'd to him the writer was distress'd;
Restrain'd! there was attempt and strife to please,

(From " Tales of the Hall " )

The Brothers spoke of Ghosts, — a favourite theme
With those who love to reason or to dream;
And they, as greater men were wont to do,
Felt strong desire to think the stories true:
Stories of spirits freed, who came to prove
To spirits bound in flesh that yet they love,
To give them notice of the things below,
Which we must wonder how they came to know,
Or, known, would think of coming to relate
To creatures who are tried by unknown fate.

(From " Tales of the Hall " )

R ICHARD would wait till George the tale should ask,
Nor waited long. — He then resumed the task.

" South in the port, and eastward in the street,
Rose a small dwelling, my beloved retreat,
Where lived a pair, then old; the sons had fled
The home they filled: a part of them were dead;
Married a part; while some at sea remained,
And stillness in the seaman's mansion reigned;
Lord of some petty craft, by night and day
The man had fished each fathom of the bay.

THE HALL

The Brothers met who many a year had past
Since their last meeting, and that seem'd their last;
They had no parent then or common friend
Who might their hearts to mutual kindness bend;
Who, touching both in their divided state,
Might generous thoughts and warm desires create;
For there are minds whom we must first excite
And urge to feeling, ere they can unite;
As we may hard and stubborn metals beat
And blend together, if we duly heat.

The elder, George, had past his threescore years,

An honest man was Farmer Jones, and true,
He did by all as all by him should do;
Grave, cautious, careful, fond of gain was he,
Yet famed for rustic hospitality:
Left with his children in a widow'd state,
The quiet man submitted to his fate;
Though prudent matrons waited for his call,
With cool for bearance he avoided all;
Though each profess'd a pure maternal joy,
By kind attention to his feeble boy:
And though a friendly widow knew no rest,
Whilst neighbour Jones was lonely and distress'd;

THE BROTHERS

Than old George Fletcher, on the British coast,
Dwelt not a seaman who had more to boast;
Kind, simple, and sincere — he seldom spoke,
But sometimes sang and chorus'd — " Hearts of Oak ; "
In dangers steady, with his lot content,
His days in labour and in love were spent.

He left a a son so like him, that the old
With joy exclaim'd, " 'T is Fletcher we behold; "
But to his brother when the kinsmen came,

THE CONVERT

Some to our hero have a hero's name
Denied, because no father's he could claim;
Nor could his mother with precision state
A full fair claim to her certificate;
On her own word the marriage must depend —
A point she was not eager to defend:
But who, without a father's name, can raise,
His own so high, deserves the greater praise:
The less advantage to the strife he brought,
The greater wonders has his prowess wrought;
He who depends upon his wind and limbs,

RESENTMENT

Females there are of unsuspicious mind,
Easy and soft, and credulous and kind;
Who, when offended for the twentieth time,
Will hear th' offender and forgive the crime
And there are others whom, like these to cheat,
Asks but the humblest efforts of deceit;
But they, once injured, feel a strong disdain,
And, seldom pardoning, never trust again;
Urged by religion, they forgive — but yet
Guard the warm heart, they never more forget:
Those are like wax — apply them to the fire,

THE CONFIDANT

Anna was young and lovely — in her eye
The glance of beauty, in her cheek the dye;
Her shape was slender, and her features small,
But graceful, easy, unaffected all:
The liveliest tints her youthful face disclosed;
There beauty sparkled, and there health reposed;
For the pure blood that flush'd that rosy cheek
Spoke what the heart forbad the tongue to speak;
And told the feelings of that heart as well,
Nay, with more candour than the tongue could tell: