But whilst I honour's laws observe,
Do I for this thy frown deserve?
Then let thy looks no more reprove,
But pity where thou mayst not love.

VERSES

TANCRED.

To a Lady who asked the Author to tell her an Antidote to Love.

DOES Julia ask what charm may prove

The surest antidote to love?

In my opinion there is none;

At least there only can be one;

And doubtless here you'll think with me,
If I but name Stupidity.

But yet the flint applied to steel,
Can spark of latent flame reveal;
Although the spark appears in vain,
For soon it vanishes again.

Then what avails the blooming cheek,
Or lips where beauty's roses speak,
If partial Heaven will not dispense!
A beam of its intelligence.

A source of passion it may prove,
But trust me, Julia, not of love.
Why then should you this question ask?
Why give to me so strange a task?
When he to whom your eyes are kind,
Who knows the graces of your mind,
Must soon to his conviction prove
You have no antidote for love.

EPIGRAM.

R. R. R.

CASIMIR.

AT the Schoolmaster's feast, Dr. Prosody rose,
And after a long speech reciting,

Says he, "for a toast the three R's I propose-
Hem! Rithmetic, Reading, and Riting!"

J. Arliss, Printer London,

VESPER.

A Country Inn. SERVALL, the Landlord, and TosSOP, a Domestic of a neighbouring Baron.

Servall. Well, my jolly friend Tossop! what make you of our lord's humour to-day? Melancholy still, aye? Or grows he more gay than he was wont to be?

Tossop. Nay, mine host, you must carry such inquiries to the castle; for my part, 1 see little, hear less, and so my stock of knowledge can be none of the greatest.

Servall. But does not this bode ill, my friend? It was once your office to attend the wayward lord, and then

Tossop. Why then I had food to satisfy the wayward cravings of your curiosity. But now-give me more liquor, or the name will choke me-but now, that Vol. 7, No. 40.

R

half English, half Italian dog, Gaspard, holds the weak and aged lord completely in his power. Since this

have

foreign fiend has thus got the upper hand,ter's

never ceased praying, night or day, that my lost son may return to put all to rights again.

Servall. But what think you about the ancient quarrel that parted them at first? Bears the father no long-cherished enmity on that score? You know the lady still lives to remind him of what he might otherwise forget. cinda of

Tossop. I could have spoken on this point with more certainty when I waited on my lord, for then age, weakness, and the long-suppressed fondness of a father seemed operating on his mind; but now I have a shrewd suspicion that all goes not right in that quarter. But drink, landlord, and fill the measure again; let us drown dull thoughts in brisk wine

Servall. Aye, let us drink to better days; it may be that they are not far distant.

Tossop. What land see you now, my confident host? I was told, as I came hither, that you had la strange looking guest at a late hour last night; what is he? that is, what think you of him?

Servall. He has allowed me as yet no opportunity to form an opinion. All I can say is, that he came ap parently disordered and fatigued with hasty travelling

that he was so muffled up in a cloak, that I could scarcely discern his features or his form that he desired a chamber in a tone that seemed familiar to my ear, and retired to his room without saying another word.

Tossop. Marked you his carriage?

Servall. 'Twas noble, and it minded me of the manner Doctor Strutwell taught me to carry my person when I courted poor dame Servall, God rest her soul! Tossop. You will learn all you can, no doubt? Servall. Trust me as to that. My curiosity, nay, my suspicions are aroused, and they shall be satisfied. Tossop. Farewell for the present; in a little time I will visit you again.

Servall. As soon as yon please; my liquors are ever a match for your money.

SVE An Apartment in a magnificent Castle.
BELVILLE and GASPARD.

Gaspard. How does my lord to-day?

19 Belville. Calmer, good Gaspard, calmer. I have had o'er me a composing dream

Has settled down the turbulent thoughts that came To shake my weakened soul,

Gaspard. A dream, my lord?

Ru

Belville. A dream-soothing as such; and though your words

Have lost no weight with me, I almost think 'Twould be more soothing in reality.

Gaspard Dreams, my lord, are but as flatterers,

That come upon us at unguarded times,

And, while the judgment sleeps, deceive the soul
With scenes not to be realized: or else,
Like tyrant tantalizers, building up

Mountains of fears and dangers, which the sonl
Trembles to look upon.

Belville. Mine was no dream

Of fear or danger; it was simply this:

My son (not dead, though I have prayed his death,
In hours of darkness and despair) returned,
After long years of woe and wandering,
To his paternal home; in penitence

,,

Knelt down, and owning early crimes, implored
A father's blessing and forgiveness. Yes
The repentant son implored the sire, and I,
(Could I do more or less?) I pardoned him!!
Thou'lt say that it means nought; 'tis so, perchance ;
I only say it came, and it hath soothed me.

Gaspard. I'll not recal, if my good lord forgets, Eugenio's many faults-I would have said,

But the world calls them crimes, and that harsh world
Will deem the father criminal, who lends

His countenance, by kindnesses to one
Whose acts have brought indelible disgrace
Upon an ancient, honourable house.

My lord! my lord! you tremble, and look pale.
Belville, Twas but a sudden shivering of the soul!

Cold thoughts that ran through my perturbed mind. Gaspard, you named the world: what is the world T To me, or I to it? Hast thou not counselled,

Ere now, that I should shun it, and despise it?ow of Aud have I not obeyed thy bidding? Now,

When a harsh father would be kind at last, verba¶ And would not carry hatred to the grave,

Thou pratest of the world, and seem'st to think 1978 That its anticipated frown will shame

My soul from its fixed purpose. Leave me, sir. M Erit GASPARD.

'Tis time that I resume the mastery, Which I resigned too soon. Remorse hath brought Reason back to my mind: I see at last

What some would hide from me. That cunning slave
Has hourly lost some portion of his power, w
Since the neglect that artful villany

Is sometimes guilty of, exposed by chance

f

Those mystic papers; and I were most blind,p 10
Could I not see that he had selfish ends
In view regarding my poor wanderer,
Whom I was once so proud to call my son!

PA

0

So very proud. Well! well! what were his crimes? ↑
Looking upon them with a judge's eye,
They still might be forgiven, having borne
A lengthened punishment; and shall a father
Be more severe? Why, even I, in youth,
Would oft comport myself too thoughtlessly,
But ne'er (this is the gulf I cannot pass!)
Was charged with base, dishonourable arts;
Yet this was never traced. We were both too hasty;
And I-I was too harsh-I was too harsh.

(Noise and Voices heard without.)
Tossop. Italian dog! I saw thee read, and then
Destroy the letter! Bar my way no longer.
There, let thy foreign skull bemoan the weight
Of a true English hand. I'll see my lord!

AT

(Rushes hastily into the Baron's chamber.) Belville. How now, sir! wherefore is my privacy Thus broken in upon? What means this riot? Tossop. Briefly, my lord, a stranger at an ind Hard by, commissioned me to have conveyed