FIDELITY IN DOUBT. COME, lady, to my song incline, None other cares my strains to hear, And scarce thou feign'st thyself therewith de lighted! Nor know I well if I am loved or slighted; Honor it is to be by thee incited To any deed; and I, when most benighted From the French of GUIRAUD LEROUX. FAITH. BETTER trust all and be deceived, And weep that trust and that deceiving, O, in this mocking world too fast. The doubting fiend o'ertakes our youth; Than lose the blessed hope of truth. FRANCES ANNE KEMBLE-BUTLER. II. PARTING AND ABSENCE. PARTING. IF thou dost bid thy friend farewell, How canst thou tell how far from thee Fate or caprice may lead his steps ere that to-morrow comes? Men have been known to lightly turn the corner of a street, And days have grown to months, and months to lagging years, Ere they have looked in loving eyes again. With tears and pain. Therefore, lest sudden death should come between, Or time, or distance, clasp with pressure firm The hand of him who goeth forth; Unseen, Fate goeth too. Yes, find thou always time to say some earnest word Between the idle talk, Lest with thee henceforth, Night and day, regret should walk. COVENTRY PATMORE. TO LUCASTA. ON GOING TO THE WARS. TELL me not, sweet, I am unkinde, Of thy chaste breast and quiet minde, True, a new mistresse now I chase.- And with a stronger faith imbrace Yet this inconstancy is such I could not love thee, deare, so much, RICHARD LOVELACE. GOOD-BYE. "FAREWELL! farewell!" is often heard But give to me the lips that say "Adieu! adieu!" may greet the ear, "T is not what the soul would teach. Whene'er we grasp the hands of those We would have forever nigh, The flame of Friendship bursts and glows The mother, sending forth her child Breathes through her tears her doubts and fears No cold" adieu," no "farewell," lives But the deepest sob of anguish gives, Go, watch the pale and dying one, When the glance hast lost its beam; When the brow is cold as the marble stone, And the world a passing dream; And the latest pressure of the hand, The look of the closing eye, Yield what the heart must understand, A long, a last Good-bye. ANONYMOUS. AE FOND KISS BEFORE WE PART. AE fond kiss, and then we sever; Ae fareweel, alas, forever! Deep in heart-wrung tears I'll pledge thee; Who shall say that fortune grieves him, I'll ne'er blame my partial fancy— We had ne'er been broken-hearted. Fare thee weel, thou first and fairest! Deep in heart-wrung tears I'll pledge thee, Warring sighs and groans I'll wage thee! ROBERT BURNS. O, MY LUVE'S LIKE A RED, RED O, MY Luve's like a red, red rose That's sweetly played in tune. As fair art thou, my bonnie lass, |