"Here have I lain all day in this green nook, Shaded by larch and hornbeam, ash and yew; A living well and runnel at my feet, And wild-flowers dancing to some delicate air; An urn-topped column and its ivy wreath Skirting my sight, as thus I lie and look Upon the blue, unchanging, sacred skies: And thou, too, gentle Clara, by my side, With lightsome brow and beaming eye, and bright Long glorious locks, which drop upon thy cheek Like gold-hued cloud-flakes on the rosy morn. Oh! when the heart is full of sweets to o'er-flowing, And ringing to the music of its love, Who but an angel or a hypocrite Could speak or think of happier states?" The name of the fair one changes--it is Helen instead of Clara that he now idolises; but the passion is the same--the intense love of beauty. There is a festival; he crowns Helen queen of the festive scene, with these gay and joyous lines:-- "_Festus._ Here--wear this wreath! no ruder crown Should deck that dazzling brow. I crown thee, love; I crown thee, love; I crown thee Queen of me: And oh! but I am a happy land, And a loyal land to thee. I crown thee, love; I crown thee, love; Thou art Queen in thine own right! Feel! my heart is as full as a town of joy; Look! I've crowded mine eyes with light. I crown thee, love; I crown thee, love; Thou art Queen by right divine! And thy love shall set neither night nor day O'er this subject heart of mine. I crown thee, love; I crown thee, love; Thou art Queen by the right of the strong! And thou did'st but win where thou might'st have slain, Or have bounden in thraldom long. I crown thee, love; I crown thee, love; Queen of the brave and free; For I'm brave to all beauty but thine, my love; And free to all beauty by thee." As this displays the bounding gaiety of love, so the following extract reveals some of the delirium of the passion:-- "I, too, could look on thee until I wept.-- Blind me with kisses! Let me look no longer; Or change the action of thy loveliness, Lest long same-seemingness should send me mad!-- Blind me with kisses!" There are many songs introduced in this, which may be described as the more terrestrial portion of the drama. They are not, in general, commendable. The substance of them is no better nor higher than love songs and drinking songs are very properly composed of, whilst the verse is destitute of that polish, grace, and harmony, which trifles of this description ought to possess. We select one stanza, as the happiest specimen which occurs to us of this kind of composition. Helen is singing:-- "Like an island in a river, Art thou, my love, to me; And I journey by thee ever With a gentle ectasie. I arise to fall before thee; I come to kiss thy feet; To adorn thee and adore thee, Mine only one! my sweet!"