Above the sluice, till you have fix’d your eyes On the low woodbined window, and have seen, So fortune favour you, the ghost within. Take but one look, and then your way pursue: It flies all strangers, and it knows not you.” Richard return’d, and by his Brother stood, Not in a pensive, not in pleasant mood; But by strong feeling into stillness wrought, As nothing thinking, or with too much thought; 70 Or like a man who means indeed to speak, But would his hearer should his purpose seek. When George—“What is it, Brother, you would hide? } Or what confess?”—“Who is she?” he replied, } That angel whom I saw, to whom is she allied? } Of this fair being let me understand, And I will praise your purchase, house and land. “Hers was that cottage on the rising ground, West of the waves, and just beyond their sound; ’Tis larger than the rest, and whence, indeed, 80 You might expect a lady to proceed; But O! this creature, far as I could trace, Will soon be carried to another place. “‘Fair, fragile thing!’ I said, when first my eye Caught hers, ‘wilt thou expand thy wings and fly? Or wilt thou vanish? beauteous spirit, stay!— For will it not’ (I question’d) ‘melt away?’ No! it was mortal—I unseen was near, And saw the bosom’s sigh, the standing tear! She thought profoundly, for I stay’d to look; 90 And first she read, then laid aside her book; Then on her hand reclined her lovely head, And seem’d unconscious of the tear she shed. “‘Art thou so much,’ I said, ‘to grief a prey?’ Till pity pain’d me, and I rode away. “Tell me, my Brother, is that sorrow dread For the great change that bears her to the dead? Has she connexions? does she love?—I feel Pity and grief; wilt thou her woes reveal?”— They are not lasting, Richard; they are woes 100 Chastised and meek! she sings them to repose; If not, she reasons; if they still remain, She finds resource, that none shall find in vain. “Whether disease first grew upon regret, Or nature gave it, is uncertain yet, And must remain; the frame was slightly made, That grief assail’d, and all is now decay’d! “But though so willing from the world to part, I must not call her case a broken heart; Nor dare I take upon me to maintain 110 That hearts once broken never heal again.” * * * * *