THE FAITHLESS MOURNER. When thy smile was still clouded in gloom, When the tear was still dim in thine eye, I thought of the virtues, scarce cold in the tomb, And I spoke not of love to thy sigh! I spoke not of love; yet the breast, Which mark'd thy long anguish,--deplore The sire, whom in sickness, in age, thou hadst bless'd, Though silent, was loving thee more! How soon wert thou pledged to my arms, Thou hadst vow'd, but I urged not the day; And thine eye grateful turn'd, oh, so sweet were its charms, That it more than atoned the delay. I fear'd not, too slow of belief-- I fear'd not, too proud of thy heart, That another would steal on the hour of thy grief, That thy grief would be soft to his art. Thou heardst--and how easy allured, Every vow of the past to forsware; The love, which for thee would all pangs have endured, Thou couldst smile, as thou gav'st to despair. Ah, think not my passion has flown! Why say that my vows now are free? Why say--yes! I feel that my heart is my own; I feel it is breaking for thee. THE LUTE. Ah! do not bid me wake the lute, It once was dear to Henry's ear. Now be its voice for ever mute, The voice which Henry ne'er can hear. Though many a month has pass'd since Spring, His grave's wan turf has bloom'd anew, One whisper of those chords would bring, In all its grief, our last adieu. The songs he loved--'twere sure profane To careless Pleasure's laughing brow To breathe; and oh! what other strain To Henry's lute could love allow? Though not a sound thy soul hath caught, To mine it looks, thus softly dead, A sweeter tenderness of thought Than all its living strings have shed. Then ask me not--the charm was broke; With each loved vision must I part; If gay to every ear it spoke, 'Twould speak no longer to my heart. Yet once too blest!--the moonlit grot, Where last I gave its tones to swell; Ah! the _last_ tones--thou heardst them not-- From other hands than mine they fell. Still, silent slumbering, let it keep That sacred touch! And oh! as dim To life, would, would that I could sleep, Could sleep, and only dream of _him_! WILLIAM CHALMERS.