The hearts of us two, my loved one, A Holy Alliance have made; They well understood each other, When close together laid. Alas! the rose so youthful That decks thy gentle breast, Our poor ally and associate, To death was wellnigh press’d. 25. Tell me who first taught clocks to chime, Made minutes, hours, divisions of time? It was a cold and sorrowful elf; He sat in the winter-night, wrapp’d in himself, And counted the mouse’s squeakings mysterious, And the wood-worm’s regular tick so serious. Tell me who first did kisses suggest? It was a mouth all glowing and blest; It kiss’d and it thought of nothing beside. The fair month of May was then in its pride, The flowers were all from the earth fast springing, The sun was laughing, the birds were singing. 26. How the pinks are breathing fragrance! How the thronging stars so tender, Golden bee like, sadly glimmer ’Mid the heaven’s blue-violet splendour! Through the gloom of yonder chestnuts Gleams the manse, so white and stately, And I hear the glass door rattling While the dear voice thrills me greatly. Sweet alarm and blissful tremor, Soft embraces, terror-bringing-- And the youthful rose is list’ning, And the nightingales are singing. 27. Have I not the self-same vision Dreamt before of all these blisses? Were there not these same elysian Looks of love, and flowers, and kisses? By the stream the moon was peeping Through the foliage of our bower; Marble-gods still watch were keeping At the entrance in that hour. Ah! I know how soon is over Every sweet and blissful vision, How the snow’s cold dress doth cover Heart and tree in sad derision. How e’en we are fast congealing, Careless, and no love possessing, We, who’re now so softly feeling, Heart to heart so softly pressing! 28. Kisses that one steals in darkness, And in darkness then returns-- How such kisses fire the spirit, If with honest love it burns! Pensive, and with fond remembrance, Then the spirit loves to dwell Much on days that long have vanish’d, Much on future days as well. Yet methinks that too much thinking Dang’rous is, if kiss we will;-- Weep, then, rather, darling spirit, For to weep is easier still. 29. There was an aged monarch, His heart was sad, his head was grey; This poor and aged monarch A young wife married one day. There was a handsome page, too, Fair was his hair, and light his mien; The silken train he carried Of the aforesaid young Queen. Dost know the ancient ballad? It sounds so sweet, it sounds so sad They both of them must perish, For too much affection they had. 30.