Come kiss me, little Charmer, Nor suppose a kiss can harm you; Kisses given, kisses taken, Cannot now your fears awaken; Give me then a hundred kisses Number well those sweetest blisses, And, on my life, I tell you true, Tenfold I'll repay what's due, When to snatch a kiss is bolder And my fair one's ten years older. _Weekly Mag._, II-30, May 5, 1798, Phila. [G. E. Lessing, _An eine kleine Schöne_.] For the Weekly Magazine. THE SWALLOW. A FABLE. (From the German of Lessing.) Believe me, my friend, the great world is not suited to philosophers or poets. We are insensible to their real worth; and they, alas! are often weak enough to exchange it for a mere nothing. In early ages the swallow was as tuneful and melodious a bird as the nightingale; but she soon became weary of residing in solitary groves to excite the admiration of none but the industrious peasant and the innocent shepherdess. She left her humble friends, and removed into town. What was the consequence? As the inhabitants of the city had not leisure to attend to her divine song, she gradually forgot it, and in its stead learned to--build. _Weekly Mag._, II-82, May 12, 1798, Phila. [G. E. Lessing, _Die Schwalbe_.] THE CHASE. By Gottfried Augustus Bürger. _Weekly Mag._, II-413, July 28, 1798, Phila. [G. A. Bürger, _Der wilde Jäger_. Sir Walter Scott, _The Wild Huntsman_. Published with _William and Helen_ in 1796 and entitled _The Chase_. M. G. Lewis, _Tales of Wonder_. Entitled _The Wild Huntsmen_. By Walter Scott. Cf. note to _Leonora_, in the _Weekly Mag._, I-221, Mar. 17, 1798.] THE ERL-KING. (The Original is by Goëthe, Author of Werter.) Who is it that rides through the forest so fast, While night frowns around him, while chill roars the blast? The father, who holds his young son in his arm, And close in his mantle has wrapped him up warm. --"Why trembles my darling? Why shrinks he with fear?" "Oh father! my father! the Erl-king is near! The Erl-king, with his crown and his beard long and white!" --"Oh! thine eyes are deceived by the vapours of night." --"If you will, dear baby, with me go away, I will give you fine clothes; we will play a fine play; Fine flowers are growing, white, scarlet and blue, On the banks of yon river, and all are for you." --"Oh father! my father! and dost thou not hear What words the Erl-king whispers low in mine ear?"-- --"Now hush thee, my darling, thy terrors appease: Thou hear'st 'midst the branches when murmurs the breeze."