Wrought by the busy . . . ever new?

1820.

Remembrance borrows Fancy's glass, to show
These forms . . . sincere

Than now they are, than then perhaps they were,—
When everything familiar seemed to be

Wonderful, and the immortality

Of this great world, which all things must inherit,
Was felt as one with the awakening spirit,
Unconscious of itself, and of the strange
Distinctions which in its proceeding change
It feels and knows, and mourns as if each were
A desolation.

Were it not a sweet refuge, Emily,

For all those exiles from the dull insane

Who vex this pleasant world with pride and pain,
For all that band of sister spirits known
To one another by a voiceless tone?

1821.

TO EMILIA VIVIANI.

(Commencement of a second stanza to the Poem, p. 266).

SEND the stars light, but send not love to me.

FROM CALDERON'S CISMA D'INGALATERRA.

HAST thou not seen, officious with delight,
Move through the illumined air about the flower
The bee, that fears to drink its purple light,
Lest danger lurk within that rose's bower?
Hast thou not marked the moth's enamoured flight
About the taper's flame at evening hour,

Till kindle in that monumental fire
His sunflower wings their own funereal pyre?

My heart, its wishes trembling to unfold,

Thus round the rose and taper hovering came;

And passion's slave, distrust, in ashes cold

Smothered awhile, but could not quench, the flame;
Till love, that grows by disappointment bold,
And opportunity, had conquered shame,—
And like the bee and moth, in act to close,

I burnt my wings, and settled on the rose.

[1821. Translated by Medwin, with some re-touching by Shelley. The lines by Shelley are those of which the first words are printed in italics.]

UGOLINO.
(From Dante.)

Now had the loophole of that dungeon still

Which bears the name of Famine's Tower from me,
And where 'tis fit that many another will

Be doomed to linger in captivity,

Shown through its narrow opening in my cell
Moon after moon slow waning, when a sleep
That of the future burst the veil, in dream,
Visited me. It was a slumber deep
And evil; for I saw-or I did seem

To see that tyrant lord his revels keep,
The leader of the cruel hunt to them,

Chasing the wolf and wolf-cubs up the steep

Ascent that from the Pisan is the screen
With him Gualandi came,

Of Lucca.

Sismondi, and Lanfranchi, bloodhounds lean,
Trained to the sport and eager for the game,
Wide ranging in his front. But soon were seen,
Though by so short a course, with spirits tame
The father and his whelps to flag at once.

When I

Heard locked beneath me of that horrible tower

The outlet, then into their eyes alone

I looked to read myself, without a sign

Or word.

But, when to shine

Upon the world, not us, came forth the light

Of the new sun, and, thwart my prison thrown,
Gleamed through its narrow clink, a doleful sight,
Three faces, each the reflex of my own,

Were imaged by its faint and ghastly ray.

"Father, our woes so great were yet the less

Would you but eat of us: 'twas you who clad
Our bodies in these weeds of wretchedness,-

Despoil them!"—Not to make their hearts more sad,

I hushed myself.

Between the fifth and sixth day, ere 'twas dawn,

I found myself blind-groping o'er the three.

[1821. Translated by Medwin, with aid from Shelley. Whatever is not Shelley's is printed in italics.]

EPITHALAMIUM.

(VARIATION OF THE BRIDAL SONG, P. 277).

L

NIGHT! with all thine eyes look down!
Darkness shed its holiest dew!

When ever smiled the inconstant moon

On a pair so true?

Hence, coy hour! and quench thy light,
Lest eyes see their own delight!

Hence, swift hour! and thy loved flight
Oft renew!

Boys.

Oh joy! oh fear! what may be done

In the absence of the sun?

Come along!

II.

The golden gates of Sleep unbar!

When Strength and Beauty meet together,

Kindles their image, like a star
In a sea of glassy weather.
Hence, coy hour! and quench thy light,
Lest eyes see their own delight!

Hence, swift hour! and thy loved flight
Oft renew!

GIRLS.

Oh joy! oh fear! what may be done
In the absence of the sun?

Come along!

III.

Fairies, sprites, and angels, keep her!
Holiest powers! permit no wrong!
And return to wake the sleeper,

Dawn, ere it be long!

Hence, swift hour! and quench thy light,
Lest eyes see their own delight!

Hence, coy hour! and thy loved flight
Oft renew!

BOYS AND GIRLS.

Oh joy! oh fear! what shall be done
In the absence of the sun?

Come along!

THE SAME.

[Another version.]

BOYS SING.

NIGHT! with all thine eyes look down!

Darkness! weep thy holiest dew! Never smiled the inconstant moon

On a pair so true.

Haste, coy hour! and quench all light,

Lest eyes see their own delight!

Haste, swift hour! and thy loved flight Oft renew!

GIRLS SING.

Fairies, sprites, and angels, keep her!
Holy stars! permit no wrong!

1821.

And return to wake the sleeper,
Dawn, ere it be long!

Oh joy! oh fear! There is not one
Of us can guess what may be done
In the absence of the sun:-

Come along!

Boys.

Oh! linger long, thou envious eastern lamp
In the damp

Caves of the deep!

GIRLS.

Nay, return, Vesper! urge thy lazy car!

Swift unbar

The gates of Sleep!

CHORUS.

The golden gate of Sleep unbar,

When Strength and Beauty, met together, Kindle their image, like a star

In a sea of glassy weather.

May the purple mist of love

Round them rise, and with them move,

Nourishing each tender gem

Which, like flowers, will burst from them.

As the fruit is to the tree

May their children ever be!

BUONA NOTTE.

"BUONA notte, buona notte !"-Come mai

La notte sarà buona senza te?

Non dirmi buona notte, chè tu sai
La notte sà star buona da per sè.

Solinga, scura, cupa, senza speme,
La notte quando Lilla m'abbandona :
Pei cuori che si batton insieme

Ogni notte, senza dirla, sarà buona.