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A DREAM.

WELL may sleep present us fictions, Since our waking moments teem With such fanciful convictions

As make life itself a dream.— Half our daylight faith's a fable; Sleep disports with shadows too, Seeming in their turn as stable

As the world we wake to view. Ne'er by day did Reason's mint Give my thoughts a clearer print Of assured reality,

Than was left by Phantasy, Stamp'd and colour'd on my sprite, In a dream of yesternight.

In a bark, methought, lone steering, I was cast on Ocean's strife;

This, 'twas whisper'd in my hearing, Meant the sea of life.

Sad regrets from past existence

Came, like gales of chilling breath;
Shadow'd in the forward distance
Lay the land of Death.

Now seeming more, now less remote,
On that dim-seen shore, methought,
I beheld two hands a space
Slow unshroud a spectre's face;
And my flesh's hair upstood,-
'Twas mine own similitude.

But my soul revived at seeing
Ocean, like an emerald spark,
Kindle, while an air-dropt being
Smiling steer'd my bark.
Heaven-like-yet he look'd as human
As supernal beauty can,
More compassionate than woman,
Lordly more than man.

And as some sweet clarion's breath
Stirs the soldier's scorn of death-
So his accents bade me brook
The spectre's eyes of icy look,
Till it shut them-turn'd its head,
Like a beaten foe, and fled.

"Types not this," I said, " fair spirit, That my death-hour is not come?

Say, what days shall I inherit ?—
Tell my soul their sum."

"No," he said, " yon phantom's aspect, Trust me, would appal thee worse,

Held in clearly measured prospect:

Ask not for a curse!

Make not, for I overhear

Thine unspoken thoughts as clear
As thy mortal ear could catch

The close-brought tickings of a watch-
Make not the untold request
That's now revolving in thy breast.

" "Tis to live again, remeasuring
Youth's years, like a scene rehearsed,
In thy second lifetime treasuring
Knowledge from the first.

Hast thou felt, poor self-deceiver!
Life's career so void of pain,

As to wish its fitful fever
New begun again?

Could experience, ten times thine,
Pain from Being disentwine—
Threads by Fate together spun ?
Could thy flight Heaven's lightning shun?
No, nor could thy foresight's glance

'Scape the myriad shafts of Chance.

"Wouldst thou bear again Love's trouble— Friendship's death-dissever'd ties;

Toil to grasp or miss the bubble

Of Ambition's prize?

Say thy life's new guided action

Flow'd from Virtue's fairest springs

Still would Envy and Detraction

Double not their stings?

Worth itself is but a charter

"Hail!

To be mankind's distinguish'd martyr."
-I caught the moral, and cried,
Spirit! let us onward sail,

Envying, fearing, hating none

Guardian Spirit, steer me on!"

LINES

WRITTEN AT THE REQUEST OF THE HIGHLAND SOCIETY IN LONDON, WHEN MET TO COMMEMORATE THE 21ST OF MARCH,

THE DAY OF VICTORY IN EGYPT.

PLEDGE to the much-loved land that gave us birth!
Invincible romantic Scotia's shore!

Pledge to the memory of her parted worth!
And first, amidst the brave, remember Moore !

And be it deem'd not wrong that name to give,
In festive hours, which prompts the patriot's sigh!
Who would not envy such as Moore to live?
And died he not as heroes wish to die?

Yes, though too soon attaining glory's goal,
To us his bright career too short was given;
Yet in a mighty cause his phoenix soul

Rose on the flames of victory to heaven!

How oft (if beats in subjugated Spain

One patriot heart) in secret shall it mourn For him!-How oft on far Corunna's plain Shall British exiles weep upon his urn!

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