The Works of Lord Byron Volume I Part 33

The mouldering marble lasts its day, Yet falls at length an useless fane; To Ruin's ruthless fangs a prey, The wrecks of pillar'd Pride remain.

10.

What, though the sculpture be destroy'd, From dark Oblivion meant to guard; A bright renown shall be enjoy'd, By those, whose virtues claim reward.

11.

Then do not say the common lot Of all lies deep in Lethe's wave; Some few who ne'er will be forgot Shall burst the bondage of the grave.

1806.

[Footnote 1: Montgomery (James), 1771-1854, poet and hymn-writer, published: 'Prison Amus.e.m.e.nts' (1797), 'The Ocean; a Poem' (1805), 'The Wanderer of Switzerland, and other Poems' (1806), 'The West Indies, and other Poems' (1810), 'Songs of Sion' (1822), 'The Christian Psalmist' (1825), 'The Pelican Island, and other Poems' (1827), 'etc.' ('vide post'), 'English Bards', 'etc.', line 418, and 'note'.]

[Footnote 2: No particular hero is here alluded to. The exploits of Bayard, Nemours, Edward the Black Prince, and, in more modern times, the fame of Marlborough, Frederick the Great, Count Saxe, Charles of Sweden, etc., are familiar to every historical reader, but the exact places of their birth are known to a very small proportion of their admirers.]

LOVE'S LAST ADIEU.

[Greek: Ae d' aei me pheugei.]--[Pseud.] ANACREON, [Greek: Eis chruson].

1.

The roses of Love glad the garden of life, Though nurtur'd 'mid weeds dropping pestilent dew, Till Time crops the leaves with unmerciful knife, Or prunes them for ever, in Love's last adieu!

2.

In vain, with endearments, we soothe the sad heart, In vain do we vow for an age to be true; The chance of an hour may command us to part, Or Death disunite us, in Love's last adieu!

3.

Still Hope, breathing peace, through the grief-swollen breast, [i]

Will whisper, "Our meeting we yet may renew:"

With this dream of deceit, half our sorrow's represt, Nor taste we the poison, of Love's last adieu!

4.

Oh! mark you yon pair, in the suns.h.i.+ne of youth, Love twin'd round their childhood his flow'rs as they grew; They flourish awhile, in the season of truth, Till chill'd by the winter of Love's last adieu!

5.

Sweet lady! why thus doth a tear steal its way, Down a cheek which outrivals thy bosom in hue?

Yet why do I ask?--to distraction a prey, Thy reason has perish'd, with Love's last adieu!

6.

Oh! who is yon Misanthrope, shunning mankind?

From cities to caves of the forest he flew: There, raving, he howls his complaint to the wind; The mountains reverberate Love's last adieu!

7.

Now Hate rules a heart which in Love's easy chains, Once Pa.s.sion's tumultuous blandishments knew; Despair now inflames the dark tide of his veins, He ponders, in frenzy, on Love's last adieu!

8.

How he envies the wretch, with a soul wrapt in steel!

His pleasures are scarce, yet his troubles are few, Who laughs at the pang that he never can feel, And dreads not the anguish of Love's last adieu!

9.

Youth flies, life decays, even hope is o'ercast; No more, with Love's former devotion, we sue: He spreads his young wing, he retires with the blast; The shroud of affection is Love's last adieu!

10.

In this life of probation, for rapture divine, Astrea[1] declares that some penance is due; From him, who has wors.h.i.+pp'd at Love's gentle shrine, The atonement is ample, in Love's last adieu!

11.

Who kneels to the G.o.d, on his altar of light Must myrtle and cypress alternately strew: His myrtle, an emblem of purest delight, His cypress, the garland of Love's last adieu!

[Footnote 1: The G.o.ddess of Justice.]

[Footnote i: