And as the lady looked with faithful grief And blighting hope, who with the news of death Struck body and soul as with a mortal blight, She saw beneath the chestnuts, far beneath, An old man toiling up, a weary wight; Of the wood fire, and round his shoulders fall, And Athanase, her child, who must have been Then three years old, sate opposite and gazed In patient silence. FRAGMENT II. SUCH was Zonoras; and as daylight finds Thus through his age, dark, cold, and tempest-tost, The spirit of Prince Athanase, a child, And sweet and subtle talk now evermore, The youth, as shadows on a grassy hill Strange truths and new to that experienced man. Still they were friends, as few have ever been Who mark the extremes of life's discordant span. So in the caverns of the forest green, By summer woodmen; and when winter's roar Sounded o'er earth and sea its blast of war, The Balearic fisher, driven from shore, Hanging upon the peaked wave afar, Then saw their lamp from Laian's turret gleam, Piercing the stormy darkness, like a star Which pours beyond the sea one steadfast beam, Whilst all the constellations of the sky Seemed reeling through the storm; they did but seem For, lo! the wintry clouds are all gone by, Belted Orion hangs-warm light is flowing From the young moon into the sunset's chasm.— "Q summer eve! with power divine, bestowing "On thine own bird the sweet enthusiasm Which overflows in notes of liquid gladness, Filling the sky like light! How many a spasm "Of fevered brains, oppressed with grief and madness, Were lulled by thee, delightful nightingale ! "And the far sighings of yon piny dale Made vocal by some wind, we feel not here.- "To lighten a strange load!"-No human ear Heard this lament; but o'er the visage wan Of Athanase, a ruffling atmosphere Of dark emotion, a swift shadow ran, Beheld his mystic friend's whole being shake, Even where its inmost depths were gloomiest― And with a calm and measured voice he spake, And, with a soft and equal pressure, prest “Paused, in yon waves her mighty horns to wet, How in those beams we walked, half resting on the sea? 'Tis just one year—sure thou dost not forget— "Then Plato's words of light in thee and me Lingered like moonlight in the moonless east, For we had just then read-thy memory "Is faithful now-the story of the feast; And Agathon and Diotima seemed From death and dark forgetfulness released." FRAGMENT III. "TWAS at the season when the Earth upsprings From slumber, as a sphered angel's child, Shadowing its eyes with green and golden wings, Stands up before its mother bright and mild, To see it rise thus joyous from its dreams, The grass in the warm sun did start and move, And sea-buds burst beneath the waves serene :How many a one, though none be near to love, Loves then the shade of his own soul, half seen In any mirror-or the spring's young minions, The winged leaves amid the copses green ; How many a spirit then puts on the pinions Sweeps in his dream-drawn chariot, far and fast, More fleet than storms-the wide world shrinks below, When winter and despondency are past. 'Twas at this season that Prince Athanase Pass'd the white Alps-those eagle-baffling mountains Slept in their shrouds of snow ;-beside the ways The waterfalls were voiceless-for their fountains Were changed to mines of sunless crystal now, Or by the curdling winds-like brazen wings |