38

THE GIAOUB.

"Now nothing left to love or hate,

"No more with hope or pride elate,

"I’d rather be the thing that crawls 990"Most nocious o’er a dungeon’s walls,"Than pass my dull, unvarying days,"Condemn’d to meditate and gaze.

"Yet, lurks a wish within my breast"For rest — hut not to feel 'tis resL 995"Soon shall my fate that wish fulfil;

"And I shall sleep without the dream"Of what 1 was, and would he still,

"Dark as to thee my deeds may seem :"My memory now is but the tomb 1009"Of joys long dead; my hope, their doom;"Though belter to have died with those"Than bear a life of lingering woes.

" My spirit shrunk not to sustain •

"The searching throes of ccase!css pain;"Nor sought the self-accorded grave 1006"Of ancient fool and modern knave:

"Yet death I have not fear’d to meet:

"And in the field it had been sweet,

"Had danger wooed me on to move 1010"The slave of glory, not of love.

" I’ve brav’d it — not for honour's boast;

“ \ smile at laurels won or hist;

"To such let others carve their way,

"For high renown, or hireling pay: 101 5

"But place again before my eyes