Where winter's gloom was never known, IV. Lady, was placed thy destined lot- TO *** In apology for neglecting an invitation to renew a long interrupted acquaintance. I. I CANNOT, for my soul forget, That thou art young and blooming yet; I cannot, for my soul, expose Yet-friend, alas, I cannot be, While beauty dwells so sweet with thee. II. 1 But drive the alluring charms away, While genius dwells so bright with thee. OSTRACISMO DI SCIPIONE. 1 DI CARLO FRUGONÍ. QUANDO il gran Scipio dall' ingrata terra Che gli fu patria, e il cener suo non ebbe, Esule egregio, si partia qual debbe Uom, che in suo cor maschio valor rinserra; 1 The fragrant hyacinths of Azza's hair. SIR W. JONES. Quei, che seco pugnando andar sotterra, Arser di sdegno, e il duro esemplo increbbe guerra. E allor, di Stige sulla negra foce, Rise l'invendicata ombre feroce. TRANSLATION. THE BANISHMENT OF SCIPIO; FROM FRUGONI. WHEN to his native, yet ungrateful earth, POEMS BY WILLIAM MAXWELL, ESQ. WHILE in England the taste for the French school of poetry is rapidly on the decline, if not altogether extinct, it still survives in America. In spite of the influence of new and fashionable names, many of her writers appear to study with considerable success, that class of English Poets, whose reign, commencing at the Restoration, may be considered to have terminated about the middle of the last century. Amongst these, Mr. Maxwell seems to have selected Waller as his model, whose lightness and grace he has occasionally imitated very pleasingly. There is, however, much inequality in his compositions, and the extracts given from his Poems, must on the whole, be considered as favourable specimens. "The Bards of Columbia: An Epistle to the Rev. Timothy Dwight," gives us a curious insight into the ideas of the Ameri cans themselves, on the state of their poetry; but its length prohibits its insertion. Mr. Maxwell's Poems were published at Philadelphia in 1816. ARGUMENT. D ARIADNE was the daughter of Minos, king of Crete. Theseus, a noble Athenian, arrives at ber father's court, with a band of youths sent over by his countrymen for their annual sacrifice to the Minotaur. Here she falls passionately in love with him at first sight, and gives him a clue by which he winds his way through the labyrinth, slays the monster, and returns to her in triumph. She then listens to his vows of love, and follows his flight to the island of Naxos. But here, the Prince, having satisfied his passion, or, as they tell us, being warned by Bacchus in a dream, abandons her in her sleep, takes to his vessel, and flies from the island, leaving her to solitude and despair. In this situation she is supposed to write the following letter: ARIADNE TO THESEUS. AND must I write? And must I stoop so low? |