Yet whither, whither do my senses steal?
Am I indeed as wretched as I feel? -
So far fom home!-a princess!-once so dear!—
And is it Theseus who has left me here!
Alas! what anguish mark'd that fatal day
That tore my lover from these arms away!
Hush'd to repose upon his faithless breast,
The world forgot, and ev'ry care at rest,
While my heart melted in a tender dream,
Sooth'd by the murmurs of the tuneful stream,
Still, still alone, we seem'd to rove along,
With whispers sweeter than the turtle's song;
He press'd my hand, and call'd on Heav'n above
To witness and to bless our happy love. ‹
See! see! the glorious vision flies away,
Vanish'd the Sun, dark mists obscure the day,
Clouds gather round me-all one dismal night!
And rising tempests snatch him from my sight.
I hear a voice: "And is your sleep so dear?
"Your lover gone, and you are dreaming here!
"Up, rise, away, and seek the sounding shore;
"There look your last, or never see him more."
I wake, 1 cast my anxious eyes around,
Then call his name, and shudder at the sound.
"Where is Theseus?" was my
my
"Where is thy Theseus!" all the groves reply:
"The dream! the dream! Ah! wretch at last undone !"
Wild with despair, o'er hills and rocks I run,
Now faint and breathless on the sea-beat strand,
I see his vessel flying from the land;
Stay! stay, barbarian! whither will you go? "It is your bride, and will you leave me so? "Leave me to die upon this desert shore, "Alone, and lost to all that I adore!
"But hush, ye winds! and let my sighs and tears
"Reach the deserter: ah! good Heavens! he hears!
"Yes, see, the vessel turns, he hears at last
"Ah! no! he flies me still-now all is past!
"O! Theseus! Theseus !"-Vanquish'd by my grief,
A happy frenzy came to my relief,
And bath'd in tears, I sunk upon
the shore;
O! would to Heav'n, I ne'er had risen more!
Why, cruel Fate! restore me to my life?
Return the husband, or destroy the wife.-
The wife! the wife! Alas! dear sacred name
That Ariadne must not dare to claim!
Farewell! for ever, pure and chaste delights,
Ordain'd for those whom lawful love unites;
The peaceful hour, the self-approving smile,
The heart at ease beyond the fear of guile;
The calm of innocence, the mutual vow—
These sighs and tears are all my portion now.
Alas! and was it this you promis'd me,
When first I follow'd you across the sea?
"Nay, dearest Ariadne, why these tears?
"You wrong my honour by your cruel fears.
"Wait but awhile, and Hymen joins once more "Two faithful hearts that Love had join'd before. "And can your father or your mother chide, "When you return my own, sweet, blushing bride ? "I see you fly with those persuasive charms, "And melt dissolving in your mother's arms; "She turns away at first (as mothers will,) "Then strains you to her heart, her daughter still! "All is forgiven in the new delight,
"And you confess it was a happy flight."
O! when these men would practise some deceit,
How soft their actions, and their words too sweet!
Our hearts betray us, they are soon believ'd,
Woman was only made to be deceiv'd:
For how suspect what we have never known?
Alas! we judge their bosoms by our own!
My grief was hush'd, I strove to hush my fears,
And let you kiss away the falling tears;
Recall'd to honour and my own esteem,
I fear'd to wake from that enchanting dream;
My heart assisted in the pleasing cheat,
And fancied real what it felt so sweet.
Oh! empty dreams soon vanish'd into air!
The traitor gone !-I perish in despair!—
Yet still-perhaps—perhaps he loves me still;
He may have gone-he may-against his will.
Perhaps at least, soft Pity touch'd his heart,
And Love rebell'd, when Fortune bade him part.
Ah yes! he call'd my faithful love to mind,
And cast a sad, repentant look behind';
Call'd on my name with many a parting tear,
And wept in anguish that I could not hear-
No! No! he left me! left me in my sleep;
And rather trusted to the faithless deep.
Fled, with a felon's trembling haste away,
And chid the winds and oars for their delay!
O! that his bark had never reach'd our shore!
Or rather reach'd it to depart no more!
Can you forget?—I cannot scenes long past?
Those short sweet joys, too sweet indeed to last?
When first a stranger to our court you came—
O! fatal day of misery and shame!
With those bright eyes too skilful to betray,
And those soft words, you stole my heart
In vain I strove the rising flame to hide,
My love was stronger than my virgin pride;
Fame, duty, honour, reason, Heav'n above,
All were too weak against the pow'r of Love.
Fool! fool! that did so readily believe !-
Yet how could I suspect he would deceive?
His words were sweet, I thought they were sincere,
Nor dreamt of treachery from one so dear.
Ah! when you fought that savage Minotaur,
What vows I offer'd, unreveal'd before !
Yes! faithless Prince! I pray'd, nor pray'd in vain,
That my poor hapless brother might be slain;
And, frantic as I was, I gave the clue
That brought you back to slay the sister too!
Yet more, companion of your guilty flight,
With silent step, at the dead hour of night,
Stole from my sister's innocent embrace,
Fled my dear father's ever-smiling face,
And left my mother in declining years,
To mourn her darling with eternal tears;
Ah! tell me, tell me, by that broken vow,
For which of all these things you leave me now?
Ah! whither next shall Ariadne fly?
Who now will listen to my parting sigh?
Seek my proud father? Why these cruel fears?
He is no Theseus to resist my tears.
My mother too-would she cast off her child
That once so sweetly at her bosom smil❜d?
But ah! the Sea!-my hope lies buried there,
And I am left to wither in despair.
Yet could you see me in this wretched state,
And feel yourself the author of my
See on my cheek the fading roses die,
And the dim lustre languish in my eye,
For ever gazing on the desert sea,
While your heart whisper'd," How she looks for me!"
Ah! yes! with transport you would fly to save,
And snatch the victim from her yawning grave.
But ah! too late!-my life draws near its close;
I feel a longing for my last repose.
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