VIRGINIA DARE.

And the magnolia's ample cup
O'erflowed with fragrance free:

And through the shades the antlered deer

Like fairy visions flew,

And mighty vines from tree to tree
Their wealth of clusters threw ;
While winged odours from the hills

Reviving welcome bore,

To greet the stranger bands that came
From Albion's distant shore.

Up rose their roofs in copse and dell,
Outpealed the labourer's horn,
And graceful through the broken mould.
Peered forth their tasseled corn;

While from one rose-encircled bower,
Hid in the nested grove,

Came, blending with the robin's lay,

The lullaby of love.

There sang a mother to her babe

A mother young and fair"No flower like thee adorns the vale,

O sweet Virginia Dare!

Thou art the lily of our love,

The forest's sylph-like queen,

The first-born bud from Saxon stem

That this New World hath seen!

Thy father's axe in thicket rings,

To fell the kingly tree;

Thy grandsire sails o'er ocean-brine

A gallant man is he!

And when once more, from England's realm,

He comes with bounty rare,

A thousand gifts to thee he'll bring,

Mine own Virginia Dare!"

66

VIRGINIA DARE.

As sweet that mother's loving tones
Their warbled music shed;

As though in proud baronial hall,
O'er silken cradle-bed,

No more the pomps and gauds of life
Maintained their strong control,
For holy love's new gift had shed
Fresh greenness o'er her soul.

And when the husband from his toil
Returned at closing day,

How dear to him the lowly home
Where all his treasures lay.
"O Ellinor! 't is nought to me,
The hardship or the storm,
While thus thy blessed smile I see,
And clasp our infant's form."

No secret sigh o'er pleasures lost
Convulsed their tranquil breast,
For where the pure affections dwell
The heart hath perfect rest.
So fled the Summer's balmy prime,
The Autumn's golden wing,
And Winter laid his hoary head
Upon the lap of Spring.

Yet oft, with wily, wary step,

The red-browed Indian crept

Close round his pale-faced neighbour's home, And listened while they slept ;

But fierce Wingina, lofty chief,

Aloof, their movements eyed,

Nor courteous bowed his plumed head,
Nor checked his haughty stride.

VIRGINIA DARE.

John White leaped from his vessel's prow,
He had braved the boisterous sea,
And boldly rode the mountain-wave-
A stalwart man was he.

John White leaped from his vessel's prow,

And joy was in his eye;

For his daughter's smile had lured him on
Amid the stormiest sky.

Where were the roofs that flecked the green?
The smoke-wreaths curling high?

He calls-he shouts-the cherished names,
But Echo makes reply.

"Where art thou, Ellinor! my child!

And sweet Virginia Dare!

O, silver cloud, that cleaves the blue
Like angel's wing-say where?

"Where is the glorious Saxon vine
We set so strong and fair?"

The stern grey rocks in mockery smiled,
And coldly answered, "Where !"
"Ho! flitting savage! stay thy step,
And tell"-but, light as air,
He vanished, and the falling stream,
Responsive, murmured-" Where!"

So, o'er the ruined palisade,

The blackened threshold-stone,

The funeral of colonial hope,

That old man wept-alone!

And mournful rose his wild lament,

In accents of despair,

For the lost daughter of his love,

And young Virginia Dare.

Mrs. L. H. Sigourney.

THE POET'S SONG TO HIS WIFE.

How many summers, love,

Have I been thine?

How many days, thou dove,
Hast thou been mine?
Time, like the winged wind,
When 't bends the flowers,

Hath left no mark behind,
To count the hours!

Some weight of thought, though loth,

On thee he leaves;

Some lines of care round both

Perhaps he weaves;

Some fears-a soft regret

For joys scarce known

Sweet looks we half forget ;

All else is flown!

Ah, with what thankless heart

I mourn and sing!

Look, where our children start,

Like sudden spring!

With tongues all sweet and low,

Like a pleasant rhyme,

They tell how much I owe

To thee and Time.

Barry Cornwall.