"CHILDE HAROLD'S LAST PILGRIMAGE.
"BY THE REV. W. L. BOWLES.
"SO ENDS CHILDE HAROLD HIS LAST PILGRIMAGE! -
Upon the shores of Greece he stood, and cried
'LIBERTY!' and those shores, from age to age
Renown'd, and Sparta's woods and rocks replied
Liberty!' But a Spectre, at his side,
Stood mocking; - and its dart, uplifting high,
Smote him; - he sank to earth in life's fair pride :
SPARTA! thy rocks then heard another cry,
And old Ilissus sigh'd - Die, generous exile, die!
" I will not ask sad Pity to deplore
His wayward errors, who thus early died;
Still less, CHILDE HAROLD, now thou art no more,
Will I say aught of genius misapplied;
Of the past shadows of thy spleen or pride: -
But I will bid th' Arcadian cypress wave,
Pluck the green laurel from Peneus' side,
And pray thy spirit may such quiet have,
That not one thought unkind be murmur'd o'er thy grave.
" SO HAROLD ENDS, IN GREECE, HIS PILGRIMAGE!
There fitly ending, - in that land renown'd,
Whose mighty genius lives in Glory's page,
He, on the Muses' consecrated ground,
Sinking to rest, while his young brows are bound
With their unfading wreath! - To bands of mirth,
No more in TEMPE let the pipe resound!
HAROLD, I follow to thy place of birth
and thy LAST sad PILGRIMAGE on earth.
Sweet child of song, thou sleepest! - ne'er again
Shall swell the notes of thy melodious strain :
Yet, with thy country wailing o'er thy urn,
Pallas, the Muse, Mars, Greece, and Freedom mourn."