MACGREGOR.

      Is this the nest in which her wings of gold,
    Of gold and purple plume, my phoenix laid? 
    How flutter’d my fond heart beneath their shade! 
    But now its sighs proclaim that dwelling cold: 
    Sweet source! from which my bliss, my bane, have roll’d,
    Where is that face, in living light array’d,
    That burn’d me, yet my sole enjoyment made? 
    Unparallel’d on earth, the heavens now hold
    Thee bless’d!—­but I am left wretched, alone! 
    Yet ever in my grief return to see
    And honour this sweet place, though thou art gone. 
    A black night veils the hills, whence rising free
    Thou took’st thy heavenward flight!  Ah! when they shone
    In morning radiance, it was all from thee!

    MOREHEAD.

SONNET LIV.

Mai non vedranno le mie luci asciutte.

TO THE MEMORY OF GIACOMO COLONNA, WHO DIED BEFORE PETRARCH COULD REPLY TO A LETTER OF HIS.

      Ne’er shall I see again with eyes unwet,
    Or with the sure powers of a tranquil mind,
    Those characters where Love so brightly shined,
    And his own hand affection seem’d to set;
    Spirit! amid earth’s strifes unconquer’d yet,
    Breathing such sweets from heaven which now has shrined,
    As once more to my wandering verse has join’d
    The style which Death had led me to forget. 
    Another work, than my young leaves more bright,
    I thought to show:  what envying evil star
    Snatch’d thee, my noble treasure, thus from me? 
    So soon who hides thee from my fond heart’s sight,
    And from thy praise my loving tongue would bar? 
    My soul has rest, sweet sigh! alone in thee.

    MACGREGOR.

      Oh! ne’er shall I behold with tearless eye
    Or tranquil soul those characters of thine,
    In which affection doth so brightly shine,
    And charity’s own hand I can descry! 
    Blest soul! that could this earthly strife defy,
    Thy sweets instilling from thy home divine,
    Thou wakest in me the tone which once was mine,
    To sing my rhymes Death’s power did long deny. 
    With these, my brow’s young leaves, I fondly dream’d
    Another work than this had greeted thee: 
    What iron planet envied thus our love? 
    My treasure! veil’d ere age had darkly gleam’d;
    Thou—­whom my song records—­my heart doth see;
    Thou wakest my sigh, and sighing, rest I prove.

    WOLLASTON.

CANZONE III.

Standomi un giorno solo alla finestra.

UNDER VARIOUS ALLEGORIES HE PAINTS THE VIRTUE, BEAUTY, AND UNTIMELY DEATH OF LAURA.