PRIVATE LINGUIST, AUTHOR OF THE „MISCELLANEOUS PIECES.“

TRIESTE

PRINTED BY THE AUST. LLOYD's.

280. l. 6

THE MOON.

On beholding the Moon much magnified

I was seized with joy and melancholy, My thoughts, first loose, into captivity Hast'ly shrunk back whence they vaguely surmised; For, having mountains, hills, valleys, espied As with a glow tinged of Serenity "There is, shouted I in temerity,

The placid world for souls after expired!'

When a sterner voice prompted unto me: Worm of worms! and how mayst thou unravel

The deepest of creation's mystery

Death, the dwelling of Future, Destiny?

Instead mentally thus far to travel

Creep on Earth, pry and look but into thee!

THE GROTTO OF ADELSBERG.

Jealous of such gem

not to be engrav'n

Is the dazzling aspect of this recess,

My mind ecstasied dares lowly express:

'If so grand beneath, what should then be Heaven?'

In lieu of entombed Time waxing craven,

Or in sore decay bewail past distress, Lo! it chastily carved, in bright success Of alabaster drops, a blissful hav'n, Fairylike, to whirl imagination

And transport Art; a cosmic catacomb Congealed for young Nature's recreation, A haunt from the world's toil and vexation,

A tunnel for her Poetry t'enwomb

-

The spell-bound gaze of many a Nation.

INTRODUCTION.

SONNET.

Thanks to my memoirs, my calling and Muse
In Sonnets I find a moral pastime;

Whilst some indulge in prose I write in rhyme, As some choose to sing some singing refuse. But, Prose and Poetry are both of use

Love to Virtue show, scorn to ill and crime;
In Verses Ethics have a sound sublime,

Tho' their voice in prose is far more profuse;
In English, also, the word »muse<< implies:
Do ponder, study, sing! a most fit sense,
Yet not beyond rule, number, measure, size,

To prolix prose in melody condense

And a friendly link between these two lies,
As 'twixt the glasses' large and minor lense.

TRIESTE, April 15.th, 1863.

The Author.