To —

Vainly my heart had with thy sorceries striven:

It had no refuge from thy love,—no Heaven

But in thy fatal presence;—from afar

It owned thy power and trembled like a star

O’erfraught with light and splendor. Could I deem

How dark a shadow should obscure its beam?—

Could I believe that pain could ever dwell

Where thy bright presence cast its blissful spell?

Thou wert my proud palladium;—could I fear

The avenging Destinies when thou wert near?—

Thou wert my Destiny;—thy song, thy fame,

The wild enchantments clustering round thy name,

Were my soul’s heritage, its royal dower;

Its glory and its kingdom and its power!