SONETTO.

DII.

BALDASSAR CASTIGLIONE.

ROMA.

SUPERBI Colli, & voi, sacre Ruine,
Che 'l Nome sol di ROMA ancor tenete,
Ahi che relliquie miserande avete,
Di tante Anime eccelse & pellegrine!
Colosse, Archi, Teatre, opre divine,
Trionfal' Pompe gloriose & liete
In poco cener' poi converse siete,
E fatto al volgo vil, favola alfine.

2.

Cosi sì bene un tempo al Tempo guerra
Fanno l'Opre famose : à passo lento
E l'Opre &i Nome il Tempo invido atterra:
Vivrò dunque fra miei martir' contento;
Chè s' il Tempo da fine à cio che è in terra

Darà forse ancor fine al mio tormento.

DIII.

TRANSLATION.

YE Hills superb, ye Ruins which retain

Of ROME the Name august, and but the Name, What Reliques of the height of human Fame What Traces of exalted Souls remain !

Those Statues, Arches, Theatres;-in vain

Those Works divine, that Splendor which became The Queen of Cities. Time-devouring Flame Have sunk in Dust!.....Pomp, Joy, long and triumphal

Reign,

2.

A Theme of vulgar scorn!--If Works like these
Can for some space with TIME the Conflict dare,
Slowly the Victor marches, sure to seize.-

Content my own Distress shall I not bear?
Since all on Earth must yield to Time's Decrees,

Time will relieve my Anguish,

end my

Care.

25 Sept. 1806. C. L.

DIV.

ANTONIO FRANCESCO RAINIERI*.

AL pianto, à quei sospir' vivi & cocenti,
Che si rapidamente escono fuorè

Sospinti ognor d'ogni altri maggiore,
Come è dun' onda un' altra à suon di vento,
Pone, Alma, fine: & co soavi accenti

Loda LUI sol, ricco d' eterni onori,

Ch' or su i piedi suoi vede i nostri errori, E vage nube, & Forme altre lucenti.

2.

E poi che DIO per se l'Anima bella,

Per che riluca in Ciel dal mondo scelse,
Dal mondo che pregiata era per quella,
Specchi ti sian' le sue sant 'opre eccelse:
E di pur, contra Morte invida & fella,
"Che alzò si nobil Pianta anco la svelse."

COMPONIMENTI. III. 221.

DV.

TRANSLATION.

TO Tears of Woe, and heart-oppressing Sighs,
And all the bitter Agony of Grief

Which nor endures Cessation nor Relief,
Like Waves which higher still and higher rise,
A pause, my Soul.- fix we on HIM our eyes,
Our mental eyes, who weighs our moments brief
In the just balance: nor by our belief

But by eternal Truth governs the Earth and Skies *.

2.

Since HE whom countless radiant Forms obey

Hath call'd that beauteous Soul in Heaven to shine

Which so adorn'd it's Mansion here of clay,

His Worth contemplate in his Works divine: And to Death enviously triumphant, say,

"Who gave and who removes in both we own benign."

24 Sept. 1806. C. L.

The Translator has varied the thought in these 4 lines from the Original, which he thinks it right to acknowledge.

DVI.

ON

READING MRS. ROBINSON'S

POETICAL WORKS*.

NOT to thy Form, of soul-enchanting Grace;
Not to thy swan-like Neck, thine Arm most fair:
Not to thy silver Voice, whose Heaven-fraught Air
The frenzied Horror of Despair could chace:
Not that mild-beaming Eye, that lovely Face,

Whose sweet etherial Power far thence could bear
The stormy Gloom from the stern brow of Care:-
Not all which charm'd the admiring sight to trace,

2.

These Lines are vow'd.-Nor seek they a Return
Of Sentiment:-they breathe but to thine Urn,

High-gifted ROBINSON!.....with Grief they say
All these transcendant Charms avail'd thee not;
They fill'd with Misery thine envied Lot.....

Thy GENIUS, LYRE, and HEART waft thee to cloudless Day.

* PHILLIPS, 1806.

18 Aug. 1806. C. L.

This most admird Woman was born 17 Nov. 1758; and died 26 Dec. 1800. Rarely have her Beauty, her Genius, her Tenderness, Elevation of Mind, and Goodness of Heart, been equall'd.