Poetry: The Antedeluvian

Tve seen ene many changeful years, On earth I am a stianger giown.- Burns. Níne himdred years upon the earth, My wearied eyes have seen; Nine hundred years - alas - my birth - Would it had never been. The days of youth, long, long past by, Alldimly now appear, And faintly trac'd by memory, Are scènes that once were dear. A fatherV fonn, a mothei's grave, - Of these no track remain; Nor of that loved and lovely face That soütlied my woe and paiu. ín manhood's prime Ï stood amongst Friend?, Brothers, Sisters dear, And joined the dance, and tíunjf the song, With rninstrel and wilh seer. I heard the minstrel lift his voice, In songs of olher dayp, And strangly diü my heart rpjoice To hear the prophet's laya. The minstrels' lyre for ages hath slept; The prophete too have died: Alas! alae! I could have wept, But oge my tearshas dried. I saw the victor rido iu blood O'cr fields of mighty slain; Cities o'erturned by foe or flood, Itcpeopled, built again. The comets ran their mighly race Before me o'er and o'er; They seem as doth the well known face We oft have seen before. I Bnw the forest strenglh and pride Covcring both hill and plain; They greA', they flouribhed- wilher'd- died I saw thcm come again.I saw the oak, that young and green, Grcw up benenth my eye; When five hundred years had been, I 6aw it fade and die. Yet lived I on- T coxild not die, My loneiy being end, Nor in the lone grave could he, Nor find on earth a friend . Friends of my youth! your sbaJe in vain I oft invoke - ah! no - Ye come not back to earth ngain, To suffer mortal wop. Ages rolled by, and time's black tide Swept all awny but me; I stood as stands the rock beside The wild and wasteful 6ea. The chains of being bound me fast, To eartb, and earthly things; I feit how vain was all the past, And wished that I had wings,- Wingslike a dove, that I might flee Away and beat rest; To realms of br"ght eternity, The refnge of the biest.