ODEXI.— AD LEUCONOEN

Love, mine! seek not to grope
Through the dark windings of Chaldean witchery,
To learn your horoscope,
Or mine, from vile adepts in fraud and treachery,
My Leuconoë! shun
Those sons of Babylon.

Far better 'twere to wait,
Calmly resigned, the destined hour's maturity,
Whether our life's brief date
This winter close, or, through a long futurity,
For us the sea still roar
On yon Tyrrenean shore.

Let Wisdom fill the cup;—
Vain hopes of lengthened days and years felicitous
Folly may treasure up;
Ours be the day that passeth—unsolicitous
Of what the next may bring.
Time flieth as we sing!