What though the form of which thou wert a part Reposes in the cold and cheerless tomb ? And thou, so bleach'd by time and mortal pain, Although a humble, unregarded thing Thou seem'st, amid earth's glittering pomp and crimes; Yet thou canst shield me from affliction's sting, And guide my spirit to celestial climes. Thy awful warnings, silent, yet profound, When folly spreads around her dazzling maze, And pleasure tempts me with her gilded lure, Thou break'st the charm of their delusive blaze, And show'st their forms repulsive and impure. 'Tis thine to teach my heart how vain and frail Are all the ties that bind its hopes to earth; How soon the firmest props of life must fail, And mourning shroud the brightest scenes of mirth. 'Tis thine to bid my lowly spirit rise, And in the great eternal's starry dome, Where light is born, amidst the loftiest skies, Secure herself an everlasting home. "Tis thine, through Faith's seraphic ken, to show How thence, when crumbling worlds in flames expire, And guilt forebodes the pangs of penal wo, My soul, unaw'd, may view the o'erwhelming fire! Oh may thy teachings, Wisdom's purest lore, Prepare my spirit for that solemn hour; That hour when earth and time shall be no more, And when the vast and final inquest ends, May I, oh God! at thy right hand be found; THERSITES AND EUDORA. A Tale of Modern Greece. On the southern side of Parnassus, was discovered many years since, an aperture, which on examination proved to be the mouth of a cavern of extraordinary depth and dimensions. This cave is considered by travellers, one of the greatest curiosities in the known word. "If it were possible to admit of the expression, we might call it a cavern in the air, for the only way of gaining access to it, is by climbing the side of the mountain, over rough precipices, for nearly two hundred feet perpendicular." The descent to the interior, is both dangerous and difficult. It is supplied with a fine spring of water, that no human power can deprive it of. His In the latter part of the year 1825, the brave but unfortunate Ulysses, became dissatisfied with the Greek government, who thinking him a powerful and ambitious man, refused to place in his hands, what they considered a dangerous authority. expectations being thereby frustrated, in a fit of rage and disappointment, he turned traitor to the cause of his country, and raised the standard of revolt, around which soon rallied a powerful, but disorganized band of insurgents. Headed by the brave, but traitorous chief, they followed him with their families, and such trifling possessions as they had, to the cavern of Mount Parnassus, which he had strongly fortified and supplied with arms, amunition and provisions, sufficient to withstand a ten years' siege. This singular spot, from its peculiar formation and situation, is absolutely impregnable to shell or cannon ball, and the entrance to it is only large enough to admit one person at a time The means adopted by the wary and suspicious Chief, to prevent the admission of spies were these. None were permitted to leave the cavern but those whose faith had been well tested; these were provided with a countersign, known only to the messenger and the Chief himself; a trumpet was placed upon a ledge or rock, in a secret place, at the mouth of the cave, and on the return of the person or persons, a blast from the trumpet was first blown, and then the watchword given, which was answered by the hundred echoes of the enormous cavern. Immediately a ladder was raised from the depths below, by means of which, admission was instantly gained to the subterraneous abode of the insurgents. At the time of which we speak, Thersites, a young Greek Chief, related to Ulysses, had been long and deeply enamoured of the modest and lovely daughter of Hermione, a widow of rank at Athens. His attachment was returned with interest by the fair maiden, and though Thersites was a native of Pedaura, some distance from Athens, he contrived every experiment to see often the goddess of his idolatry. Her mother had consented to their union, but the agitated state of the country caused him to be called so often to take up arms in its defence, that their nuptials had hitherto been prevented. About this time Thersites, who was a Chief of high birth and spirit, took offence also at the government; thinking himself ill used, in consequence of an acknowledged inferior in rank and courage, having been placed in a situation of command, far above him, and to which he felt from the faithful services he had rendered his country, he had a superior claim. The conduct of his relation, Ulysses, had occasioned a feeling of prejudice against all connected with him; and thus by a weak policy, the country was deprived of the strong arm of a brave and powerful chief, for he was of a rash and ardent temper, and in the heat of resentment, he joined the standard of the insurgent Chief, and in one fatal moment, the courageous and generous Thersites stained his otherwise fair fame, and forfeited his self-respect. When Hermione, who detested the conduct of Ulysses, heard that Thersites had also turned traitor, she forbade Eudora to think of him as her future husband. Long did she resist the tears, the prayers, and entreaties of her daughter, to whom her beloved Thersites was home, country, lover, and friend, and for whose sake, she was willing to abandon all. At length the health of Eudora began to fail, and Hermione's patriotism yielded to the fear of losing her only child. A letter was despatched to Phocis by a friend of Ulysses, and Thersites was forgiven. The distance from Athens to Mount Parnassus is very great; and in the mean time, a report prevailed that a Turkish fleet had entered the gulf of Ægina, and that an attack was intended to be made upon the city of Athens. Seized with the most dreadful apprehensions, Hermione collected her valuables together, and with the most precious jewel, her beauteous daughter, fled in terror, attended by a faithful slave, to the Acropolis. When Thersites received Hermione's letter, he disguised his person completely, and came secretly to Athens, but found his treasure gone. In an agony of despair, he went to the house of the French Consul, who coolly and undismayed, awaited the approach of the enemy. He informed the unhappy Thersites, that Hermione, had, by his advice, sought safety in the Citidel. Thither he bent his steps, and with some difficulty, effected an entrance, by stating that he was a friend of the noble Hermione's. She acknowledged him, and joyful, but secret, was the meeting of lovers. Thersites knew his situation was extremely unsafe, and being aware, that if he could prevail on the ladies to accompany him to the cave of Mount Parnassus, he need not again at least for some time-be separated from his lovely mistress, proposed his scheme to Hermione ;-but she shuddered at the bare idea of proximity to Ulysses, the traitor, till she was convinced that if the Acropolis were attacked, it could not hold out the siege; but must eventually yield to the superior number and ferocity of the enemy. Hermione had her fears, and Eudora, who had been indulging similar thoughts with Thersites, and was also aided in her entreaties, by her faithful slave Pelasgus, at length prevailed upon her mother to consent. Destruction by the Moslem troops, or a submission to the earnest entreaties of the ardent lover, seemed to be the only alternatives, and being assured by Thersites that he must either leave them unprotected, early the next day, or remain and perhaps die in their presence, (for if he were found in the Citidel, he would be instantly shot). They prepared to depart, and at early dawn, on the following morning, set out on their journey. Taking a northwest direction, towards Mount Parnassus, they traversed Athica, crossed the Ilissus, and entered Boeotia. Distress and terror were in every direction, and in all their varying forms. Having entered the celebrated city of Thebes, Hermione proposed resting there for a few days, but Thersites advis ed them, if possible, to hasten to Livadia, and stop at Castri, the Delphi of the Ancients, situated on the southern side of Mount Parnassus. The party consented, and Thersites, when they arrived at Castri, left them there, and went alone to the cave of Ulysses to announce the approach of the intended guests. Preparations were made for their reception, and Thersites returning to Castri, attended his fair friends to the foot of the mountain, followed by their aged slave Pelasgus. They at length reached the far famed spot, and presently were seated by the cool stream of the celebrated Castalia. After bathing their weary limbs in its refreshing and soul-inspiring waters. Thersites prepared to support Hermione up the steep ascent. Leaving his beloved Eudora in the care of the faithful Pelasgus, and supporting her mother on one arm, and with the hand of the other clinging to the shrubbery of the fig and olive trees that grow on its sides, they soon reached the entrance of the cavehe applied the trumpet to his lips, blew a long and hoarse blast, and gave the signal, while the echoes answered from within and died away in receding murmurs. A ladder immediately appeared, and with the terrified Hermione on his shoulder, the Chief descended to the depths below. Thersites was welcomed by the splendid but melancholy Chief Ulysses, to whom he presented the trembling Hermione, and then returned for his dearer treasure. Ulysses, who had been in other countries than Greece, was courtly and talented; he received the noble looking Hermione with kindness, and ordering refreshments to be placed before her-"Lady," said he, "you are welcome to this fortress,—you are safe in it, and the bravest of my followers will think themselves but too happy if permitted to be your slaves." Hermiastonished, for language such as this she was not accustomed to hear. one was The stern Chief had been in different parts of Europe, where he had seen females treated with respect, and where they bore a high intellectual character; this had taught him to treat his country-women with more attention than they were in the habit of receiving from the less polished natives. Ulysses knew that his conduct was disapproved of by the patriotic Hermione, he knew also that he was generally detested,--and was aware that "His name could sadden and his acts surprise, But they that feared him dared not to despise." Yet notwithstanding the distrust and abhorrence with which |