CLOTHO.

BE IT KNOWN, to me the scissors,
In these last days, they confide :
By the late Administration,
None were pleased or edified.

Husky yarns the dull old woman
Left to drawl a weary time;
Clearest threads, of brilliant promise,
She cut off in youthful prime.

Of impatient inexperience,

That might make me go astray, Danger now is none. My scissors, In the sheath remain to-day.

Glad am I that, thus made powerless, I can smile on all I see;

That, all apprehension banished,

You may dance and revel free.

LACHESIS.

Happy maintenance of order
To the sagest was decreed:
Mine the wheel that ceases never,

Circling still with equal speed.

Threads flow hither, threads flow thither,
And their course my fingers guide :
None must overpass the circle-

Each must in its place abide.

I should I a moment slumber-
Tremble for the fate of men:

Hours are numbered, years are measured,
And the weaver's time comes then.

Enter THE FURIES.

HERALD.

Had you an eye as keen as an inquisitor's,
Or were you ever so deep read in books,
You'd never guess who these are by their looks,
But fancy them every-day morning visitors.

These are the FURIES. None would think the thing

Credible. Pretty, shapely, friendly, young,

You scarce can think with what a serpent tongue These doves, all harmless as they look, can sting.

They 're wicked; and, no doubt of it, are witty. Could mask their nature; but, on such gay dayWhen fools do fool-they have no secret they Boast themselves plagues of country and of

city.

ALECTO.

No help for it; you cannot but believe us, For we are pretty, young, fond, flattering kittens. Is any here in love? We'll find admittance

To that man's heart and home: he must receive us.

We'll court and coax him; say to him all that would be

Damning; say how she winked at this or that— Is dull-is crook-backed-limps-is lean-is fat; Or, if betrothed, no better than she should be.

And we it is can deal with the fiancée ;
Tell her what he said of her weeks ago,

In confidence, to Madame So-and-so.

They 're reconciled: the scars remain, I fancy.

MEGÆRA.

This is mere child's play. Let them once have married,

I take it up; turn, with pretences flimsy,

Honey to gall, helped out by spleen or whimsey, Or jest, at some rash moment too far carried.

Man, when what once was dearest he possesses,
Will feign or fancy soon a something dearer;
Fly charms that pall, seen oftener and seen nearer;
Fly warm love, seek some chill heart's dead caresses.

I at manœuvre-ing am shrewd and supple.
I, and friend Asmodeus, who apace

Sows tares, destroying thus the human race
One by one, rather couple, say, by couple.

TISIPHONE.

I than words have darker engines-
Poison-daggers-for the traitor,
Mixed and sharpened! Sooner, later,
Life-thy life-shall glut my vengeance.
Sweetest hopes that love can offer
Changed to keen embittered feeling;
With such wretch there is no dealing:
He hath sinned, and he must suffer.

Let none tell me of forgiving,

To the rocks I

·
cry. Revenge' is

Their reply. Hark! he who changes

Dies as sure as I am living.

Enter THE GROUP described in the following speech.

HERALD.

Now, may it please you, stand back one and all:
Make way for another group! Those whom I see
Differ in character and in degree-

Aye, and in kind-from all the maskers here.
See, pressing hitherward, what would appear
A mountain variegated carpets fall

Adown its flanks, and it moves on in pride

A head, with large long teeth, and serpentine Proboscis wreathed. Their secret they would hide; But it will open to this key of mine.

A graceful lady, sitting on the neck,

Wields a thin wand that mighty bulk to guide,
And bend all his brute motions to her will.
Archly smiles she, as tho' at her own skill
Amused and happy, holding him in check.
The other stands high up: a glory there
Encircles that grand form-a light divine,
Too dazzling for this eye of mine to dare.
Two noble women-one at either side-
Are chained; and one is trembling, as in fear,
And one moves gracefully with joyous cheer;
And one would break the chain she loathes to wear.
One looks, in bondage, as though she were free:
Let them, in turn, each tell us who they be.

FEAR.

Mad feast, this! Drear lamps-dusk tapers

Waving with uncertain glimmer.

Oh! this chain! Through smoky vapours,

Faces strange around me shimmer.

Fools, avaunt! Peace, idle laughter,

Grinning-I distrust your grin:

All my enemies are after

Me to-night, and hem me in.