To suffer, weep, enjoy, and to rejoice; [The human race are seen scattered up and down the valley. Some are climbing trees and plucking fruit, some bathing in the river, some running races in the meadows; girls gather flowers and twine chaplets. [Enter to PROMETHEUS a man bearing a young tree, which he has pulled up by the roots. Share it thou may'st with whomsoe'er thou wilt. Who would have huts must build them for themselves. [Erit. [Enter two men. All yester day And night I scrambled o'er the mountain side, Caught them alive by dint of toil and sweat, Watch'd them till dawn, and here have penn'd them up What aileth thee, my daughter? Why thus moved? Oh, feelings without name! I saw her go into the forest brake, Where we are wont to pluck our garland flowers; I followed her, and, oh! As from the hill I came, I saw her in the vale beneath Lie stretch'd along the ground. My scream brought life into her limbs; Arbar withdrew; she started to her feet, Her boson beat as it would burst- Her lips were parch'd and dry, Her tears in torrents flow'd. Death? PANDORA. PROMETHEUS. When shaken to thy spirit's inmost depths, That joy or sorrow ever brought thy soul, PANDORA (clasping him round the neck). Oh, father, let us die! PROMETHEUS (in his workshop). Curtain thy heavens, thou Jove, with clouds and mist, Nor of my hut, the which thou didst not build, I know not aught within the universe More slight, more pitiful than you, ye gods! Who nurse your majesty with scant supplies Of offerings wrung from fear, and mutter'd pray'rs, And needs must starve, wer't not that babes and beggars Are hope-besotted fools! OUR Voyage was very uneventful, but not without anxiety, since, to avoid the English cruisers and the Channel-fleet, we were obliged to hold a southerly course for several days, making a great circuit before we could venture to bear up for the place of our destination. The weather alternated between light winds and a dead calm, which usually came on every day at noon, and lasted till about sunset. As to me, there was an unceasing novelty in everything about a ship; her mechanism, her discipline, her progress, furnished abundant occupation for all my thoughts, and I never wearied of acquiring knowledge of a theme so deeply interesting. My intercourse with the naval officers, too, impressed me strongly in their favour, in comparison with their comrades of the land service. In the former case, all was zeal, activity, and watchfulness. The look-out never slumbered at his post; and an unceasing anxiety to promote the success of the expedition, manifest OF RATHFRAN." ed itself in all their words and actions. This, of course, was all to be expected in the discharge of the duties peculiarly their own; but I also looked for something which should denote preparation and forethought in the others; yet nothing of the kind was to be seen. The expedition was never discussed even as table-talk; and for anything that fell from the party in conversation, it would have been impossible to say if our destination were China or Ireland. Not a book nor a map, not a pamphlet nor a paper that bore upon the country whose destinies were about to be committed to us, ever appeared on the tables. A vague and listless doubt how long the voyage might last, was the extent of interest any one condescended to exhibit; but as to what was to follow after-what new chapter of events should open when this first had closed, none vouchsafed to inquire. Even to this hour I am puzzled whether to attribute this strange con |