Virginia Advocate

Legendary Ballads by Thomas Moore, Esq.
arranged with symphonies and accompaniments by Henry R. Bishop.—This is the title of a work recently published in London, containing twelve new songs from the pen of T. Moore. The last song in the volume is entitled The Stranger. It is in these words:—

Come, list while I tell of the heart-wounded stranger,
Who sleeps her last slumber in this haunted ground,
Where often at midnight the lonely wood-ranger
Hears soft fairy music re-echo around.

None e'er knew the home of that heart-striken lady,
Her language, though sweet, none could e'er understand.
But her features so sunn'd and her eye-lash so shady,
Bespoke her a child of some far Eastern land.

'Twas one summer night, when the village lay sleeping,
A soft strain of melody came o'er our ears;
So sweet, but so mournful, half-song and half-weeping
Like music that sorrow had steep'd in her tears.

We thought 'twas an anthem some angel had sung us,
But soon as the day beams had gush'd from on high,
With wonder we saw this bright stranger among us,
All lovely and lone as if stray'd from the sky.

Nor long did her life for this sphere seem intended
For pale was her cheek with that spirit-like hue.
Which comes when the day of this world is nigh ended.
And light from another already shines through.

Then her eyes when she sung, oh! but once to have seen them,
Left thoughts in the soul that can never depart,
While her looks and her voice, made a language between them,
That spoke more than holiest words to the heart.

But she pass'd like a day dream—no skill could restore her—
Whate'er was her sorrow, its ruin was fast:
She died with the same spell of mystery o'er her,
That song of past days on her lips to the last.

Nor e'en in the grave is her sad heart reposing,
Still hovers her spirit of grief round her tomb;
For oft when the shadows of midnight are closing,
The strain of music is heard through the gloom.