The Massachusetts spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1821-1823, 1822-05-01
GINEVRA.

Ii ever you Snoulu come 10 MOue0a.
<Wherc among other relicks you may see
'fassoni's bucKet-but 'tis not the true olte)
Stop at palace near the Reggio-gate,
Dwelt in of old by one Of the Donati.
Its noble gardens, terrace above terrace,
And rich in fountains, statues, expresses,
viii long detain you--but, before you go,
Enter the house-forget it not, pray YOU
And look awhile upon picture there.
'Tis of lady in her earliest youth,
The last of that illustrious family;
Done by Zampieri--5ut by whom care not.
He, who observes it, ere he passes on,
Gazes his FIJI, and comes and comes again,
That he may call it up, when far away.
She sits, inclining forward as to speak,
Her lips half open, and her finger up,
As tho she said Bewaren Her vest of gold
Broider'd with flowers, and clasp'd from head
to foot,
An emerald-stone in every, golden clasp;
And on her brow, fairer than alabaster,
A coronet of pearls.
But then her face,
So lovely, yet so arch, so full OF mirth,
The overfowingscf an innocent heart-
it haunts me still, tho many year has fled,
Like some wild melody!
Alone it hangs
Over Wondering heirloom, its companion,
An oaken chest. half eaten By the worm,
But richly carvfd by Antony of Trent,
With scripture stories from the life of Christ;
A chest that came from Venice, and had held
The ducal robe of some old ancestor
That by the way--it may be true or false
But don't forget the picture and you will not,
When you have heard the tale they told me
there.
She was an only child-her name Ginevra,
The joy, the pride of an indulgent father;
And in her fifteenth year became bride,
Marrying an only son, Francesca Doris,
Her playmate from her birth, and her first
love.
Just as she looks there in her bridal dress,
She was all gentleness, all gaiety,
Her pranks the favourite theme of every
tongue.
But now the day was come, the day, the hour;
Now, frowning, smiling, for the huniredth
time,
The nurse, that ancient lady, preach'd de-
corlm;
And, in the lustre of her youth, she gave
Her hand, with her heart in it, to francesca.
Great was the joy-but at the nuptial feast,
When all safe down, the bride herself was
wanting.
Nor was she to be found! Her father Grid,
t'Tis but to make trial OF our leve'
And Gll'd his glass to all; but his hand shook,
And soon from guest to guest the panick
spread.
Twas but that instant she had left Francesca.
Laughing and looking back and flying still,
Her ivory tooth imprinted on his finger.
But now, alas, she was not to be found;
Nor from that hour could any thing be guessed,
But that she was not
Weary of his life,
francesca few to Venice, and, embarking,
Flung il away in battle with the Turk.
Donah liv'd-and long might you have seen
An old man wandering as in quest of some
thing,
Something he could not ind-he knew not
what.
When he was gone, the house rcmain'd
awhile
Silent and tenantless-then went to strangers.
Full6ty years were past, and all forgotten,
When on an idle day, day of search
Mid TIC Old lumber in the gallery,
That moulding chest was noticed; and twas
said
BY one as young, as thoughtless as Ginevra,
Why not remove it from its lurking placer
'iwa1 done as soon as said; but OH the way
II burst, it fell and 10, skeleton,
With here and there a pearl, an emerald
stone,
A golden clasp clasping shred of gold.
All else had Perish'd-save wedding-ring,
And small seal, her mothers legacy,
: Engragen with name, the name of both,
" Ginevra.''
There then she'd found her grave
Within Dat chest had she conceal,d herself,
Elatterins with joy the happiest of the hap
py;
When spring-lock, that lay in ambush there,
Fasten'd her down forever.