I.

SHE came to England from the island clime 
Which lies beyond the far Atlantic wave; 
She died in early youth--before her time-- 
'Peace to her broken heart, and virgin grave!' 
II.

She was the child of Passion, and of Shame, 
English her father, and of noble birth; 
Though too obscure for good or evil fame, 
Her unknown mother faded from the earth. 
III.

And what that fair West Indian did betide, 
None knew but he, who least of all might tell,-- 
But that she lived, and loved, and lonely died, 
And sent this orphan child with him to dwell. 
IV.

Oh! that a fair and innocent young face 
Should have a poison in its looks alone, 
To raise up thoughts of sorrow and disgrace 
And shame most bitter, although not its own! 
V.

Cruel were they who flung that heavy shade 
Across the life whose days did but begin; 
Cruel were they who crush'd her heart, and made 
Her youth pay penance for his youth's wild sin; 
VI.

Yet so it was;--among her father's friends 
A cold compassion made contempt seem light, 
But, in 'the world,' no justice e'er defends 
The victims of their tortuous wrong and right:-- 
VII.

And 'moral England,' striking down the weak, 
And smiling at the vices of the strong, 
On her, poor child! her parent's guilt would wreak, 
And that which was her grievance, made her wrong. 
VIII.

The world she understood not; nor did they 
Who made that world,--her, either, understand; 
The very glory of her features' play 
Seem'd like the language of a foreign land; 
IX.

The shadowy feelings, rich and wild and warm, 
That glow'd and mantled in her lovely face,-- 
The slight full beauty of her youthful form, 
Its gentle majesty, its pliant grace,-- 
X.

The languid lustre of her speaking eye, 
The indolent smile of that bewitching mouth, 
(Which more than all betray'd her natal sky, 
And left us dreaming of the sunny South,)-- 
XI.

The passionate variation of her blood, 
Which rose and sank, as rise and sink the waves, 
With every change of her most changeful mood, 
Shock'd sickly Fashion's pale and guarded slaves. 
XII.

And so in this fair world she stood alone, 
An alien 'mid the ever-moving crowd, 
A wandering stranger, nameless and unknown, 
Her claim to human kindness disallow'd. 
XIII.

But oft would Passion's bold and burning gaze, 
And Curiosity's set frozen stare, 
Fix on her beauty in those early days, 
And coarsely thus her loveliness declare; 
XIV.

Which she would shrink from, as the gentle plant, 
Fern-leaved Mimosa folds itself away; 
Suffering and sad;--for easy 'twas to daunt 
One who on earth had no protecting stay. 
XV.

And often to her eye's transparent lid 
The unshed tears would rise with sudden start, 
And sink again, as though by Reason chid, 
Back to their gentle home, her wounded heart; 
XVI.

Even as some gushing fountain idly wells 
Up to the prison of its marble side, 
Whose power the mounting wave for ever quells,-- 
So rose her tears--so stemm'd by virgin pride. 
XVII.

And so more lonely each succeeding day, 
As she her lot did better understand, 
She lived a life which had in it decay, 
A flower transplanted to too cold a land,-- 
XVIII.

Which for a while gives out a hope of bloom, 
Then fades and pines, because it may not feel 
The freedom and the warmth which gave it room 
The beauty of its nature to reveal. 
XIX.

For vainly would the heart accept its lot 
And rouse its strength to bear avow'd contempt; 
Scorn will be felt as scorn,--deserved or not,-- 
And from its bitter spell none stand exempt. 
XX.

There is a basilisk power in human eyes 
When they would look a fellow-creature down, 
'Neath which the faint soul fascinated lies, 
Struck by the cold sneer, or the with'ring frown. 
XXI.

But one there was, among that cruel crowd, 
Whose nature half rebell'd against the chain 
Which fashion flung around him; though too proud 
To own that slavery's weariness and pain. 
XXII.

Too proud; perhaps too weak; for Custom still 
Curbs with an iron bit the souls born free; 
They start and chafe, yet bend them to the will 
Of this most nameless ruler,--so did he. 
XXIII.

And even unto him the worldly brand 
Which rested on her, half her charm effaced; 
Vainly all pure and radiant did she stand,-- 
Even unto him she was a thing disgraced. 
XXIV.

Had she been early doom'd a cloister'd nun, 
To Heaven devoted by a holy vow-- 
His union with that poor deserted one 
Had seem'd not more impossible than now. 
XXV.

He could have loved her--fervently and well; 
But still the cold world, with its false allure, 
Bound his free liking in an icy spell,