Ernesto Author:William Smith Purchase of this book includes free trial access to www.million-books.com where you can read more than a million books for free. This is an OCR edition with typos. Excerpt from book: CHAPTER II. THE STORY OF THE IDIOT. Ernesto, walking in his garden, overheard the sound of a lyre, and knew that it could proceed from no one but his frien... more »d Cynthio,?a youth unendowed with the gifts of fortune, unless a cultivated mind, equally versed in the studies of poetry and philosophy, be reckoned amongst her benefactions. It was noon, and Cynthio was seated beneath the shadow of a tree that hung its boughs over one of those fountains with which the garden was every where refreshed and adorned. The lyre in his hand, but still more the quick yet meditative expression of his eye, betrayed his poetic character. Uniting the skill and accomplishment of the impro- visatore with the severer studies of his art, he had touched the strings of his instrument, and in these unpremeditated verses was giving expression tothat feeling of doubt and hesitation which so often steals on the mind of the young aspirant for fame. Ye viewless airs, that round me play With murmur faint, that seems to hide A voice articulate,?oh ! say, Do ye my aspirations chide 1 Say, ere I stain with sallow hue My wasted cheek, and lose my youth, And the sweet pleasures, short and few, Of dawning life,?oh! say ye sooth! Is this my task ??is mine to be The poet's immortality 1 Say! for it was your mystic song, Heard high amidst the leafy boughs, That first withdrew me from the throng, To take the minsttel's pensive vows. Alas! the wind but greets my ear With the same murmur half suppressed: It nothing reeks of hope or fear? It sighs not from a human breast? It frames no lay to sweeten care,? It knows no want?it heeds no prayer! Ernesto seated himself beside the poet, who, on the arrival of his friend, shook off the mood of despondency which had for a moment overco...« less