Alone walk'd she; but, viewlessly,
Walk'd spirits at her side.
Peace charm'd the street beneath her feet,
And Honour charm'd the air,
And all astir looked kind on her,
And called her good as fair-
For all God ever gave to her
She kept with chary care.
She kept with care her beauties rare
From lovers warm and true-
For heart was cold to all but gold,
And the rich came not to woo-
But honour'd well her charms to sell
If priests the selling do.
Now walking there was one more fair-
A slight girl lily-pale;
And she had unseen company
To make the spirit quail-
'Twixt Want and Scorn she walk'd forlorn,
And nothing could avail.
No mercy now can clear her brow
From this world's peace to pray,
For as loves wild prayer dissolved in air,
Her woman's heart gave way!-
But the sin forgiven by Christ in Heaven,
By man is cursed alway!
In this composition we find it difficult to recognise the Willis who
has written so many mere "verses of society." The lines are not only
richly ideal, but full of energy, while they breathe an earnestness,
an evident sincerity of sentiment, for which we look in vain
throughout all the other works of this author.
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