Night, let me stand in silent trance,

And watch the lightning’s kindling glance:

While, stiff’ning at the imagin’d stroke,

Appears behind a brighten’d oak,

From justice fled to this wild place,

A conscious robber’s gastly face!—

Or fancy views with fear-fix’d eye

A mangled spectre gliding by,

Quick with the flash who seems to wave

His pale hand, beck’ning to a grave!—