She smiled a little, knowing well
That he would not remark
The ruins of a day that fell
Around her in the dark:
He saw no ruins anywhere,
Nor fancied there were scars
On anyone who lingered there,
Alone below the stars.
On the Way
(Philadelphia, 1794)
Note. -- The following imaginary dialogue between Alexander Hamilton
and Aaron Burr, which is not based upon any specific incident
in American history, may be supposed to have occurred a few months previous
to Hamilton's retirement from Washington's Cabinet in 1795
and a few years before the political ingenuities of Burr --
who has been characterized, without much exaggeration,
as the inventor of American politics -- began to be conspicuously formidable
to the Federalists. These activities on the part of Burr resulted,
as the reader will remember, in the Burr-Jefferson tie for the Presidency
in 1800, and finally in the Burr-Hamilton duel at Weehawken in 1804.
BURR
Hamilton, if he rides you down, remember
That I was here to speak, and so to save
Your fabric from catastrophe. That's good;
For I perceive that you observe him also.
A President, a-riding of his horse,
May dust a General and be forgiven;
But why be dusted -- when we're all alike,
All equal, and all happy. Here he comes --
And there he goes. And we, by your new patent,
Would seem to be two kings here by the wayside,
With our two hats off to his Excellency.
Why not his Majesty, and done with it?
Forgive me if I shook your meditation,
But you that weld our credit should have eyes
To see what's coming.
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