Extreme old age had wasted thee away; XIV. In the School of is a Tablet, on which are inscribed, in gilt letters, the Names of the several Persons who have been Schoolmasters there since the Foundation of the School, with the Time at which they entered upon and quitted their Office. Opposite one of those Names the Author wrote the following Lines. IF Nature, for a favourite Child Read o'er these lines; and then review This tablet, that thus humbly rears In such diversity of hue Its history of two hundred years. When through this little wreck of fame, Has travelled down to Matthew's name, Pause with no common sympathy. And, if a sleeping tear should wake, Poor Matthew, all his frolics o'er, The sighs which Matthew heaved were sighs Yet, sometimes, when the secret cup - Thou Soul of God's best earthly mould! Thou happy Soul! and can it be That these two words of glittering gold Are all that must remain of thee? XV. THE TWO APRIL MORNINGS. We walked along, while bright and red Uprose the morning sun; And Matthew stopped, he looked, and said, "The will of God be done!" A village Schoolmaster was he, And on that morning, through the grass, We travelled merrily, to pass A day among the hills. " Our work," said I, " was well begun; Then, from thy breast what thought, Beneath so beautiful a sun, So sad a sigh has brought?" A second time did Matthew stop; " Yon cloud with that long purple cleft Brings fresh into my mind A day like this which I have left " And just above yon slope of corn " With rod and line I sued the sport Which that sweet season gave, And, coming to the church, stopped short Beside my daughter's grave. " Nine summers had she scarcely seen, The pride of all the vale; And then she sang; - she would have been A very nightingale. |