5 Through saintly habit than from effort Her adoration was not your demand, The fond heart proffered it-the servile heart; due To unrelenting mandates that pursue With equal wrath the steps of strong and weak) And therefore are ye summoned to depart, Goes forth-unveiling timidly a cheek 5 Michael, and thou, St. George, whose Suffused with blushes of celestial hue, While through the Convent's gate to open view Softly she glides, another home to seek. Not Iris, issuing from her cloudy shrine, An Apparition more divinely bright! 10 Not more attractive to the dazzled sight Those watery glories, on the stormy brine Poured forth, while summer suns at distance shine, And the green vales lie hushed in sober light! XXIII. CONTINUED. YET many a Novice of the cloistral shade, And many chained by vows, with eager glee The warrant hail, exulting to be free; Like ships before whose keels, full long embayed flaming brand In polar ice, propitious winds have made With fancied roses, than the unblemished must pass moon Before her wane begins on heaven's blue coast; Thy Image falls to earth. Yet some, I ween, The threshold, whither shall they turn to Not unforgiven the suppliant knee might find ΙΟ The hospitality-the alms (alas! Alms may be needed) which that House bestowed? Can they, in faith and worship, train the mind To keep this new and questionable road? bend, As to a visible Power, in which did blend All that was mixed and reconciled in Thee Of mother's love with maiden purity, Upon his throne;" unsoftened, undis- Upwhirled, and flying o'er the ethereal mayed ΙΟ plain By aught that mingled with the tragic Fast bound for Limbo Lake. And yet not choice scene Of pity or fear; and More's gay genius But habit rules the unreflecting herd, 10 played With the inoffensive sword of native wit, keen. XXVII. IMAGINATIVE REGRETS. DEEP is the lamentation! Not alone groan Issues for that dominion overthrown : Proud Tiber grieves, and far-off Ganges, blind 5 As his own worshippers: and Nile, reclined And airy bonds are hardest to disown; Unto itself, the Crown assumes a voice XXIX. TRANSLATION OF THE BIBLE. BUT, to outweigh all harm, the sacred In dusty sequestration wrapt too long, With understanding spirit now may look 6 Upon his monstrous urn, the farewell And sift her laws-much wondering that the wrong, moan Renews. Through every forest, cave, and Which Faith has suffered, Heaven could den, calmly brook. Where frauds were hatched of old, hath Transcendent Boon! noblest that earthly 10 Hangs o'er the Arabian Prophet's native Ever bestowed to equalize and bless Under the weight of mortal wretchedness! Waste, Where once his airy helpers schemed and planned 'Mid spectral lakes bemocking thirsty men, And stalking pillars built of fiery sand. But passions spread like plagues, and With bigotry shall tread the Offering THE POINT AT ISSUE. [Composed?.-Published 1827.] FOR what contend the wise?-for no thing less EDWARD SIGNING THE WARRANT FOR Than that the Soul, freed from the bonds From various sources; gently overflow II For Faith, more perfect still, with which To gratitude, to injuries forgivenClaim Heaven's regard like waters that have wet the Lord ΙΟ Of all, himself a Spirit, in the youth Informed, were resolute to do his will, XXXI. EDWARD VI. "SWEET is the holiness of Youth"-so felt The innocent eyes of youthful Monarchs driven To pen the mandates nature doth disown. XXXIII. REVIVAL OF POPERY. [Composed?.-Published 1827.] THE saintly Youth has ceased to rule, discrowned By unrelenting Death. O People keen Time-honoured Chaucer speaking through For change, to whom the new looks al that Lay His frame is tied; firm from the naked feet To the bare head. The victory is complete; ENGLISH REFORMERS IN EXILE. SCATTERING, like birds escaped the fowler's net, Some seek with timely flight a foreign Most happy, re-assembled in a land Their Country's woes. But scarcely have they met, 5 Partners in faith, and brothers in distress, Answers with more than Indian forti- Free to pour forth their common thank The shrouded Body to the Soul's command tude, fulness, Through all her nerves with finer sense Ere hope declines:-their union is beset With speculative notions rashly sown, endued, ΙΟ Till breath departs in blissful aspiration: 1 See Note, p. 922. 2 For the belief in this fact, see the contemporary Historians. |