[Composed ?.-Published 1827.] IN my mind's eye a Temple, like a cloud Slowly surmounting some invidious hill, Rose out of darkness: the bright Work stood still; Faith had her arch--her arch, when wind blow loud, Into the consciousness of safety thrilled And Love her towers of dread foundatit laid Under the grave of things; Hope had h spire Star-high, and pointing still to som thing higher; Trembling I gazed, but heard a voicesaid, "Hell-gates are powerless Phanto when we build." XLV. ON THE PROJECTED KENDAL AND [Composed October 12, 1844.-Published in pat phlet Kendal and Windermere Railway, 18 ed. 1845.] Is then no nook of English ground secti From rash assault?? Schemes of retir ment sown In youth, and 'mid the busy world kej pure As when their earliest flowers of ho were blown, Must perish;-how can they this blig endure? And must he too the ruthless change moan Who scorns a false utilitarian lure 'Mid his paternal fields at random throw Baffle the threat, bright Scene, from rest-head Given to the pausing traveller's rapturo glance: Plead for thy peace, thou beautiful mance 2 The degree and kind of attachment whi many of the yeomanry feel to their small heritances can scarcely be over-rated. Near And might of its own beauty have been house of one of them stands a magnificent nature; and, if human hearts be dead, peak, passing winds; ye torrents, with your strong Fall to prevent or beautify decay; constant voice, protest against the The flowers in pearly dews their bloom wrong. renewing! ERE, where, of havoc tired and rash To keep, so high in air, its strength and undoing, grace: an left this Structure to become Time's All seem to feel the spirit of the place, prey, soothing spirit follows in the way at Nature takes, her counter-work pursuing. how her ivy clasps the sacred Ruin, 5 ΙΟ And by the general reverence God is praised: Profane Despoilers, stand ye not reproved, While thus these simple-hearted men are moved? At will the crystal battlements, and peep Into some other region, though less fair, To see how things are made and managed there. Change for the worse might please, in cursion bold Into the tracts of darkness and of cold: 10 O'er Limbo lake with aery flight to steer, And on the verge of Chaos hang in fear. Such animation often do I find, Power in my breast, wings growing in my mind, Then, when some rock or hill is overpast, Perchance without one look behind me cast, 16 Some barrier with which Nature, from the birth Of things, has fenced this fairest spot on earth. O pleasant transit, Grasmere ! to resign Such happy fields, abodes so calm as thine; Not like an outcast with himself at strife; The slave of business, time, or care for life, But moved by choice; or, if constrain in part, Yet still with Nature's freedom at t heart; To cull contentment upon wildest shot And luxuries extract from bleakest mod With prompt embrace all beauty to enfo And having rights in all that we behol -Then why these lingering steps? bright adieu, For a brief absence, proves that love istr Ne'er can the way be irksome or forlor That winds into itself for sweet return, II. AT THE GRAVE OF BURNS. 1803. SEVEN YEARS AFTER HIS DEATH. [Composed partly before 1807.-Published: of 1842.] I SHIVER, Spirit fierce and bold, And have I then thy bones so near, And both my wishes and my fear Off weight-nor press on weight!—awi stay; With chastened feelings would I pay The tribute due 1 Originally the opening lines of the Epistle To him, and aught that hides his clay to Sir George Beaumont. See p. 521.-ED. From mortal view. fresh as the flower, whose modest worth sang, his genius "glinted" forth, tose like a star that touching earth, For so it seems, oth glorify its humble birth With matchless beams. 20 Soul-moving sight! Yet one to which is not denied For he is safe, a quiet bed Hath early found among the dead, piercing eye, the thoughtful brow, 25 And surely here it may be said e struggling heart, where be they now?— ll soon the Aspirant of the plough, The prompt, the brave, ept, with the obscurest, in the low And silent grave. mourned with thousands, but as one low Verse may build a princely throne las! where'er the current tends, gret pursues and with it blends,— luge Criffel's hoary top ascends By Skiddaw seen, 30 34 40 eighbours we were, and loving friends We might have been; That such are blest. And oh for Thee, by pitying grace Receive thy Spirit in the embrace Sighing I turned away; but ere Night fell I heard, or seemed to hear, 80 A ritual hymn, Chanted in love that casts out fear III. SUGGESTED THE DAY FOLLOWING, ON THE RESIDENCE. [Finished 1839.-Published: vol. of 1842.] Too frail to keep the lofty vow That must have followed when his brow ⚫ how With holly spray, He faltered, drifted to and fro, lave sate and talked where gowans blow, Well might such thoughts, dear Sister, Where gentlest judgments may misdeem, Not three weeks past the Stripling died,) Let us beside the limpid Stream des gathered to his Father's side, Breathe hopeful air. With all that live?The best of what we do and are, Just God, forgive!1 IV. TO THE SONS OF BURNS, AFTER VISITING THE GRAVE OF THEIR FATHER. [Composed partly 1803.-Published 1807 "The Poet's grave is in a corner of the churchy We looked at it with melancholy and painful flections, repeating to each other his own verse "Is there a man whose judgment clear,' ete -Extract from the Journal my Fellow-travelle 'MID crowded obelisks and urns I sought the untimely grave of Burns; Sons of the Bard, my heart still mourns With sorrow true; And more would grieve, but that it tur Through twilight shades of good and ill If ye would give the better will He rules 'mid winter snows, and when 45 Hath Nature strung your nerves to bea Bees fill their hives; Deep in the general heart of men His power survives. Intemperance with less harm, beware! But if the Poet's wit ye share, Like him can speed The social hour-of tenfold care For honest men delight will take And of your Father's name will make Far from their noisy haunts retire, There seek the genius of your Sire, 1 See Note, p. 902. 2 Stanzas ii., iii., iv., viii., published in 18 stanzas i., v., vi., vii., published in 1827.-ED |