That flowers themselves, whate'er their hue, Which the careless shepherd sleeps on, As fitly spring from turf the mourner weeps on, And without wrong are cropped the marble tonib to strew. The Charm is over; the mute Phantoms gone, From these wild rocks thy footsteps I will guide XLI. 1928. THE WISHING-GATE. In the vale of Grasmere, by the side of the old highway leading to Ambleside, is a gate, which, time out of mind, has been called the Wishing-gate, from a belief that wishes formed or indulged there have a favorable issue. HOPE rules a land for ever green : All powers that serve the bright-eyed Queen Are confident and gay; Clouds at her bidding disappear; Points she to aught?-the bliss draws near And Fancy smooths the way. Not such the land of Wishes, there Dwell fruitless day-dreams, lawless prayer, And thoughts with things at strife; Yet how forlorn, should ye depart, Ye superstitions of the heart, How poor, were human life! When magic lore abjured its might, Inquire not if the Faery race If here a warrior left a spell, Or here a saint expired. Enough that all around is fair, Peace to embosom and content, To overawe the turbulent, The selfish to reprove. Yea! even the Stranger from afar, The infection of the ground partakes, All happiness her own. who makes Then why should conscious Spirits fear Smile if thou wilt, but not in scorn, If some have thirsted to renew And not in vain, when thoughts are cast Upon the irrevocable past, Some Penitent sincere May for a worthier future sigh, While trickles from his downcast eye No unavailing tear. The Worldling, pining to be freed Might stop before this favored scene, The Sage, who feels how blind, how weak And thirst for insight to allay Or when the church-clock's knell profound XLII. 1825 THE WISHING-GATE DESTROYED. "T IS gone, with old belief and dream That round it clung, and tempting scheme Released from fear and doubt; And the bright landscape too must lie, By this blank wall from every eye Bear witness, ye who seldom passed That opening, but a look ye cast What spirit-stirring power it gained From faith which here was entertained, Blest is that ground, where, o'er the springs Of history, Glory claps her wings, Fame sheds the exulting tear; Yet earth is wide, and many a nook For modest meanings dear. It was in sooth a happy thought Of coming good; the charm is fled; Which one harsh day has broken. Alas for him who gave the word! Derived from earth or heaven, Which here was freely given? Where, for the love-lorn maiden's wound, Will now so readily be found A balm of expectation? |