Imbue your prison-bars with solemn sheen, Shine on, until ye fade with coming Night! - But, from the arms of silence, list! O list!
The music bursteth into second life;
The notes luxuriate, every stone is kissed By sound, or ghost of sound, in mazy strife; Heart-thrilling strains, that cast, before the eye Of the devout, a veil of ecstasy!
THEY dreamt not of a perishable home Who thus could build. Be mine, in hours of fear Or grovelling thought, to seek a refuge here; Or through the aisles of Westminster to roam; Where bubbles burst, and folly's dancing foam Melts, if it cross the threshold; where the wreath Of awe-struck wisdom droops: or let my path Lead to that younger Pile, whose sky-like dome Hath typified by reach of daring art
Infinity's embrace; whose guardian crest, The silent Cross, among the stars shall spread As now, when she hath also seen her breast Filled with mementos, satiate with its part Of grateful England's overflowing Dead.
GLORY to God! and to the Power who came
In filial duty, clothed with love divine, That made his human tabernacle shine Like Ocean burning with purpureal flame; Or like the Alpine Mount, that takes its name From roseate hues, far kenned at morn and even, In hours of peace, or when the storm is driven Along the nether region's rugged frame!
Earth prompts, — Heaven urges; let us seek the
When first our infant brows their lustre won; So, like the Mountain, may we grow more bright From unimpeded commerce with the Sun, At the approach of all-involving night.
WHY sleeps the future, as a snake enrolled, Coil within coil, at noontide? For the WORD Yields, if with unpresumptuous faith explored, Power at whose touch the sluggard shall unfold His drowsy rings. Look forth! - that Stream behold,
THAT STREAM Upon whose bosom we have passed Floating at ease while nations have effaced
Nations, and Death has gathered to his fold Long lines of mighty kings,-look forth, my Soul! (Nor in this vision be thou slow to trust :) The living Waters, less and less by guilt Stained and polluted, brighten as they roll, Till they have reached the Eternal City,-built For the perfécted Spirits of the just!
CALM is the fragrant air, and loth to lose Day's grateful warmth, though moist with falling dews.
Look for the stars, you'll say that there are none; Look up a second time, and, one by one,
You mark them twinkling out with silvery light, And wonder how they could elude the sight! The birds, of late so noisy in their bowers, Warbled awhile with faint and fainter powers, But now are silent as the dim-seen flowers: Nor does the village Church-clock's iron tone The time's and season's influence disown; Nine beats distinctly to each other bound, In drowsy sequence, - how unlike the sound
That, in rough winter, oft inflicts a fear
On fireside listeners, doubting what they hear! The shepherd, bent on rising with the sun, Had closed his door before the day was done, And now with thankful heart to bed doth creep, And joins his little children in their sleep.
The bat, lured forth where trees the lane o'ershade, Flits and reflits along the close arcade ;
The busy dor-hawk chases the white moth With burring note, which Industry and Sloth Might both be pleased with, for it suits them both. A stream is heard, — I see it not, but know
By its soft music whence the waters flow: Wheels and the tread of hoofs are heard no more; One boat there was, but it will touch the shore With the next dipping of its slackened oar; Faint sound, that, for the gayest of the gay, Might give to serious thought a moment's sway, As a last token of man's toilsome day!
ON A HIGH PART OF THE COAST OF CUMBER
THE AUTHOR'S SIXTY-THIRD BIRTHDAY.
THE Sun, that seemed so mildly to retire, Flung back from distant climes a streaming fire, Whose blaze is now subdued to tender gleams, Prelude of night's approach with soothing dreams. Look round; - of all the clouds not one is moving; 'Tis the still hour of thinking, feeling, loving.
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