And hills all rich with blossom'd trees, Whose far white walls along them shine, And peasant girls, with deep blue eyes, Above, the frequent feudal towers Look o'er this vale of vintage-bowers. But one thing want these banks of Rhine,Thy gentle hand to clasp in mine! I send the lilies given to me; Though, long before thy hand they touch, The river nobly foams and flows, The charm of this enchanted ground, Some fresher beauty varying round: To nature and to me so dear, Could thy dear eyes in following mine BYRON THE SABBATH. WHAT spell has o'er the populous city past? Far spreads the charm: from every hamlet spire A note of rest, and heavenward thought is peal'd: By his calm hearth reclines the peasant sire; The toil-worn steed basks in the breezy field. Within, without, through farm and cottage blest, "Tis one bright day of gladness and of rest. Down from the mountain dwellings, whilst the dew Shines on the heath-bells, and the fern is bending In the fresh breeze, in festive garbs I view Childhood, and age, and buoyant youth descending. God!-who has pil'd thy wonders round their home, "Tis in their love they to thy temple come. A stately ship speeds o'er the mighty main- Amid the ocean desert's awful roar Praise Him whose love links shore to distant shore. O'er palmy woods, where summer radiance falls, To raise to heaven the Christian's glorious Lo! where, engirt by children of the sun, won. In the fierce deserts of a distant zone, Mid savage nations, terrible and stern, A lonely atom, sever'd from his own, The traveller wends, death or renown to earn. Parch'd, fasting, wearied, verging to despair, He kneels, he prays-hope kindles in his prayer. O'er the wide world, blest day, thine influence flies, Rest o'er the sufferer spreads her balmy wings; Love wakes, joy dawns, praise fills the listening skies; The expanding heart from earth's enchantment springs: Heaven, for one day, withdraws its ancient ban, Unbars its gates, and dwells once more with man. W. HOWITT. ON A STREAM OF WATER. HERE we see The water at its well-head; clear it is, Not more transpicuous the invisible air; The herb grows greener on its brink; sweet flowers Bend o'er the stream that feeds their freshen'd roots; The redbreast loves it for his wintry haunts, Builds near it, with his mate, their brooding nest; The tainted stream; corrupt and foul it flows The good end happier. Ages pass away, SOUTHEY. LOSS OF TIME. SOME care not how they trifle life away; A hero wept if he but lost a day! LEIGH. ECHO AND SILENCE. IN eddying course when leaves began to fly, Two sleeping nymphs with wonder mute I spy! And lo, she's gone! In robe of dark-green hue, 'Twas Echo from her sister Silence flew ; For quick the hunter's horn resounded to the sky! In shade affrighted Silence melts away; Not so her sister:hark! for onward still With far-heard step she takes her listening way, Bounding from rock to rock, and hill to hill! Oh, mark the merry maid in mockful play With thousand mimic tones the laughing forest fill! BRYDGES. WASHINGTON. GREAT Washington! in simple grandeur snines Thy glory, far above the vulgar glare Is self-denying power, that virtue rare. He who can brave the storm not alway sun endures. |