He So never with regretful eye Need we descry Dark mountains in the evening sky, Nor on those ears with envy think, Which nightly from the cataract shrink And in the rushing whirlwind hear (When from his Highland cave sweeps unchained over the wintry wave) Ever the same deep chords, such as home fancies crave. Ever the same, yet ever new, Changed and yet true, Like the pure heaven's unfailing blue, Yet of the same high Love and Power The echoing Bells that gave Our childhood welcome to the healing wave: Such the remembered Word, so mighty then to save. 17. CONTINUAL SERVICES. (For the Sunday before Advent.) "Gather up the fragments that remain, that nothing be lost." O ENDLESS round of Nature's wheel, The universal spring Of Power and Motion! Not in keen But smooth as sea-bird's wing, And now in Ocean, As though Life's only call and care Were graceful motion. * Continuo, non vero per saltum." Newton. Such are your changes, Space and Time, Dying away in softest chime, With gentlest intervals Aye lessening on the ear, and felt As when into each other melt The hues where evening falls. Thus moon to moon gives silent place, Thus or for increase or decay The seasons wind their viewless way, Nor but by word of man Or measure rude by man imposed, Is known when day or year hath closed, Summer or Winter's span. And ever onward as we go, The wide earth rounding, The horizon moves in gentle flow, Not in harsh bounding. X For why? the unseen Preserver's law The creatures in their race, Else starting each its own wild way. Is free to wait on Grace : And still, as Earth and Time steal on New fragments may of both be won For holy spending. Thus high may soar the instructed soul, The mimic earth, or trace In picture bright of blue and gold The orbs that round the sky's deep fold Each other circling chase. When plainest strikes the inward ear What Heaven hath spoken, Then most for our own chant we fear, So harsh and broken. His spheres, recede they or advance, Keep tune and time; nor e'er Fails from this lower world a wreath Of incense, such as sweet flowers breathe, And vernal breezes bear. Bears, half in sadness, A wavering, intermitted part In that high gladness. Yes: so it was ere JESUS came. Blazed up and died away; And Silence took her turn with Song, And Solitude with the fair throng That owned the festal day. For in earth's daily circuit then One only border Reflected to the Seraphs' ken Heaven's light and order. |