That may be claimed again which was but lent, And surely, we can find in this no wrong That it was left us to enjoy so long." "Good is the word," she answered, " may we now, And evermore that it is good allow," And, rising, to an inner chamber led: And there she showed him stretched upon one bed R. C. TRENCH. CXXVIII STANZAS. Some murmur, when their sky is clear If one small speck of dark appear In their great heaven of blue: The darkness of their night. In palaces are hearts that ask, And hearts in poorest huts admire Such rich provision made. R. C. TRENCH. CXXIX THE BETTER LAND. "I hear thee speak of the better land, Thou call'st its children a happy band; Mother! oh, where is that radiant shore? Shall we not seek it and weep no more? Is it where the flower of the orange blows, And the fire-flies glance thro' the myrtle boughs?" "Not there, not there, my child!" "Is it where the feathery palm-trees rise, "Not there, not there, my child!" "Is it far away in some region old, Where the rivers wander o'er sands of gold, And the pearl gleams forth from the coral strand ; แ Eye hath not seen it, my gentle boy? F. HEMANS. CXXX THE SERENADE. "What sounds so sweet awake me? Oh, mother, look! who sings thus "I hear not child, I see not— "It is not earthly music From the German of Uhland. CXXXI THE PILGRIM FATHERS. The breaking waves dashed high And the heavy night hung dark When a band of exiles moored their bark Not as the conqueror comes, They, the true-hearted came; Not as the flying come, In silence and in fear ; They shook the depths of the desert gloom With their hymns of lofty cheer. Amidst the storm they sang, And the stars heard and the sea; And the sounding aisles of the dim woods rang To the anthem of the free! The ocean eagle soared From his nest by the white wave's foam; And the rocking pines of the forest roaredThis was their welcome home! There were men with hoary hair There was woman's fearless eye, What sought they thus afar? Bright jewels of the mine? The wealth of seas, the spoils of war ?— Ay, call it holy ground, The soil where first they trod; They have left unstained what there they found— Freedom to worship God! F. HEMANS. |