Each seem'd as 'twere a little sky A firmament of purple light More boundless than the depth of night, And purer than the day— In which the lovely forests grew As in the upper air, More perfect both in shape and hue Than any spreading there. 55 60 There lay the glade and neighbouring lawn, 65 And through the dark green wood The white sun twinkling like the dawn Out of a speckled cloud. Sweet views which in our world above Can never well be seen Were imaged by the water's love Of that fair forest green : And all was interfused beneath With an Elysian glow, 70 An atmosphere without a breath, 75 Like an unwelcome thought Which from the mind's too faithful eye Blots one dear image out. Though thou art ever fair and kind, The forests ever green, Less oft is peace in Shelley's mind P. B. SHELLEY. 85 261 BY THE SEA It is a beauteous evening, calm and free; The gentleness of heaven broods o'er the Sea : 5 And doth with his eternal motion make A sound like thunder-everlastingly. Dear child! dear girl! that walkest with me here, If thou appear untouch'd by solemn thought Thy nature is not therefore less divine: Thou liest in Abraham's bosom all the year, 11 And worshipp'st at the Temple's inner shrine, God being with thee when we know it not. W. WORDSWORTH. 262 TO THE EVENING STAR Star that bringest home the bee, Appearing when Heaven's breath and brow Come to the luxuriant skies, Whilst the landscape's odours rise, Whilst far-off lowing herds are heard, From cottages whose smoke unstirr'd 4 10 Star of love's soft interviews, T. CAMPBELL. 15 263 DATUR HORA QUIETI The sun upon the lake is low, Yet Leonard tarries long. Now all whom varied toil and care 5 The noble dame on turret high, 10 Looks to the western beam to spy The village maid, with hand on brow Upon the footpath watches now 15 For Colin's darkening plaid. Now to their mates the wild swans row, By day they swam apart, And to the thicket wanders slow The woodlark at his partner's side All meet whom day and care divide, SIR W. SCOTT. 20 264 TO THE MOON Art thou pale for weariness Of climbing heaven, and gazing on the earth, Wandering companionless Among the stars that have a different birth,— And ever-changing, like a joyless eye That finds no object worth its constancy? P. B. SHELLEY. 5 265 A widow bird sate mourning for her love The frozen wind crept on above, The freezing stream below. There was no leaf upon the forest bare, And little motion in the air P. B. SHELLEY. 5 266 TO SLEEP A flock of sheep that leisurely pass by, 5 I have thought of all by turns, and yet do lie Sleepless; and soon the small birds' melodies Must hear, first uttered from my orchard trees, And the first cuckoo's melancholy cry. Even thus last night, and two nights more, I lay, And could not win thee, Sleep! by any stealth : So do not let me wear to-night away : 11 Without Thee what is all the morning's wealth? Come, blesséd barrier between day and day, Dear mother of fresh thoughts and joyous health! W. WORDSWORTH. 267 THE SOLDIER'S DREAM Our bugles sang truce, for the night-cloud had lower'd, 13 I heard my own mountain-goats bleating aloft, 15 And knew the sweet strain that the corn-reapers sung. Then pledged we the wine-cup, and fondly I swore From my home and my weeping friends never to part; 18 My little ones kiss'd me a thousand times o'er, And my wife sobb'd aloud in her fullness of heart. Stay stay with us !—rest !-thou art weary and worn!? And fain was their war-broken soldier to stay ;— But sorrow return'd with the dawning of morn, And the voice in my dreaming ear melted away. T. CAMPBELL. |