For all whose youth unpitied dies,

The lost, the doomed of time.

Ah! well, well, may that promised shore
Be bright with tearless bliss,

If it to withered hearts restore
Their summers lost on this."

FRANCES BROWN.

TO WILLIAM E. CHANNING.

THE pages of thy book I read,

And as I closed each one,

My heart responding, ever said,
"Servant of God! well done!"

Well done! Thy works are great and bold;
At times they seem to me,
Like Luther's, in the days of old,

Half-battles for the free.

Go on, until this land revokes

The old and chartered Lie,

The feudal curse, whose whips and yokes Insult humanity.

A voice is ever at thy side

Speaking in tones of might

Like the prophetic voice, that cried

To John in Patmos, "Write !"

A ROMANCE OF THE GANGES.

Write and tell out this bloody tale;
Record this dire eclipse!

The Day of Wrath, this Endless Wail,
This dead Apocalypse!

LONGFELLOW.

A ROMANCE OF THE GANGES.

THEY stand beneath the midnight,

Beside the river-sea,

Whose water sweepeth white around

The shadow of the tree.

The moon and earth are face to face,

And earth is tranced deep!

The wave-voice seems the voice of dreams

That wander through her sleep.

The river floweth on.

What bring they 'neath the midnight,

Beside the river-sea?

They bring that human heart, wherein
No nightly calm can be-

That droppeth never with the wind,
Nor drieth with the dew-

Oh, calm it, God! Thy calm is broad
To cover spirits, too.

The river floweth on.

D

49

The maidens lean them over

The waters, side by side,

And shun each other's deepening eyes,

And gaze adown the tide: And each within a little boat

A little flame hath lit;

If bright it move, the loved doth love,-
And love doth fail with it-

The river floweth on.

Go, little boats, go softly,

And guard the symbol spark!
The little boats go soft and safe
Across the waters dark.

And Luti's eyes have caught the fire
They watch; and unawares,

That blessed while, she lets a smile
Creep silent through her prayers!

The river floweth on.

The smile-where hath it wandered ?

She riseth from her knee;

She holds her dark wet locks away

There is no light to see!

She cries a quick and bitter cry-
"Nuleeni, launch me thine!

We must have light abroad to-night,
For all the wreck of mine !"

The river floweth on.

A ROMANCE OF THE GANGES,

"Come thou-thou never knewest

A grief, that thou shouldst fear it-
Thou wearest still the happy look
That feels another's near it!
Thy humming-bird is in the sun,
Thy cuckoo in the grove;

And all the three broad worlds, for thee,

Are full of wandering love."

The river floweth on.

The little maiden cometh

She cometh shy and slow;

I ween she seeth through her lids,
They drop a-down so low!

Her tresses near her small feet bare

She stands, and speaketh nought;

Yet blusheth red, as if she said

The name she only thought.

The river floweth on.

She kneeled by the water

She lighted up the flame

And o'er her youthful forehead's calm
The trembling radiance came.
Go, little boat; go, soft and safe,
And guard the symbol spark!
Soft, safe, doth float the little boat

Across the waters dark.

The river floweth on.

51

Glad tears her eyes have blinded

The light they cannot reach-
She turneth with that sudden smile
She learnt before her speech.
"I do not hear his voice; the tears
Have dimmed my light away;

But the symbol light will last to-night-
The love will last for aye."

The river floweth on.

Then Luti spake behind her

Out spake she bitterly:

"By the symbol light that lasts to-night,

Wilt vow a vow to me?"

She gazeth upward in her face;

Soft answer maketh she:

"By loves that last when lights are past,

I vow that vow to thee."

The river floweth on.

An earthly look had Luti,

Though her voice was deep as prayer. "The rice is gathered from the plains,

To cast upon thine hair.

And when he comes, his marriage-band
Around thy neck to throw;

Toward his gaze thy bride-smile raise,

And ask of .

Luti's wo;"

The river floweth on.