116 NATURE'S FAREWELL. NATURE'S FAREWELL. ["The beautiful is vanish'd, and returns not."-Coleridge's Translation of Schiller's Wallenstein.] A youth rode forth from his childhood's home, "Know'st thou with what thou art parting here, Thou hast left in our shades, with the spring's wild flowers. "Under the arch by our mingling made, Thou and thy brother have gaily play'd; Ye may meet again where ye rov'd of yore, But as ye have met there, oh! never more." On rode the youth, and the boughs among, "Thou mayst come to the summer woods again, A change must pass o'er thee-farewell, farewell." NATURE'S FAREWELL. On rode the youth, and the founts and streams "Listen but once to the sound of his mirth! 117 "Thou wilt visit the scenes of thy childhood's glee, "Thou wilt bear in our gladsome laugh no part- "Farewell! when thou comest again to thine own, Yet on, fiery dreamer-farewell!—farewell !” And a something of grief on his spirit weigh'd, F. HEMANS. 118 CONGENIAL SPIRITS. CONGENIAL SPIRITS. Oh! in the varied scenes of life, Feeling and thought, a faëry band Long hid from mortal sight, Then start to meet the master hand When turning o'er some gifted page, In answering applause; And when we list to music's sighs, How sweet at every tone, To read within another's eyes, To share together waking dreams, Or speak on high and holy themes, These are most dear, but soon shall pass Congenial spirits, soon, alas! Are ever doomed to part. THE SPIRIT AND THE BRIDE. Yet thou to whom such grief is given, Say, can a wandering light from heaven. Earth would be all too bright, too blest, Let kindred spirits hope no rest, MRS. ABDY. THE SPIRIT AND THE BRIDE. 119 ["And the Spirit and the Bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst, Come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely."-Rev. xxii. 17.] Oh, wherefore delay and reluctantly roam? Come, come; the Spirit says, come. Let him that has heard bid his brethren to come. 120 THE HOMES OF ENGLAND. The river is boundless, and deep is the tide ; Ye thirsting and willing, rejoicingly come. Oh! quench not the Spirit that worketh within, Nor add by delay to the weight of your sin; This pool is the porch of your heavenly home; The voice of your Father invites you to come. Come, come; the Church says, come. Rejoice in the promise, and cheerfully come. LENA. THE HOMES OF ENGLAND. The stately homes of England, How beautiful they stand! Amidst their tall ancestral trees, O'er all the pleasant land! The deer across their greenwoods bound, And the swan glides past them with the sound |