But there was neither sound nor sight At day-break on a hill they stood And thence they saw the bridge of wood, They wept, and turning homeward, cried, "In heaven we all shall meet; - When in the snow the mother spied The print of Lucy's feet. Then downwards from the steep hill's edge And through the broken hawthorn hedge, And then an open field they crossed: The marks were still the same; They tracked them on, nor ever lost; They followed from the snowy bank And further there were none ! - Yet some maintain that to this day She is a living child; That you may see sweet Lucy Gray 40 50 60 O'er rough and smooth she trips along, And never looks behind; And sings a solitary song That whistles in the wind. "ON NATURE'S INVITATION DO I COME.” 1800. 1850. ON Nature's invitation do I come, By Reason sanctioned. Can the choice mislead, With all its unappropriated good, My own; and not mine only, for with me Entrenched say rather peacefully embowered - A younger orphan of a name extinct, The only daughter of my parents, dwells: Aye, think on that, my heart, and cease to stir ; Oh, if such silence be not thanks to God For what hath been bestowed, then where, where then Fix on a lovely object, nor my mind. IO 20 The thought of her was like a flash of light, Favorite of all, in this the most of all. . . Though peaceful, full of gladness. Thou art pleased, The multitude of little rocky hills, Thy church, and cottages of mountain stone Clustered like stars some few, but single most, Like separated stars with clouds between. 330 40 "BLEAK SEASON WAS IT, TURBULENT AND WILD." 1800(?). 1850. BLEAK season was it, turbulent and wild, When hitherward we journeyed, side by side, Through bursts of sunshine and through flying showers, Paced the long vales, - how long they were, and yet For its keen breath, was aiding to our steps, Or like two birds, companions in mid-air, Stern was the face of Nature; we rejoiced In that stern countenance; for our souls thence drew The naked trees, The icy brooks, as on we passed, appeared To question us, "Whence come ye, to what end?" IO HART-LEAP WELL. Hart-Leap Well is a small spring of water, about five miles from Richmond in Yorkshire, and near the side of the road that leads from Richmond to Askrigg. Its name is derived from a remarkable Chase, the memory of which is preserved by the monuments spoken of in the second part of the following Poem, which monuments do now exist as I have there described them. 1800.- 1800. THE Knight had ridden down from Wensley Moor And now, as he approached a vassal's door, 'Bring forth another horse!" he cried aloud. "Another horse!" That shout the vassal heard, Joy sparkled in the prancing courser's eyes; A rout this morning left Sir Walter's Hall, Sir Walter, restless as a veering wind, The Knight hallooed, he cheered and chid them on Where is the throng, the tumult of the race, The bugles that so joyfully were blown? Sir Walter and the hart are left alone. The poor hart toils along the mountain-side; I will not stop to tell how far he fled, |