90.

Were he to speak of pure simplicity,

With that united which is most profound
In intellect, most subtle :-were he free
To say, that past is the last visible bound
Of the imaginative soul by thee;

Were he in words thy faculty to expound,

To track deep thoughts through regions most obscure; This lay, at least in matter, were not poor!

91.

But such the reverence, friend belov'd, for thee

He feels so deeply he reveres the shrine

In which, as in religious sanctuary,

Thou hidest attributes almost divine;
That his tongue falters, and unwillingly
Traces his pen the encomiastic line,

Till somewhat, by the head unshar'd, upsprings
In his warm heart:-then cheerily he sings.

92.

Oft when steals on the meditative hour,

And parlour twilight to repose invites ;

Oft when Imagination's stirring power

Keeps watch with hollow blasts of winter nights; Thy countenance bright upon his heart doth shower, By Memory trac'd, the exquisite delights, Which from thy smile, and from thy every tone, And intercourse ennobling, he has known.

93.

Nor can he not indulge in mentioning
Some high peculiar gifts bestow'd on thee;
So rarely found united, that they bring

To common systems of Humanity
Full refutation: thou canst plume thy wing
To all the holiest heights of poesy;
And more than any other art thou fraught
With accuracy of analytic thought!

94.

It is a dainty banquet, known to few,

To thy mind's inner shrine to have access;

While choicest stores of intellect endue

That Sanctuary, in marvellous excess. There lambent glories, ever bright and new, Those, privileged to be its inmates, bless! Such as by gods, in tributary rite,

Were hail'd from earth, e'en on their thrones of light!—

95.

Yes, there Religion dwells; there, moral worth;

Diffusing round a holy atmosphere;

Cause has that soul to triumph in its birth,
That once is doom'd to be admitted there!
Mere human wisdom is a theme for mirth,

To those who intuitions can revere,
As in transfiguring trance they were espied,
That float round thee, by Heaven o'ercanopied !

96.

But stop!-'tis vain !-For none will comprehend
Though line on line dilate upon the theme:
He simply wishes to assure his friend,

How that his image, (like a morning beam,
Dear to the eye, especially if end

It bring to wicked and portentous dream) In transient intercourse, and seldom given, Is bless'd to him as visitant from Heaven.

97.

Farewell! Forget him not! He does not say These lines applaud, except that thou canst deem, (That which he certainly asseverate may)

Beneath them dwells-implicitest esteem.

Known, or not known,--by men:-go on thy way!
Of admiration th' universal theme,

Or by all men forgot-to him thou'rt one,
Favour'd thine inner mind to look upon!

*

98.

Much has that soul to bear which Heav'n has fram'd

Of such capricious, such fantastic stuff, That all its joys and sorrows still are claim'dIts paths are pleasantness, its ways are rough

From source imaginative. To be blam'd

"Tis not, if he be churlish, that, enough,

He hath not, of joys physical or sensual;

With him, a cold east wind is most potential.

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