They would but turn thee from thy high resolve.
Then look not back! O, triumph in the strength

Of an exalted purpose!

Press sunward on.

Eagle-like,

Thou shalt not be alone.

Have but an eye on God, as surely God

Will have an eye on thee-press on! press on!

THE LAST REQUEST.

BURY me by the Ocean's side

O give me a grave on the verge of the deep,
Where the noble tide,

When the sea-gales blow, my marble may sweep—
And the glistening surf

Shall burst on my turf,

And bathe my cold bosom, in death as I sleep!

Bury me by the sea,

That the vesper at eve-fall may sing o'er my grave,
Like the hymn of the bee,

Or the hum of the shell in the silent wave!
Or an anthem-roar

Shall be beat on the shore,

By the storm and the surge-like march of the brave!

Bury me by the deep

Where a living footstep never may tread-
And come not to weep-

O wake not with sorrow the dream of the dead!
But leave me the dirge

Of the breaking surge,

And the silent tears of the sea on my head!

And grave no Parian praise-
Purple no turf for the heartless tomb-
And burn no holy blaze,

To flatter the awe of its solemn gloom!
For the holier light

Of the star-eyed night,

And the violet morning my rest will illume:

And honors, more dear

Than of sorrow and love, shall be strewn on my clay
By the young green year,

With its fragrant dews and its crimson array—
O leave me to sleep

On the verge of the deep,

Till the sky and the seas shall have passed away!

JOSEPH H. NICHOLS.

BENNETT'S BRIDGE.*

THOU beautiful, romantic Dell!
Thy banks of hemlock highlands swell,
Like huge sea billows, o'er the isles
Round which the branching river smiles.
Look up! how sombre and how vast
The shadows those dark mountains cast,
Making noon twilight; or, look down
The giddy depths, so steep and brown,
Where claret waters foam and play
A tinkling tune, then dance away.

Oft, with my oak-leaf basket green,
On summer holidays serene,
Along your hill-sides have I stray'd,

And, on the ground, all scarlet made,

This is a wild and picturesque pass of the Housatonic, about twenty miles from its mouth, near the pleasant village of Newtown, Connec ticut.

Pick'd in full stems, as low I kneel'd,
Strawberries, rubies of the field,
Coming late home; or, in the flood,
Cool'd the warm current of my blood;
While swam the house-dog after me,
With long red tongue lapt out in glee.

'Tis glorious, here, at breaking day,
To watch the orient clouds of gray
Blush crimson, as the yellow sun
Walks up to take his purple throne,
And melts to snowy mists the dew

That kiss'd, all night, each blossom's hue,

Till, like a tumbling ocean spread,

They hide low vale and tall cliff's head,

And many a tree's fantastic form

Looks like some toss'd ship in a storm.

How still the scene! yet, here war's hum
Once echoed wildly from the drum,
When waved the lily flower's gay bloom
O'er glittering troops with sword and plume,
Who, on the clover meadows round,
Their white tents pitch'd, while music's sound,
From horn and cymbal, play'd some strain
That oft had charm'd the banks of Seine,
And village girls came down to dance,
At evening with the youths of France.

Fair was the hour, secluded Dell!
When last I taught my listening shell

Sweet notes of thee. The bright moon shone,
As, on the shore, I mused alone,

And frosted rocks, and streams, and tree,
With rays that beam'd, like eyes, on me.
A silver robe the mountains hung,

A silver song the waters sung,
And many a pine was heard to quiver,

Along my own blue flowing river.

WILD cataract of woods! how bright

Thy sheet of liquid silver gleams, Through the green cedars, on my sight, Like a tall angel's spear in dreams. And see the snowy wreath of spray,

Meet for a spotless virgin's shroud,

Curl up the clear blue vault away,

To form the future tempest-cloud.

Through mountain shores, with red and gold
Leaves, at this autumn hour, array'd,
Winds the swift river, dark and bold,

O'er rocks in many a white cascade.
Till sweeping past, 'mid froth and surge,
The alder islets strown around,
To where the willows kiss thy verge,

Thou dashest off at one wild bound!