'Here, where innocence reposes,
Fairy sylphs, your sports delay;
Then the breath of morning roses
From its bed of bliss convey.
'Lullaby, sing lullaby,→
Sweetest babe, in safety lie;
I, thy mother, sit and sing,
Nor hear of Time the hurrying wing."
Hush'd in sweet slumber, its calm eyelids closed, One little hand upon its heaving breast, Amidst the flowers the beauteous child reposed, And ringdoves murmur'd it to stiller rest. Unheard, far off, the muttering thunder roll'd,
Unseen, far off, the meteor lightnings play'd; When all was sunshine here, and clouds, like gold, Hung, as delaying, o'er the shadowy glade. I turn'd, and lo! a bevy bright and fair
Come dancing, youths and virgins in a throng. Heard ye the animated air
Rich tones of pleasure and of hope prolong? 'Golden lads and lasses gay*,
Now is life's sweet holiday:
Time shall lay by his sithe for you,"
And Joy the valley with fresh violets strew.'
Then sweeter came, methought, with accents clear,
The song, in soft accordance to mine ear.
It said, 'O youth, still joyous on thy way
Mayst thou be found; now that her purple wing
The morning waves, and the fresh woodlands sing.
Nor let cold Wisdom's voice thy heart dismay,
* Golden lads and lasses must
All follow thee, and turn to dust.
Telling thee Hope and Pleasure last not long; That Age will come, like pilgrim poor and old, And wan Disease, with cheerless aspect cold; But listen to my mirth-inspiring song:
The shadow'd landscape, and the golden sun,
The skies so pure, the vernal pastures green,
And hills and vales, at distance, softer seen,
Invite thee life's glad race secure to run;
Thine every joy the smiling prospect yields-
To-morrow to fresh streams and fairer fields *.'
As light of heart they passed along,
At once the dark musician changed his song:
Who, in tender transports lying,
While the gentle wizard sings,
Thinks not of the hour that's flying,
Or the noise of human things?'
I look'd, and saw upon a lake, alone,
Stealing beneath the bank, a little boat
(Upon whose sail the beams of morning shone)
Soft on its shade without a murmur float.
Aereal rocks gleam'd o'er the woods remote:
On all things round there was a silence deep, Save when at times was heard the turtle's notè, Or distant pipe, or bell of wandering sheep. Upon the bank myrtles and lilies grew,
And spreading woodbines mark'd a silvan cave, And sometimes, deck'd with flowers of various hue, The green-sward slope descended to the wave. And in that boat, with look that witness'd joy And hope, a beautiful and winged boy +
To-morrow to fresh woods and pastures new. + Ipse gubernator residens in puppe Cupido. Ovid.
Sat at the helm, and as the breezes fann'd
His yellow-stirring hair, filling the sail
Gently, he smiled, and lifted in his hand
A blooming Maythorn whilst the wizard sung, Old Time, as he himself were beautiful and young, And seem'd with moody joy the fairy sight to hail :
'Bless the hour Endearment gives!
Who on earth's cold climate lives
But has felt his heart rejoice,
When woman's smile and woman's voice
Hath sent, with magical control,
All sweetness to the soften'd soul.
Oh! Happiness, where art thou found
(If indeed on mortal ground),
But with faithful hearts alone,
That Love and Friendship have made one-
In tenderness and faith sincere,
In affection's sweetest tear.'
It was a livelong holiday;
And in that boat, far from the faithless crowd, They who true love and mutual trust avow'd Pursued in peace their solitary way.
And it was bliss to see the manly youth,
Whose look bespoke sincerity and truth,
Gaze upon her he loved, as he could bless
The Almighty Being, in the living light
Of whose warm sun he felt such happiness,
Whilst tears of transport almost dimm'd his sight.
To tenderness and confidence resign'd
On his protecting bosom she reclined
Her head and so, beneath the gleamy sail,
They pass'd, amid the summer-shining vale.
Meantime the hoar musician sings,
Hiding the shadow of his sable wings:-
6 Come, and forget the coil of human things!
The sound of many sorrows, that dismay
The shrinking heart of man, here dies away!
Come, pure Endearment, be this moment thine;
Kiss from the lid the tears that rapturous shine,
And let one Spirit of Affection say,
Bless'd hours, but ah! too transient, could ye stay
Your rapid flight, how sweet were Life's long way!'
Now, where a gloom of thicker myrtles grew,
The fading vision lessen'd from my view.
As far away the stealing shadows float,
Still evening slowly sheds her umbrage hoar,
One streak of light strays from the parting boat,
And softest sounds die on the distant shore.
I stood like one who with delighted eyes
Pursues the noontide rainbow as it flies;
When from a cloud that sapphire-bright appear'd,
Words, like the sound of waves remote, I heard:
'Mortal, would thy search obtain
True wisdom in a world of pain?
Oh, when all the valleys ring
To music of life's opening spring,
Let not Flattery's siren lay
Lure thy trusting heart astray.
Let Gaiety's glad dance and song
Detain, but not detain thee long.
Love's enchanting visions gleam,
But, ah! they are not what they seem!
Nor yet let sullen Care destroy
Vernal hopes and summer joy!
Use the present, but not so
That it may lead to years of woe.
Take the joys the Heavens impart,
With a meek, a thankful heart;
And think them, when they steal away,
But as companions of a day.
Love, and youth's delightful spring,
Time shall bear with rapid wing;
But, when Passion's hour is pass'd,
Fidelity and Truth shall last;
Last till life's few sands are run!
And Nature views the sinking Sun!
Nor think that then the parting knell
Sounds o'er the grave a last farewell;
For higher purer joys remain,
Far beyond yon starry plain;
Where sorrow shall no loss deplore,
Where Time and change shall be no more.’
I look'd, and saw no more the boat; the stream
Pass'd like the silent pictures of a dream—
I turn'd me to the spot, where with white beard
That phantom-minstrel o'er his harp inclined,
I saw alone his shadow vast, and heard
The sound of mighty pennons clanging in the wind!
WHEN dark November bade the leaves adieu, And the gale sung amid the seaboy's shrouds, Methought I saw four winged forms that flew, With garments streaming light,amid the cloudsFrom adverse regions of the sky,
In dim succession, they went by
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