He paced along; and, pensively, Halung beneath a shady tree, Fire raged, and when the spangled floor Of ancient ether was no more, Whose moss-grown root might serve for New heavens succeeded, by the dream couch or seat, Fixed on a star his upward eye; Then, from the tenant of the sky brought forth : And all the happy souls that rode He turned, and watched with kindred look, Had heretofore, in humble trust, Shone meekly 'mid their native dust, The glow-worms of the earth! This knowledge, from an angel's voice HINT FROM THE MOUNTAINS FOR CERTAIN POLITICAL PRETENders. "WHO but hails the sight with pleasure With great enterprise; "Mark him, how his power he uses ANSWER. "Stranger, 'tis no act of courage "Such it is;-the aspiring creature A dull helpless thing, In sight of the spires, All alive with the fires Of the sun going down to his rest, While they dance on the calm river's breast. Men and maidens wheel, They themselves make the reel, And their music's a prey which they seize; It plays not for them,-what matter? 'tis theirs; [cares, And if they had care, it has scattered their While they dance, crying, "Long as ye please!" They dance not for me, Yet mine is their glee! Thus pleasure is spread through the earth In stray gifts, to be claimed by whoever shall find; [kind, Thus a rich loving-kindness, redundantly Moves all nature to gladness and mirth. The showers of the spring Rouse the birds, and they sing; If the wind do but stir for his proper delight, Each leaf, that and this, his neighbour will kiss; [his brother; Each wave, one and t'other, speeds after They are happy, for that is their right! ADDRESS TO MY INFANT DAUGHTER, Happier, far happier is thy lot and ours! ON BEING REMINDED, THAT SHE WAS A Resemblances, or contrasts, that connect, MONTH OLD ON THAT DAY. HAST thou then survived, Mild offspring of infirm humanity, Already hast survived that great decay; That transformation through the wide earth felt, And by all nations. In that Being's sight Neither A measure is of Thee, whose claims extend Or the night's darkness, or its cheerful face Thine infant history, on the minds of those Who might have wandered with thee.Mother's love, Nor less than mother's love in other breasts, Will, among us warm clad and warmly housed, Do for thee what the finger of the heavens Within the region of a father's thoughts, Thee and thy mate and sister of the sky. And first;-thy sinless progress, through a world By sorrow darkened and by care disturbed, Apt likeness bears to hers, through gathered clouds, Moving untouched in silver purity, And cheering oft-times their reluctant gloom. [stain: Fair are ye both, and both are free from But thou, how leisurely thou fill'st thy horn With brightness ! leaving her to post along, And range about-disquieted in change, And still impatient of the shape she wears. Once up, once down the hill, one journey, babe, That will suffice thee; and it seems that now Thou hast fore-knowledge that such task is thine; Thou travell'st so contentedly, and sleep'st In such a heedless peace. Alas! full soon Hath this conception, grateful to behold, Changed countenance, like an object sullied o'er By breathing mist! and thine appears to be A mournful labour, while to her is given Hope-and a renovation without end. That smile forbids the thought;-for on thy face [dawn, Smiles are beginning, like the beams of To shoot and circulate;-smiles have there been seen, Tranquil assurances that Heaven supports The feeble motions of thy life, and cheers Thy loneliness;--or shall those smiles be called Feelers of love,-put forth as if to explore This untried world, and to prepare thy way Through a strait passage intricate and dim? Such are they,- and the same are tokens, signs, [arrived, Which, when the appointed season hath Joy, as her holiest language, shall adopt; And reason's godlike power be proud to own. 86 Poems of the Imagination. THERE was a boy; ye knew him well, ye cliffs And islands of Winander! many a time, Pressed closely palm to palm and to his Across the watery vale, and shout again, Responsive to his call, -with quivering peals, [loud And long halloos, and screams, and echoes Redoubled and redoubled; concourse wild Of mirth and jocund din! And, when it chanced That pauses of deep silence mocked his skill, Then, sometimes, in that silence, while he hung Listening, a gentle shock of mild surprise Into the bosom of the steady lake. This boy was taken from his mates, and died [old. In childhood, ere he was full twelve years Fair is the spot, most beautiful the vale Where he was born; the grassy church-yard hangs Upon a slope above the village school; And through that church-yard when my way has led At evening, I believe, that oftentimes ΤΟ ON HER FIRST ASCENT TO THE SUMMIT INMATE of a mountain-dwelling, From the watch-towers of Helvellyn; Awed, delighted, and amazed: Potent was the spell that bound thee, For blue ether's arms, flung round thee, Lo! the dwindled woods and meadows! Lo! the clouds, the solemn shadows, And a record of commotion Take thy flight;-possess, inherit Thine are all the choral fountains Of the untrodden lunar mountains; To Niphate's top invited, For the power of hills is on thee, TO THE CUCKOO. O BLITHE new-comer! I have heard, I hear thee and rejoice. O Cuckoo! shall I call thee bird, Or but a wandering voice? While I am lying on the gras High as the level of the mountain tops) Hundreds of curves and circles, to and fro, plumes; To show them a fair image ;-'tis them- Painted more soft and fair as they descend rest! YEW-TREES. THERE is a yew-tree, pride of Lorton Vale, Which to this day stands single, in the midst Of its own darkness, as it stood of yore, Not loth to furnish weapons for the bands Of Umfraville or Percy ere they marched To Scotland's heaths; or those that crossed the sca |