Merrily swim we, the moon shines bright, There's a golden gleam on the distant height: There's a silver shower on the alders dank, And the drooping willows that wave on the bank. I see the Abbey, both turret and tower, It is all astir for the vesper hour; The monks for the chapel are leaving each cell, But where's Father Philip should toll the bell? Merrily swim we, the moon shines bright, Downward we drift through shadow and light; Under yon rock the eddies sleep, The Kelpy has risen from the fathom less pool, He has lighted his candle of death and What, ho! Sub-Prior, and came you of dool: but here Look, Father, look, and you'll laugh Toconjure a book from a dead woman's TO HALBERT. THE WHITE LADY sings or speaks YOUTH of the dark eye, wherefore didst thou call me? Wherefore art thou here, if terrors can appal thee? He that seeks to deal with us must know no fear nor failing; To coward and churl our speech is dark, our gifts are unavailing. The breeze that brought me hither now must sweep Egyptian ground, The fleecy cloud on which I ride for Araby is bound; The fleecy cloud is drifting by, the breeze sighs for my stay, For I must sail a thousand miles before the close of day. WHAT I am I must not show- Neither substance quite, nor shadow, Every change of human passion, This is all that thou may'st know. HERE lies the volume thou boldly hast sought; And scornest the nurture of gentle Touch it, and take it,-'twill dearly be RASH thy deed, Mortal weed To immortal flames applying; THY craven fear my truth accused; flown. WITHIN that awful volume lies MANY a fathom dark and deep All things revere, Has thing of dust, MORTAL warp and mortal woof Nought stands fast but truth alone. ALAS! alas! Not ours the grace These holy characters to trace: Not to us is given to share The boon bestow'd on Adam's race. |