HE rising moon has hid the stars: And silver-white the river gleams, Had dropped her silver bow On such a tranquil night as this, Like Dian's kiss, unasked, unsought, It comes-the beautiful, the free, To seek the elected one. It lifts the boughs, whose shadows deep Of him who slumbering lies. O weary hearts! O slumbering eyes! Are fraught with fear and pain, No one is so accursed by fate, No one so utterly desolate, But some heart, though unknown, Responds, as if with unseen wings, "Where hast thou stayed so long?" LONGFELLOW. SONG. EAR, ye ladies that despise Fair Calisto was a nun; Leda, sailing on the stream To deceive the hopes of man, Love accounting but a dream, Doted on a silver swan; Danaë, in a brazen tower, Where no love was, loved a shower. Hear, ye ladies that are coy, What the mighty Love can do ; Fear the fierceness of the boy; The chaste Moon he makes to woo; Vesta, kindling holy fires, Circled round about with spies, Never dreaming loose desires, Doting at the altar dies. Ilion in a short hour higher He can build, and once more fire. BEAUMONT AND FLETCHER. TO THE CAMELIA JAPONICA, AFTER FLOWERING. B EAUTIFUL light of the wintry hour! Now that thy last white blossom is gone, Now that our eyes their feast have done, Born in the dark and stormy day, Come the dull morning's misty light, Now thou art faded, and months of bloom To the Camelia Japonica. The rel, red rose shall enchant the eye, The earth we tread shall be daisied o er, Turn we away, then-but not as those Hail and farewell, then, beautiful flower! 113 EMILY TAYLOR. |