แ LUCY. Such thoughts to Lucy I will give THREE years she grew, in sun and While she and I together live shower; Then Nature said, "A lovelier flower On earth was never sown. This child I to myself will take; She shall be mine, and I will make A lady of my own. "Myself will to my darling be The girl, on rock and plain, In earth and heaven, in glade and bower, Shall feel an overseeing power, To kindle and restrain. "She shall be sportive as the fawn That wild with glee across the lawn Or up the mountain springs, And hers shall be the breathing balm, And hers the silence and the calm Of mute, insensate things. The floating clouds their state shall lend To her; for her the willow bend; Nor shall she fail to see, Even in the notions of the storm, Here in this happy dell.' Full of kindness tingling, Soul is shut from soul, When they might be mingling In one kindred whole. There's no dearth of kindness, Though it be unspoken: From the heart it buildeth Rainbow smiles in token That there be none so lowly But have some angel-touch, Yet, nursing loves unholy, We live for self too much. As the wild rose bloweth, As runs the happy river, Kindness freely floweth In the heart for ever; But if men will hanker Ever for golden dust, There's no dearth of kindness. We gather thorns for flowers. Were it not for love. TRUTH. GERALD MASSEY. TRUTH Comes to us with a slow and doubtful step, JAMES GATES PERCIVAL. SOPHRONIA AND OLINDO. FROM THE ITALIAN OF TORQUATO TASSO. SELECTED FROM "JERUSALEM DELIVERED;" TRANSLATED IN THE METRE OF THE ORIGINAL. SMENE one day before the Thy zeal as king and leader I admire ; And lay within thy mosque. Then my re source Of magic shall frame spells of power so grand Whether the work by human art were planned Or wrought by miracle-fame yet doubtful goes; That, while it shall stand safe there, through But piety demands that man recede, time's course These gates in fatal safety too shall stand; Thine empire shall remain secure from harm 'Mid walls impregnable through this new charm." So spake he, and persuaded him. The king The sacred image from its chaste abode, And bear it to that fane where vain rites bring Down on the adorers oft the heavenly rod. In place profane, then, o'er the holy prize Muttered the sorcerer his blasphemies. But when the new-born dawn in heaven appeared, He who was guardian of the unclean place Saw not the image where it had been reared, And, searching elsewhere, found of it no trace. He quickly informs the king, who, having heard Such news, displays hot anger in his face, And he feels sure some Faithful one has done That outrage, though discovered yet by none. Whether 'twere furtive work of Faithful hand, Or Heaven itself resolved to interpose, Scorning that the image of its queen should stand Within a spot polluted by its foes And Heaven be deemed the author of the deed. The king caused every house to be espied The theft or thief announced reward or And to find out the truth the mage applied Unceasingly his arts, but all were vain, For, be the work to Heaven or mortal given, Spite of his charms 'twas veiled from him by But when the fierce king sees the crime hidd'n still, Which he imputes to the Faithful, higher and higher With hate to these his heart begins to fill, And burn with an immoderate boundless ire. He scorns all laws, and have revenge he will, Ensue what may, and vent his bosom's fire. "My rage," he said, "shall not be vain : 'mid all His slaughtered sect the unknown thief shall fall. "So that the guilty 'scape not, let the just And guiltless perish. Guiltless, do I say? Each one is culpable; nor could we trust E'en one man ever 'mid their whole array. |