The nurse shall cry, of all her ills beguiled, ""Twas on these knees he sate so oft and smiled." And soon again shall music swell the breeze; Soon, issuing forth, shall glitter through the trees Vestures of nuptial white; and hymns be sung, And violets scattered round; and old and young, In every cottage-porch with garlands green, Stand still to gaze, and, gazing, bless the scene; While, her dark eyes declining, by his side Moves in her virgin-veil the gentle bride. And once, alas, nor in a distant hour, Another voice shall come from yonder tower; When in dim chambers long black weeds are seen, And weepings heard where only joy has been; When by his children borne, and from his door Slowly departing to return no more, He rests in holy earth with them that went before. And such is Human Life; so gliding on, It glimmers like a meteor, and is gone! Stretched in the desert round their evening-fire; As any sung of old in hall or bower To minstrel-harps at midnight's witching hour! Of Elfin-size-for ever as we run, We cast a longer shadow in the sun! And now a charm, and now a grace is won! grow in stature, and in wisdom too! We And, as new scenes, new objects rise to view, Yet, all forgot, how oft the eyelids close, While many an emmet comes with curious eye; Nor do we speak or move, or hear or see; So like what once we were, and once again shall be! And say, how soon, where, blithe as innocent, The boy at sunrise carolled as he went, An aged pilgrim on his staff shall lean, No eye observes the growth or the decay. To-day we look as we did yesterday; And we shall look to-morrow as to-day. Yet while the loveliest smiles her locks grow gray! How would she shrink!-Returning from afar, Before a wife, a father, and a son! And such is Human Life, the general theme. Ah, what at best, what but a longer dream? Though with such wild romantic wanderings fraught, Such forms in Fancy's richest colouring wrought, That, like the visions of a love-sick brain, Who would not sleep and dream them o'er again? Our pathway leads but to a precipice; And all must follow, fearful as it is! From the first step 'tis known; but-No delay! On, 'tis decreed. We tremble and obey. A thousand ills beset us as we go. -"Still, could I shun the fatal gulf"-Ah, no, 'Tis all in vain-the inexorable Law! Nearer and nearer to the brink we draw. Verdure springs up; and fruits and flowers invite, At length the brink appears-but one step more! Yet here high passions, high desires unfold, That will not, cannot but with life expire! Now, seraph-winged, among the stars we soar; And judge the act, the actor now no more; Wealth, Pleasure, Ease, all thought of self resigned, What will not Man encounter for Mankind? Behold him now unbar the prison-door, And, lifting Guilt, Contagion from the floor, To Peace and Health, and Light and Life restore; Now in. Thermopyla remain to share Death-nor look back, nor turn a footstep there, And now like Pylades (in heaven they write Look where he comes! Rejoicing in his birth, Awhile he moves as in a heaven on earth! Sun, moon, and stars-the land, the sea, the sky To him shine out as in a galaxy! |