Their food and their retreat for ever gone, Breathes its swift vapours to the circling air. V. - the Mont Blanc yet gleams on high : — power is there, In the lone glare of day, the snows descend Or the star-beams dart through them :- Winds contend Which governs thought, and to the infinite dome And what were thou, and earth, and stars, and sea, ON FANNY GODWIN. HER voice did quiver as we parted, This world is all too wide for thee. HYMN TO INTELLECTUAL BEAUTY. I. THE awful shadow of some unseen Power Floats tho' unseen amongst us, - visiting This various world with as inconstant wing As summer winds that creep from flower to flower, shower, It visits with inconstant glance Each human heart and countenance; Like aught that for its grace may be 2. Spirit of BEAUTY, that dost consecrate With thine own hues all thou dost shine upon Of human thought or form, where art thou gone? Why dost thou pass away and leave our state, This dim vast vale of tears, vacant and desolate ? Ask why the sunlight not for ever Weaves rainbows o'er yon mountain river, Why aught should fail and fade that once is shewn, Such gloom,—why man has such a scope 3. No voice from some sublimer world hath ever Therefore the names of Demon, Ghost, and Heaven, Remain the records of their vain endeavour, Frail spells-whose uttered charm might not avail to sever, From all we hear and all we see, Doubt, chance, and mutability. Thy light alone like mist o'er mountains driven, Or music by the night wind sent, Thro' strings of some still instrument, 4. Love, Hope, and Self-esteem, like clouds depart Man were immortal, and omnipotent, Didst thou, unknown and awful as thou art, Keep with thy glorious train firm state within his heart. Thou messenger of sympathies, That wax and wane in lovers' eyes Thou that to human thought art nourishment, Like darkness to a dying flame! Depart not as thy shadow came, Depart not lest the grave should be, Like life and fear, a dark reality. 5. While yet a boy I sought for ghosts, and sped I called on poisonous names with which our youth is fed, When musing deeply on the lot Of life, at that sweet time when winds are wooing Sudden, thy shadow fell on me ; I shrieked, and clasped my hands in ecstasy! 6. I vowed that I would dedicate my powers To thee and thine - have I not kept the vow? |