Other dogs in thymy dew

Tracked the hares and followed through

Sunny moor or meadow

This dog only, crept and crept

Next a languid cheek that slept,

Sharing in the shadow.

Other dogs of loyal cheer

Bounded at the whistle clear,

Up the woodside hieing—

This dog only, watched in reach
Of a faintly uttered speech,
Or a louder sighing.

And if one or two quick tears
Dropped upon his glossy ears,
Or a sigh came double,-

Up he sprang in eager haste,
Fawning, fondling, breathing fast,

In a tender trouble.

And this dog was satisfied,

If a pale thin hand would glide,
Down his dewlaps sloping,

Which he pushed his nose within,
After,-platforming his chin

On the palm left open.

This dog, if a friendly voice

Call him now to blyther choice

Than such chamber-keeping,

'Come out!' praying from the door,—

Presseth backward as before,

Up against me leaping.

Therefore to this dog will I,

Tenderly not scornfully,

Render praise and favour! With my hand upon his head, Is my benediction said

Therefore, and for ever.

And because he loves me so,

Better than his kind will do

Often, man or woman,—

Give I back more love again

Than dogs often take of men,— Leaning from my Human.

Blessings on thee, dog of mine,

Pretty collars make thee fine,

Sugared milk make fat thee!

Pleasures wag on in thy tail

Hands of gentle motion fail
Nevermore, to pat thee!

Downy pillow take thy head,

Silken coverlid bestead,

Sunshine help thy sleeping!

No fly's buzzing wake thee upNo man break thy purple cup,

Set for drinking deep in.

Whiskered cats arointed flee

Sturdy stoppers keep from thee
Cologne distillations;

Nuts lie in thy path for stones,

And thy feast-day macaroons

Turn to daily rations!

Mock I thee, in wishing weal?-
Tears are in my eyes to feel

Thou art made so straightly,

Blessing needs must straighten too,

Little canst thou joy or do,

Thou who lovest greatly.

Yet be blessed to the height
Of all good and all delight

Pervious to thy nature,―

Only loved beyond that line,
With a love that answers thine,

Loving fellow-creature!

THE FOURFOLD ASPECT.

WHEN ye

stood up in the house

With your little childish feet,

And, in touching Life's first shows,

First, the touch of Love, did meet,—

Love and Nearness seeming one,

By the hearthlight cast before,

And, of all Beloveds, none

Standing farther than the door→ Not a name being dear to thought, With its owner beyond call,— Nor a face, unless it brought

Its own shadow to the wall,

When the worst recorded change

Was of cherry dropt from bough,

When love's sorrow seemed more strange

Than love's treason can seem now,