for feeling or spontaneity; no irrelevancy or unfitness of any sort. All flows out of sincerity and passion. The writer is as much in love with the heroine as his hero is; his description of the painted window, however gorgeous, has not an untrue or superfluous word; and the only speck of a fault in the whole poem arises from an excess of emotion. THE EVE OF SAINT AGNES.1 I. St. Agnes' Eve-Ah! bitter chill it was; Numb were the beadsman's fingers while he told Like pious incense from a censer old, Seem'd taking flight for heaven without a death Past the sweet Virgin's picture, while his prayer he saith.3 II. His prayer he saith, this patient, holy man, Then takes his lamp, and riseth from his knees, And back returneth, meagre, barefoot, wan, Along the chapel aisle by slow degrees : The sculptur'd dead on each side seem'd to freeze, To think how they may ache in icy hoods and mails.1 III. Northward he turneth through a little door, And scarce three steps, ere music's golden tongue Flatter'd to tears this aged man and poor :5 Rough ashes sat he, for his soul's reprieve ; IV. That ancient beadsman heard the prelude soft; Stared, where upon their heads the cornice rests, With hair blown back, and wings put cross-wise on their breasts. V. At length burst in the argent revelry With plume, tiara, and all rich array, Numerous as shadows haunting fairily The brain, new stuff'd, in youth, with triumphs gay And turn, sole-thoughted, to one lady there, VI. They told her how, upon St. Agnes' Eve, And couch supine their beauties, lily white; Of Heaven with upward eyes for all that they desire. VII. Full of this whim was youthful Madeline; VIII. She danc'd along with vague, regardless eyes, IX. So, purposing each moment to retire, She linger'd still, Meantime across the moors, For Madeline. Beside the portal doors Buttress'd from moonlight, stands he, and implores All saints to give him sight of Madeline, But for one moment in the tedious hours, That he might gaze and worship all unseen, Perchance speak, kneel, touch, kiss ;-in sooth such things have been. X. He ventures in, let no buzz'd whisper tell; Save one old beldame, weak in body and in soul. XI. Ah! happy chance! the aged creature came The sound of merriment and chorus bland. XII. "Get hence! get hence! there's dwarfish Hildebrand, He cursed thee and thine, both house and land: And tell me how-"-" Good Saints! not here! not here! Follow me, child, or else these stones will be thy bier." XIII. He follow'd through a lowly, arched way, And as she mutter'd, "Well-a-well-a-day!" He found him in a little moonlight room, 6 Pale, latticed, chill, and silent as a tomb. "Now tell me where is Madeline," said he ; "Oh, tell me, Angela, by the holy loom Which none but secret sisterhood may see, When they St. Agnes' wool are weaving piously." XIV. "St. Agnes! Ah! it is St. Agnes' Eve- But let me laugh awhile; I've mickle time to grieve." XV. Feebly she laugheth in the languid moon, While Porphyro upon her face doth look, Like puzzled urchin on an aged crone, Who keepeth clos'd a wondrous riddle-book, As spectacled she sits in chimney nook ; But soon his eyes grow brilliant, when she told His lady's purpose; and he scarce could brook Tears, at the thought of those enchantments cold," And Madeline asleep in lap of legends old. XVI. Sudden a thought came, like a full-blown rose, Sweet lady! let her pray, and sleep and dream, |