His head upon a stone reclined, And as he poured his parting breath, Methought the living spark enshrined, Was triumphing in death.. A few faint beams of living light Were struggling through the grated bar ; Illumining the path of night, And pointing to his home afar :- There stood a hue of heavenly birth; And then his eye grew proudly bright, Now Father, for the chariot, now, -the living steed The fiery car My Father's house-my spirit's dome Burst, burst your bonds-the soul is freed, Rise to your Eden home!' Anon. SERENADE. I. The mist is on the mountain, The shadow on the fountain Now deeper down doth lower! The foliage, though brown its dress, Assumes a browner hue; For day, with all its loveliness, The stars are in the heaven sown, And like to angels' eyes, In gentleness are looking down, The moon is brightly beaming on Our favourite bower and me; And must I linger here alone, III. Our trysted hour long since hath rung To hail the twilight hour; Then what can stay my Lady-love, 'Tis past her time-the turtle dove Is nestled with his mate IV. A step is on the yielding grass, And ah! the flowers that feel her pass, Rise brighter to the view; "Tis she herself who treads the grove, With fleetest, foot to me, My Lady-love! my Lady-love! All welcome be to thee! William Anderson. THE PAINS OF SLEEP. Ere on my bed my limbs I lay, It hath not been my use to pray With moving lips or bended knees; In humble trust my eye-lids close No wish conceived, no thought expressed! Only a sense of supplication, A sense o'er all my soul imprest But yester-night I prayed aloud, Of shapes and thoughts that tortured me, A lurid light, a trampling throng, Sense of intolerable wrong, And whom I scorned, those only strong! Thirst of revenge, the powerless will Fantastic passions! maddening brawl! For all seemed guilt, remorse or woe, So two nights passed: the night's dismay Saddened and stunned the coming day. Sleep, the wide blessing seemed to me Distemper's worst calamity. The third night, when my own loud scream And having thus by tears subdued Such punishments, I said, were due |