Their food and their retreat for ever gone,
So much of life and joy is lost. The race
Of man, flies far in dread; his work and dwelling
Vanish, like smoke before the tempest's stream,
And their place is not known. Below, vast caves
Shine in the rushing torrent's restless gleam,
Which from those secret chasms in tumult welling
Meet in the vale, and one majestic River,
The breath and blood of distant lands, for ever
Rolls its loud waters to the ocean waves,
Breathes its swift vapours to the circling air.

V.

Mont Blanc yet gleams on high: - the power is there,
The still and solemn power of many sights,
And many sounds, and much of life and death.
In the calm darkness of the moonless nights,
In the lone glare of day, the snows descend
Upon that Mountain; none beholds them there,
Nor when the flakes burn in the sinking sun,
Or the star-beams dart through them : - Winds contend
Silently there, and heap the snow with breath
Rapid and strong, but silently! Its home
The voiceless lightning in these solitudes
Keeps innocently, and like vapour broods
Over the snow. The secret strength of things

Which governs thought, and to the infinite dome Of heaven is as a law, inhabits thee !

And what were thou, and earth, and stars, and sea,

If to the human mind's imaginings
Silence and solitude were vacancy?

ON FANNY GODWIN.

HER voice did quiver as we parted,
Yet knew I not that heart was broken
From which it came, and I departed
Heeding not the words then spoken.
Misery - O Misery,

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,

Like moonbeams that behind some piny mountain

shower,

It visits with inconstant glance

Each human heart and countenance ;

Like hues and harmonies of evening,

Like clouds in starlight widely spread,

Like memory of music fled, —

Like aught that for its grace may be

Dear, and yet dearer for its mystery.

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,
Why fear and dream and death and birth
Cast on the daylight of this earth
Such gloom, - why man has such a scope

For love and hate, despondency and hope?

3.

No voice from some sublimer world hath ever

To sage or poet these responses given

Therefore the names of Demon, Ghost, and Heaven,

Remain the records of their vain endeavour,

Frail spells

sever,

whose uttered charm might not avail to

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,

Or moonlight on a midnight stream,

Gives grace and truth to life's unquiet dream.

4.

Love, Hope, and Self-esteem, like clouds depart
And come, for some uncertain moments lent.

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
Thro' many a listening chamber, cave and ruin,
And starlight wood, with fearful steps pursuing
Hopes of high talk with the departed dead.

I called on poisonous names with which our youth is fed,

I was not heard I saw them not

When musing deeply on the lot

Of life, at that sweet time when winds are wooing
All vital things that wake to bring

News of birds and blossoming,

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?