Till the war-drum throbbed no longer, and the Woman is the lesser man, and all thy passions, battle-flags were furled matched with mine, In the parliament of man, the federation of the Are as moonlight unto sunlight, and as water world. unto wine There the common sense of most shall hold a Here at least, where nature sickens, nothing. fretful realm in awe, Ah for some retreat And the kindly earth shall slumber, lapt in uni- Deep in yonder shining Orient, where my life versal law. began to beat! So I triumphed ere my passion sweeping through Where in wild Mahratta-battle fell my father, me left me dry, evil-starred; Left me with a palsied heart, and left me with I was left a trampled orphan, and a selfish the jaundiced eye; uncle's ward. Eye, to which all order festers, all things here Or to burst all links of habit, — there to wander are out of joint. far away, Science moves, but slowly, slowly, creeping on On from island unto island at the gateways of from point to point : the day, Slowly comes a hungry people, as a lion, creep- Larger constellations burning, mellow moons and ing nigher, happy skies, Glares at one that nods and winks behind a Breadths of tropic shade and palms in cluster, slowly dying fire. knots of Paradise. Yet I doubt not through the ages one increasing Never comes the trader, never floats an European flag, purpose runs, And the thoughts of men are widened with the Slides the bird o'er lustrous woodland, swings process of the suns. What is that to him that reaps not harvest of his youthful joys, hough the deep heart of existence beat forever like a boy's? Knowledge comes, but wisdom lingers; and I linger on the shore, And the individual withers, and the world is more and more. the trailer from the crag, Droops the heavy-blossomed bower, hangs the heavy-fruited tree, Summer isles of Eden lying in dark-purple spheres of sea. There, methinks, would be enjoyment more than in this march of mind In the steamship, in the railway, in the thoughts that shake mankind. Knowledge comes, but wisdom lingers, and he There the passions, cramped no longer, shall bears a laden breast, have scope and breathing-space; Full of sad experience moving toward the still- I will take some savage woman, she shall rear ness of his rest. my dusky race. Hark! my merry comrades call me, sounding on Iron-jointed, supple-sinewed, they shall dive, the bugle horn, and they shall run, They to whom my foolish passion were a target | Catch the wild goat by the hair, and hurl their for their scorn; lances in the sun, Shall it not be scorn to me to harp on such a Whistle back the parrot's call, and leap the mouldered string? rainbows of the brooks, I am shamed through all my nature to have loved Not with blinded eyesight poring over miserable so slight a thing. books Weakness to be wroth with weakness! woman's Fool, again the dream, the fancy! but I know my words are wild, pleasure, woman's pain Nature made them blinder motions bounded in But I count the gray barbarian lower than the a shallower brain; Christian child. I, to herd with narrow foreheads, vacant of our | For his, too, somewhat. Let him stand unblamed; None say, he gave me less than honor claimed, glorious gains, Like a beast with lower pleasures, like a beast Except -one trifle scarcely worth being named — with lower pains! Mated with a squalid savage, sun or clime? what to me were The heart. That's gone. The corrupt dead might be As easily raised up, breathing, - fair to see, I, the heir of all the ages, in the foremost files As he could bring his whole heart back to me. of time, I never sought him in coquettish sport, I, that rather held it better men should perish Or courted him as silly maidens court, O, had he whispered, when his sweetest kiss O, I see the crescent promise of my spirit hath Was warm upon my mouth in fancied bliss, Howsoever these things be, a long farewell to Were not my anguish far too dry and deep. Let it fall on Locksley Hall, with rain or hail, or All, anything but him. It was to be Who killed thee. Thou ne'er didst, alive, Keeps register of everything; One morning (I remember well) With this; and, very well content, Me to its game. It seemed to bless Itself in me; how could I less Had it lived long, I do not know With sweetest milk and sugar, first It waxed more white and sweet than they. I blushed to see its foot more soft And white shall I say than my hand? Nay, any lady's of the land. It is a wondrous thing how fleet But so with roses overgrown, To be a little wilderness; And all the springtime of the year Have sought it oft, where it should lie; It like a bank of lilies laid. And then to me 't would boldly trip, And its pure virgin limbs to fold Had it lived long, it would have been O, help! O, help! I see it faint, Melt in such amber tears as these. I in a golden phial will Keep these two crystal tears, and fill Now my sweet fawn is vanished to and die. First, my unhappy statue shall That I shall weep, though I be stone, For I would have thine image be ANDREW MARVELL. THE MAID'S LAMENT. I LOVED him not; and yet, now he is gone, I feel I am alone. I checked him while he spoke; yet could he speak, For reasons not to love him once I sought, To vex myself and him I now would give Who lately lived for me, and when he found He hid his face amid the shades of death! Who wasted his for me; but mine returns, ROBERT BROWNING. BLIGHTED LOVE. FLOWERS are fresh, and bushes green, Hope, that buds in lover's heart, Time makes love itself depart; Time and scorn congeal the mind, Freeze affection's warmest tears. SHIPS AT SEA. I HAVE ships that went to sea I have seen them in my sleep, I have wondered why they strayed From me, sailing round the world. And I've said, "I'm half afraid That their sails will ne'er be furled.' Great the treasures that they hold, Silks, and plumes, and bars of gold; While the spices that they bear Fill with fragrance all the air, As they sail, as they sail. |