A woman is kneeling beside him; And far from over the distance And the rattling roll of drum. Then the grandsire speaks, in a whisper, "The end no man can see; But we give him to his country, And we give our prayers Thee." The violets star the meadows, The pink-white blossoms pour. Because those eyes of gentle mirth Because the sweetest voice on earth Shall my strong love the less endure ? Ah, no! let lovers breathe their sighs, And roses bloom, and music sound. And passion burn in lips and eyes, And pleasure's merry world go round: to Let golden sunshine flood the sky, And let me love, or let me die! WITHEREd roses. Nor made by worth, nor marred by flaw, Not won by good, nor lost by ill, And lives and dies by its own will. Not bound by oath, nor stayed by Nor held by thirst of strong desire, Love lives like fragrance in the air. And dies as breaking waves expire. 'Twas death, not falsehood, bade us part, The death of love that broke my heart. I will not wake the sleeping lyre; The sweetest fruit of all desire Till now his genius fills a throne, And homage makes his realm complete. Comes its own way, and comes un-One meed of justice, long delayed. sought. One crowning grace his virtues crave! Though all the bards of earth were Ah, take, thou great and injured dead, And all their music passed away, What nature wishes should be said She'll find the rightful voice to say! Her heart is in the shimmering leaf, The drifting cloud, the lonely sky, And all we know of bliss or grief She speaks, in forms that cannot die. shade, The love that sanctifies the grave. And may thy spirit, hovering nigh, through, And know, with fame that cannot die, Thou hast the world's compassion too! GEORGE WITHER. FROM "POVERTY." THE works my calling doth propose, Let me not idly shun; For he whom idleness undoes, Is more than twice undone: If my estate enlarge I may, Enlarge my love for Thee; For be we poor or be we rich, The rich in love obtain from Thee FOR A WIDOWER OR WIDOW, How near me came the hand of death, When at my side he struck my dear, How helpless am I thereby made- sad And now my life's delight is gone, Alas! how am I left alone! The voice which I did more esteem Than music in her sweetest key, Those eyes which unto me did seem More comfortable than the day Those now by me, as they have been! Shall never more be heard or seen; But what I once enjoyed in them Shall seem hereafter as a dream. All earthly comforts vanish thus- Yet we are neither just nor wise I therefore do not so bemoan, Lord, keep me faithful to the trust For though our being man and wife Extendeth only to this life, Yet neither life nor death should end The being of a faithful friend. Those helps which I through him enjoyed, Let Thy continual aid supplyThat, though some hopes in him are void, I always may on Thee rely; And whether I shall wed again, Unto Thine honor let it be, And for a blessing unto me. FOR A SERVANT. DISCOURAGE not thyself, my soul, Our mean and much despised lot, To be a servant is not base, The Lord of heaven and earth was pleased A servant's form to undertake; were. He was reviled, yet naught replied, In part I always faulty am: And act an humble servant's part, |