Hoffnung.

MEN talk and men dream, as seasons roll,

of happier days arriving,

and towards some fortunate golden goal

they are ever pushing and striving.

the world it grows old and again grows young; yet still to the better men's hopes have clung. with hope man enters this world of woe,

hope is boyhood's charm and glory, she inspires the youth with her magic glow, nor is she entombed with the hoary: though the grave be his tedious journey's scope, yet still on its brink he planteth hope.

hope is not an empty fluttering cloud,

nor did the fool's brain beget her:

she speaks from the heart, and she calls aloud, 'we are born for better and better.' and that which the inward voice doth say is the hopeful spirit's surest stay.

From SCHILLER.

Urania.

GOD! O God! I seek Thee erringly.far, o far in yon blue-vaulted heaven

where thy temple is, I seek thy track: there I seek hope, comfort, rest, till driven weeping to the arms of Nature back. to the stars my lonely sorrow cryeth,

and I utter many a sobbing 'why?' not an echoing voice to mine replyeth;

all is still, and mute the midnight's sigh. From TIEDGE.

Sympathie. (HAYDN.)

I LOVE thee: words were weak to tell the might of thy resistless spell:

a sweeter bliss than life would be to lay down life for thee.

mine eye reflects the light of thine,
as wave-reflected sunbeams shine:
thy smile elates, thy looks control,
thy song enchants my soul.

thy grasp is extasy, thy kiss
a visit from the land of bliss ;
my very being seems to be
enwrapt, entranc'd by thee.

the tears, as o'er thy cheek they roll,
wake all the music of my soul:
my heart expanding springs to thine,
and makes thy being mine.

ah! life without thee coldly glooms,
but round thee spring unfading blooms;
thou art the pole-star of my way,
the sunlight of my day.

by care opprest or wild alarms,
I fly for refuge to thy arms:
for there I find an ark of rest,
thy fond and faithful breast.

let fortune vex me with her wrath,
or strew with roses all my path;
whatever lot on earth be given,
with thee 'tis almost heaven.

together may we dwell in peace,
and, when our sojourn here shall cease,
together travel, hand in hand,

unto the better land.

The Rose-tree. (LORENZ.)

A CHILD sleeps under the rose-tree's shade,
while May-gales whisper their serenade;
so glad the smiles o'er her face that gleam,
she plays with angels in holy dream.

the years glide onward.

a maiden stands in the rose-tree's shade, her ringlets twined with a summer braid; new thoughts, new feelings, new hopes arise, revealed in her softly eloquent eyes.

the years glide onward.

a mother stands in the rose-tree's shade;
sad hues of autumn invest the glade.
her thoughts are all of the buried years,
her eyes are swimming in mournful tears.
the years glide onward.

the-rose-tree stands, but without its shade,
all winter-stricken and disarray'd:
its flowery odour, its leafy bloom,
have faded over a lonely tomb.
the years glide onward.

From FERRAND.

Warnung.

O LOVE, while love is in thy pow'r ; o love, till love must fall asleep; there comes an hour, there comes an hour to stand beside a grave, and weep.

the heart that loves thee to retain do all a loving heart can do; and every moment make it fain, and not a moment make it rue.

keep warm thy heart, lest love depart

and leave thee loveless, cold, alone,warm, while there glows another heart with warmth responsive to thine own. and guard it well, o guard thy tongue : a bitter word is light to say :— 'o God! it was not meant in wrong:yet ah! 'twas keen enough to slay. and now beneath the churchyard tree lowly thou liest at evening's fall, with wild wet gazing eyes, that see the dank deep grass-and that is all. 'look down, look down on my distress; forgive, forgive my erring tongue : look down,' you cry, 'forgive and bless; o God! I meant no cureless wrong.' none sees, none hears, none hastens now, as once, to nestle by thy side: those loving lips are mute :-yet know

they blest and pardoned ere they died.

they blest and pardoned long ago, while many an anguished tear was shed; and now from life-consuming woe the rest is won, the flight is sped.

love all, while love is in your power; love all, till love must fall asleep: there comes an hour, there comes an hour to stand beside a grave, and weep.

Allgemach.

SLOWLY, slowly from the caves of night steps the sun upon his path of light, paling stars and red clouds upward flying the great day-king's advent prophesying. slowly, slowly to the waiting field

comes the spring in wavy mist concealed, merry_lark and merle and plover's crying the sweet season's advent prophesying.

slowly, slowly nature's care again robes the naked forest, hill and plain, bursting buds and odorous breezes sighing the rich summer's advent prophesying.

slowly, slowly from unconscious rest love and joy wake in the suckling's breast, laughing eyes to mother-eyes replying the glad child-love's advent prophesying. slowly, slowly nears its promised birth heaven's mercy to the groaning earth, whispers in the wide world born and dying the Redeemer's Advent prophesying.

From KRUMMACHER.