IVY SONG. WRITTEN ON RECEIVING SOME IVY LEAVES GATHERED FROM THE RUINED CASTLE OF RHEINFELS, ON THE RHINE. OH! how could Fancy crown with thee In ancient days the God of Wine, And bid thee at the banquet be Companion of the vine? Thy home, wild plant! is where each sound Of revelry hath long been o'er, Where song's full notes once pealed around, But now are heard no more. The Roman on his battle-plains, Where kings before his eagles bent, Entwined thee with exulting strains Around the victor's tent. Yet there, though fresh in glossy green, Triumphantly thy boughs might wave, Better thou lovest the silent scene Around the victor's grave. Where sleep the sons of ages flown, The bards and heroes of the past; Where, through the halls of glory TO ONE OF THE AUTHOR'S gone, Murmurs the wintry blast; Where years are hastening to efface Each record of the grand and fair; Thou, in thy solitary grace, Wreath of the tomb! art there. To wave where banners wave of yore, CHILDREN ON HIS BIRTHDAY. For love bids it welcome, the love Yet happy, fair boy, is thy natal day! which hath smiled Ever around thee, my gentle child! O'er towers that crest the noble Rhine, Watching thy footsteps, and guarding Along his rocky shore. High from the fields of air look down Those eyries of a vanished race [head. thy bed, And pouring out joy on thy sunny Roses may vanish, but this will stayHappy and bright is thy natal day! ON A SIMILAR OCCASION. THOU wakest from rosy sleep, to play Thou hast no heavy thought or dream To cloud thy fearless eye: Yet, ere the cares of life lie dim On thy young spirit's wings So, in the onward vale of tears, When strength hath bowed to evil years, He will remember thee! And waves came rolling high and dark, And the tall mast was bowed. And men stood breathless in their And baffled in their skill; And the wind ceased-it ceased! that Passed through the gloomy sky; And slumber settled on the deep, They sank, as flowers that fold to When sultry day is past. O Thou! that in its wildest hour Send thy meek spirit forth in power, CHRIST STILLING THE TEM- Thou that didst bow the billow's PEST. FEAR was within the tossing bark pride Thy mandate to fulfil! Oh, speak to passion's raging tide, EPITAPH OVER THE GRAVE OF TWO BROTHERS, A CHILD AND A YOUTH. THOU, that canst gaze upon thine own fair boy, Come to this tomb!-it hath a voice for thee! Thou that art gathering from the smile of youth MONUMENTAL INSCRIPTION. EARTH! guard what here we lay in holy trust, But thou, O Heaven! keep, keep what thou hast taken, Guide us where these are with our sisters Blown- THE SOUND OF THE SEA. THOU art sounding on, thou mighty sea! The ancient rocks yet ring to thee- Oh! many a glorious voice is gone The Dorian flute that sighed of yore The harp of Judah peals no more The Memnon's lyre hath lost the chord That breathed the mystic tone; And the songs at Rome's high triumph poured, Are with her eagles flown. And mute the Moorish horn that rang O'er stream and mountain free; And the hymn the leagued Crusaders sang Hath died in Galilee. But thou art swelling on, thou deep! Through many an olden clime, Thy billowy anthem, ne'er to sleep Let there be silence, deep and strange, Where sceptred cities rose! Thou speakest of One who doth not change- THE CHILD AND DOVE. SUGGESTED BY CHANTREY'S STATUE OF LADY LOUISA RUSSELL. THOU art a thing on our dreams to rise, And to fling bright dew from the morning back, Thou art a thing to recall the hours When the love of our souls was on leaves and flowers, Are they gone? can we think it while thou art there, Is it not spring that indeed breathes free And fresh o'er each thought, while we gaze on thee? No! never more may we smile as thou To have met the joy of thy speaking face, To have lingered before thee, and turned, and borne A DIRGE. CALM on the bosom of thy God, Even while with us thy footstep trod, Dust, to its narrow house beneath! Lone are the paths, and sad the bowers, SCENE IN A DALECARLIAN MINE. Oh! fondly, fervently, those two had loved, "HASTE, with your torches, haste! make firelight round!" Gems bedded deep-rich veins of burning gold? Had touched those pale, bright features-yet he wore Who could unfold that mystery? From the throng From her deep. heart the spirit of the past Gushed in low broken tones-" And there thou art! |