THE CHILD AND DOVE. SUGGESTED BY CHANTREY'S STATUE OF LADY LOUISA RUSSELL. THOU art a thing on our dreams to rise, 'Midst the echoes of long-lost melodies, And to fling bright dew from the morning back, Fair form! on each image of childhood's track. Thou art a thing to recall the hours When the love of our souls was on leaves and flowers; When a world was our own in some dim sweet grove, And treasure untold in one captive dove. Are they gone? can we think it, while thou art there, No! never more may we smile as thou To have met the joy of thy speaking face, A DIRGE. CALM on the bosom of thy God, Dust, to its narrow house beneath! They that have seen thy look in death, Lone are the paths, and sad the bowers, SCENE IN A DALECARLIAN MINE. "O! fondly, fervently, those two had loved, "HASTE, with your torches, haste! make firelight round!". They speed, they press-what hath the miner found? Relic or treasure-giant sword of old? Gems bedded deep-rich veins of burning gold? Not so-the dead, the dead! An awe-struck band, In silence gathering round the silent stand, Chain'd by one feeling, hushing e'en their breath, Before the thing that, in the might of death, Fearful, yet beautiful, amidst them layA sleeper, dreaming not!-a youth with hair Making a sunny gleam (how sadly fair!) O'er his cold brow: no shadow of decay Had touch'd those pale bright features-yet he wore Who could unfold that mystery? From the throng With the loved face once more-the young, fair face, 'Midst that rude cavern, touch'd with sculpture's grace, By torchlight and by death:-until at last From her deep heart the spirit of the past Gush'd in low broken tones: "And there thou art! And thus we meet, that loved, and did but part As for a few brief hours!-My friend, my friend! First-love, and only one! Is this the end Of hope deferr'd, youth blighted? Yet thy brow VOL. IV.. -30 Still wears its own proud beauty, and thy cheek Smiles-how unchanged!-while I, the worn, and weak. And faded-oh! thou wouldst but scorn me now, Met the fierce mountain-tempest, undismay'd, Oh! since their youth's last passionate farewell, ENGLISH SOLDIER'S SONG OF MEMORY. TO THE AIR OF "AM RHEIN, AM RHEIN!" SING, sing in memory of the brave departed, Let song and wine be pour'd! Pledge to their fame, the free and fearless-hearted, Our brethren of the sword! ENGLISH SOLDIER'S SONG OF MEMORY. 351 Oft at the feast, and in the fight, their voices Fill high the cup, but when the soul rejoices, They that stood with us, 'midst the dead and dying, They that beside us cheerly track'd the flying, They that amidst us, when the shells were showering From old Rodrigo's wall, The rampart scaled, through clouds of battle towering, First, first at Victory's call! They that upheld the banners, proudly waving, With England's blood the southern vineyards laving, Sing, sing in memory of the brave departed, Let song and wine be pour'd! Pledge to their fame, the free and fearless-hearted, Our brethren of the sword! |