Birds Nests. I know not where-it matters not; Hid from the glance of urchins' eyes, The clustering leaves, a closer screen. In bank, in bush, in hollow hole On the gray cliffs that haughtily On heath, and mountain hoar, In grassy tuft, in ivy'd tower, Beautiful things! than I, no boy I would not bear them from the nest, But, like the soul screen'd in the breast, Like gems in beauteous setting, Amidst Spring's leafy, green array With joy, the boughs where they abide. 87 The mysteries of life's early day Like it, they glitter'd and they flew But not a charm of yours has faded, Now jewels cold, and now pervaded Methinks, even as I gaze, there springs And wandering thought has onward flown To lands, to summer lands afar, To the mangrove, and the palm ; Led by a blissful charm: Like toys in beauty here they lay— They are gone o'er the sounding ocean's spray ; They are gone to bowers and skies more fair, And have left us to our march of care. The Partition of the Earth. I thought that morning cloud was bless'd, It moved so sweetly to the west. I saw two summer currents Flow smoothly to their meeting, And join their course, with silent force, In peace each other greeting: Calm was their course through banks of green, Such be your gentle motion, Till life's last pulse shall beat; Like summer's beam, and summer's stream, A calmer sea, where storms shall cease- 89 The Partition of the Earth. FROM SCHILLER. BY LORD FRANCIS LEVESON GOWER. WHEN HEN Jove had encircled our planet with light, And had given the moon to illume it by night, And the bright sun to rule it by day, The reign of its surface he found to agree The hunter he sped to the forest and wood, But fearful and wild were the looks that he cast The mien of disorder, the wreath which he wore, And he rush'd all in tears at the fatal decree To the foot of the Thunderer's throne, And complain'd that no spot of the earth or the sea Had been given the bard as his own. And the Thunderer smiled at his prayer and his mien, "It hung on thy visage, it bask'd in thy smile, And forgive, if bewilder'd and dazzled the while, “The earth,” says the Godhead, "is portion'd away, And I cannot reverse the decree; But the heavens are mine, and the regions of day, |