STANZAS. BY T. HOOD, ESQ. I REMEMBER, I remember The house where I was born, He never came a wink too soon, I remember, I remember The lilacs, where the robins built, And where my brother set The laburnum on his birth-day The tree is living yet! I remember, I remember Where I was used to swing, And thought the air would rush as fresh To swallows on the wing; -My spirit flew in feathers, then, That is so heavy, now; And summer pools could hardly cool I remember, I remember The fir trees, dark and high; I used to think their slender spires Were close against the sky; It was a childish ignorance, But now 'tis little joy To know I'm further off from heaven, Than when I was a boy! THE SICILIAN VESPERS. SILENCE o'er sea and earth With the veil of evening fell, Till the convent tower sent deeply forth The chime of its vesper bell. One moment and that solemn sound Fell heavily on the ear; But a sterner echo passed around; And the boldest shook to hear. The startled monks thronged up, In the torch-light cold and dim ; The peasant heard the sound, As he sat beside his hearth; And the song and the dance were hushed around, The chieftain shook in his bannered hall, And the warder shrank from the castle wall, Wo! wo!. to the stranger then, At the feast and flow of wine, In the red array of mailed men, Or bowed at the holy shrine; For the wakened pride of an injured land From the plumed chief to the pilgrim band, Wo! wo!-to the sons of Gaul! Proud beings fell that hour, With the young and passing fair, And the flame went up from dome and tower ; The avenger's arm was there! The stranger priest at the altar stood, But the holy shrine grew dim with blood; Wo!-wo!-to the sons of Gaul, They were gathered darkly, one and all, And the morning sun with a quiet smile Aye the sunshine sweetly smiled, As its early glance came forth; It had no sympathy with the wild And the man of blood that day might read, How ill his dark and midnight deed Became the calm of heaven. THE SHIP'S DEPARTURE. BY JOHN WILSON. AND lo! upon the murmuring waves A broad-winged vessel through the shower As if the beauteous ship enjoyed The beauty of the sea, She lifteth up her stately head, And saileth joyfully. A lovely path before her lies, She sails amid the loveliness, Like a thing with heart and mind. Fit pilgrim through a scene so fair, A glorious phantom of the deep, Risen up to meet the moon. The moon bids her tenderest radiance fall On her wavy streamer and snow-white wings, And the quiet voice of the rocking sea To cheer the gliding vision sings. In such a holy sleep, |