XII. THE Shepherd, looking eastward, softly said, 66 Bright is thy veil, O Moon, as thou art bright!" She cast away, and shewed her fulgent head Meanwhile that Veil, removed or thrown aside, Who meekly yields, and is obscured; — content With one calm triumph of a modest pride. XIII. HAIL, Twilight, sovereign of one peaceful hour! But studious only to remove from sight Day's mutable distinctions. Ancient Power! Thus did the waters gleam, the mountains lower, On the bare rock, or through a leafy bower At thy meek bidding, shadowy Power! brought forth; The floods, the stars, - —a spectacle as old As the beginning of the heavens and earth! XIV. WITH how sad steps, O Moon, thou climb'st the sky, The power of Merlin, Goddess! this should be: And the keen Stars, fast as the clouds were riven, Should sally forth, an emulous Company, Sparkling, and hurrying through the clear blue heaven; But, Cynthia! should to thee the palm be given, Queen both for beauty and for majesty. * From a Sonnet of Sir Philip Sidney. XV. EVEN as a dragon's eye that feels the stress A gay society with faces bright, Conversing, reading, laughing; - or they sing, While hearts and voices in the song unite. XVI. MARK the concentred Hazels that enclose Yon old grey Stone, protected from the ray Of noontide suns: and even the beams that play And glance, while wantonly the rough wind blows, Are seldom free to touch the moss that grows Upon that roof- amid embowering gloom The very image framing of a Tomb, In which some ancient Chieftain finds Among the lonely mountains. repose Live, ye Trees! And Thou, grey Stone, the pensive likeness keep To mimic Time's forlorn humanities. |