And, though herself not unacquaint with care,

Hath in her heart wide room for all that be,

Her heart that hath no secrets of its own,

But open is as eglantine full blown. Cloudless forever is her brow serene, Speaking calm hope and trust within her, whence

Welleth a noiseless spring of patience, That keepeth all her life so fresh, so green

And full of holiness, that every look, The greatness of her woman's soul revealing, Unto me bringeth blessing, and a feeling

As when I read in God's own holy book.

A graciousness in giving that doth

make

The small'st gift greatest, and a sense most meek

Of worthiness, that doth not fear to take

From others, but which always fears to speak Its thanks in utterance, for the giver's sake;

The deep religion of a thankful heart, Which rests instinctively in Heaven's clear law

With a full peace, that never can depart

From its own steadfastness;—a holy not those which men

awe

For holy things, call holy, But such as are revealed to the eyes Of a true woman's soul bent down and lowly

Before the face of daily mysteries:A love that blossoms soon, but ripens slowly

To the full goldenness of fruitful prime, Enduring with a firmness that defies All shallow tricks of circumstance and time,

By a sure insight knowing where to cling,

And where it clingeth never withering;

These are Irené's dowry, which no fate Can shake from their serene, deepbuilded state.

In-seeing sympathy is hers, which chasteneth

No less than loveth, scorning to be bound

With fear of blame, and yet which ever hasteneth

To pour the balm of kind looks on the wound,

If they be wounds which such sweet teaching makes,

Giving itself a pang for others' sakes; No want of faith, that chills with sidelong eye,

Hath she; no jealousy, no Levite pride That passeth by upon the other side; For in her soul there never dwelt a lie. Right from the hand of God her spirit

came

Unstained, and she hath ne'er forgotten whence

It came, nor wandered far from thence, But laboreth to keep her still the same, Near to her place of birth, that she may not Soil her white raiment with an earthly spot.