Beneath this hand they slumber mute,
Or speak but dreamy words.
In vain I seek the soul that dwelt
Within that once sweet shell,
Which told so warmly what it felt,
And felt what nought could tell.

Oh, ask not then for passion's lay,
From lyre so coldly strung;
With this I ne'er can sing or play,
As once I play'd and sung.

No, bring that long-lov'd lute again,
Though chill'd by years it be,

If thou wilt call the slumb'ring strain, "Twill wake again for thee.

Though time have froz'n the tuneful stream
Of thoughts that gush'd along,

One look from thee, like summer's beam,
Will thaw them into song.
Then give, oh give, that wak'ning ray,
And once more blithe and young,
Thy bard again will sing and play,
As once he play'd and sung.

THE SUMMER WEBS.

THE summer webs that float and shine, The summer dews that fall,

Though light they be, this heart of mine
Is lighter still than all.

It tells me every cloud is past
Which lately seem'd to lour;
That Hope hath wed young Joy at last,
And now's their nuptial hour!

With light thus round, within, above,
With nought to wake one sigh,
Except the wish, that all we love
Were at this moment nigh,-

It seems as if life's brilliant sun
Had stopp'd in full career,

To make this hour its brightest one,
And rest in radiance here.

STILL WHEN DAYLIGHT.

STILL when daylight o'er the wave
Bright and soft its farewell gave,
I us'd to hear, while light was falling,
O'er the wave a sweet voice calling,

Mournfully at distance calling.

Ah! once how blest that maid would come,
To meet her sea-boy hast'ning home;
And through the night those sounds repeating,
Hail his bark with joyous greeting,

Joyously his light bark greeting.

But, one sad night, when winds were high,
Nor earth, nor heaven, could hear her cry,
She saw his boat come tossing over
Midnight's wave,
but not her lover!

No, never more her lover.

And still that sad dream loth to leave, She comes with wand'ring mind at eve, And oft we hear, when night is falling, Faint her voice through twilight calling, Mournfully at twilight calling.

MIND NOT THOUGH DAYLIGHT.

MIND not though daylight around us is breaking,— Who'd think now of sleeping when morn's but just waking?

Sound the merry viol, and daylight or not,
Be all for one hour in the gay dance forgot.

See young Aurora, up heaven's hill advancing, Though fresh from her pillow, ev'n she too is dancing:

While thus all creation, earth, heaven, and sea, Are dancing around us, oh, why should not we?

Who'll say that moments we use thus are wasted? Such sweet drops of time only flow to be tasted; While hearts are high beating, and harps full in tune,

The fault is all morning's for coming so soon.

THEY MET BUT ONCE.

THEY met but once, in youth's sweet hour,
And never since that day

Hath absence, time, or grief had pow'r
To chase that dream away.
They've seen the suns of other skies,

On other shores have sought delight;
But never more, to bless their eyes,
Can come a dream so bright!
They met but once, -a day was all
Of Love's young hopes they knew;

And you shall feed him from your hand, Though he may start with fear at first. And I will lead you where he lies

For shelter in the noontide heat; And you may touch his sleeping eyes, And feel his little silv'ry feet

THE HALCYON HANGS O'ER OCEAN.

THE halcyon hangs o'er ocean,

The sea-lark skims the brine; This bright world's all in motion, No heart seems sad but mine.

To walk through sun-bright places, With heart all cold the while; To look in smiling faces,

When we no more can smile;

To feel, while earth and heaven Around thee shine with bliss, To thee no light is given,

Oh, what a doom is this!

THE WORLD WAS HUSH'D.

THE world was hush'd, the moon above Sail'd through ether slowly,

When, near the casement of my love, Thus I whisper'd lowly, "Awake, awake, how canst thou sleep? "The field I seek to-morrow

"Is one where man hath fame to reap,

"And woman gleans but sorrow."

"Let battle's field be what it may," Thus spoke a voice replying, "Think not thy love, while thou'rt away, "Will here sit idly sighing. "No-woman's soul, if not for fame,

"For love can brave all danger!" Then forth from out the casement came

A plum'd and armed stranger.

A stranger? No; 'twas she, the maid,
Herself before me beaming,
With casque array'd, and falchion blade
Beneath her girdle gleaming!
Close side by side, in freedom's fight,
That blessed morning found us;
In Vict'ry's light we stood ere night,
And Love, the morrow, crown'd us!

Place the helm on thy brow;
In thy hand take the spear,-
Thou art arm'd Cupid, now,
And thy battle-hour is near.

ROUND THE WORLD GOES.

ROUND the world goes, by day and night,
While with it also round go we;
And in the flight of one day's light

An image of all life's course we see.
Round, round, while thus we go round,
The best thing a man can do,

Is to make it, at least, a merry-go-round,
By-sending the wine round too.

Our first gay stage of life is when

Youth, in its dawn, salutes the eyeSeason of bliss! Oh, who wouldn't then Wish to cry, "Stop!" to earth and sky? But, round, round, both boy and girl

Are whisk'd through that sky of blue; And much would their hearts enjoy the whirl, If their heads didn't whirl round too.