TO NIGHT. SWIFTLY walk o'er the western wave, Out of the misty eastern cave, Where, all the long and lone day-light, Thou wovest dreams of joy and fear, Swift be thy flight! Wrap thy form in a mantle grey, Star in-wrought! Blind with thine hair the eyes of day; Then wander o'er city, and sea, and land, Come, long-sought! When I arose, and saw the dawn, I sigh'd for thee! When light rode high, and the dew was gone, And noon lay heavy on flower and tree, I sigh'd for thee. SPECIMENS OF LYRICAL, NARRATIVE, AND DESCRIPTIVE POETRY, FROM LIVING AUTHORS. WILLIAM WORDSWORTH. RUTH. WHEN Ruth was left half desolate, And she had made a Pipe of straw, Beneath her Father's roof, alone She seem'd to live; her thoughts her own; Pleased with herself, nor sad nor gay, There came a Youth from Georgia's shoreA military Casque he wore With splendid feathers drest; He brought them from the Cherokees : And made a gallant crest. From Indian blood you deem him sprung: And, when America was free He 'cross the ocean came. With hues of genius on his cheek The moon, the glory of the sun, And streams that murmur as they run, Had been his dearest joy. He was a lovely Youth! I guess The panther in the wilderness Was not so fair as he; And, when he chose to sport and play, No dolphin ever was so gay Upon the tropic sea. Among the Indians he had fought; Such tales as, told to any Maid By such a Youth, in the green shade, He told of Girls, a happy rout! Who quit their fold with dance and shout, To gather strawberries all day long; When daylight is gone down. He spake of plants divine and strange With budding, fading, faded flowers, He told of the Magnolia, (a) spread -Of flowers (b) that with one scarlet gleam To set the hills on fire. (a) Magnolia grandiflora. (b) The splendid appearance of these scarlet flowers, which are scattered with such profusion over the hills in the southern parts of North America, is frequently mentioned by Bartram in his Travels. The Youth of green savannahs spake, Of islands, that together lie Among the evening clouds. And then he said, "How sweet it were A fisher or a hunter there, A gardener in the shade, Still wandering with an easy mind To build a household fire, and find A home in every glade! "What days and what sweet years! Ah me! Our life were life indeed, with thee So passed in quiet bliss, And all the while," said he, "to know And then he sometimes interwove "Sweet Ruth! and could you go with me My helpmate in the woods to be, Our shed at night to rear; Or run, my own adopted Bride, |