Tremulous, floating in air, o'er the depths of the azure abysses. Down through the golden leaves the sun was pouring his splendours, Gleaming on purple grapes, that, from branches above them suspended, Mingled their odorous breath with the balm of the pine and the firtree, Wild and sweet as the clusters that grew in the valley of Eshcol. Like a picture it seemed of the primitive, pastoral ages, Fresh with the youth of the world, and recalling Rebecca and Isaac, Old and yet ever new, and simple and beautiful always, Love immortal and young in the endless succession of lovers. So through the Plymouth woods passed onward the bridal procession, BIRDS OF PASSAGE. come i gru van cantando lor lai, Facendo in aer di sè lunga riga. DANTE. 1 PROMETHEUS, OR THE POET'S FORETHOUGHT. Of that flight through heavenly portals, Of the theft and the transmission Of the fire of the Immortals! First the deed of noble daring, Of the Poet, Prophet, Seer; In their feverish exultations, In their triumph and their yearning, In their passionate pulsations, Shall it, then, be unavailing, All this toil for human culture? Through the cloud-rack, dark and trailing, Must they see above them sailing O'er life's barren crags the vulture? Such a fate as this was Dante's, By defeat and exile maddened; That around their memories cluster, Through the dreary darkness chanted; Voices soft, and deep, and serious, Words that whispered, songs that haunted! All the soul in rapt suspension, Round the cloudy crags Caucasian ! Though to all there is not given Strength for such sublime endeavour, All the hearts of men for ever; Yet all bards, whose hearts unblighted THE LADDER OF ST AUGUSTINE. A ladder, if we will but tread Beneath our feet each deed of shame! All common things, each day's events, Our pleasures and our discontents, The low desire, the base design, That makes another's virtues less; The revel of the ruddy wine, And all occasions of excess; The longing for ignoble things; The strife for triumph more than truth; The hardening of the heart, that brings Irreverence for the dreams of youth; All thoughts of ill; all evil deeds, The action of the nobler will;— All these must first be trampled down We have not wings, we cannot soar; The mighty pyramids of stone That wedge-like cleave the desert airs, The distant mountains, that uprear The heights by great men reached and kept Standing on what too long we bore Nor deem the irrevocable Past, |