He cried aloud: "Quick, quick, and bow the knee! Behold the Angel of God! fold up thy hands! Henceforward shalt thou see such officers! "See, how he scorns all human arguments, So that no oar he wants, nor other sail Than his own wings, between so distant shores! "See, how he holds them, pointed straight to heaven, Fanning the air with the eternal pinions, That do not moult themselves like mortal hair!" And then, as nearer and more near us came But down I cast it; and he came to shore Thus sang they all together in one voice, THE TERRESTRIAL PARADISE. FROM DANTE. PURGATORIO, XXVIII. Withouten more delay I left the bank, Over the soil, that everywhere breathed fragrance. A gently-breathing air, that no mutation Whereat the tremulous branches readily Did all of them bow downward towards that side Yet not from their upright direction bent Even as from branch to branch it gathering swells, Through the pine forests on the shore of Chiassi, When Eolus unlooses the Sirocco. Already my slow steps had led me on Into the ancient wood so far, that I Could see no more the place where I had entered. And lo! my farther course cut off a river, All waters that on earth most limpid are, Would seem to have within themselves some mixture BEATRICE. FROM DANTE. PURGATORIO, XXX, XXXI. So, upon that celestial chariot, A hundred rose ad vocem tanti senis, They all were saying: "Benedictus qui venis," I once beheld, at the approach of day, With crown of olive o'er a snow-white veil, Vested in colours of the living flame. gay. He sees thee, and calls to his gloomy train, The sleet, and the snow, and the wind, and the rain; And they shrink away, and they flee in fear, When thy merry step draws near. Winter giveth the fields and the trees, so old, Their beards of icicles and snow; And the rain, it raineth so fast and cold, We must cower over the embers low; And, snugly housed from the wind and weather, Mope like birds that are changing feather. But the storm retires, and the sky grows clear, When thy merry step draws near. Winter maketh the sun in the gloomy sky Wrap him round with a mantle of cloud; But, Heaven be praised, thy step is nigh; Thou tearest away the mournful shroud, And the earth looks bright, and Winter surly, Who has toiled for nought both late and Is banished afar by the new-born year, THE BIRD AND THE SHIP. By castle and town they go; "The clouds are passing far and high, 66 I greet thee, bonny boat! Whither or whence, With thy fluttering golden band?""I greet thee, little bird! To the wide sea I haste from the narrow land. "Full and swollen is every sail; I have trusted all to the sounding gale, "And wilt thou, little bird, go with us? For full to sinking is my house With merry companions all."— THE CHILD ASLEEP. FROM THE FRENCH. SWEET babe! true portrait of thy father's face, Upon that tender eye, my little friend, Soft sleep shall come, that cometh not to me! His arms fall down; sleep sits upon his brow; His eye is closed; he sleeps, nor dreams of harm. Wore not his cheek the apple's ruddy glow, Would you not say he slept on Death's cold arm? Awake, my boy!-I tremble with affright! Sweet error!-he but slept,-I breathe again; THE GRAVE. FROM THE ANGLO-SAXON. For thee was a mould meant How long it shall be. Now I shall measure thee, Doorless is that house, Thus thou art laid, And leavest thy friends; Who will ever see How that house pleaseth thee; Who will ever open The door for thee And descend after thee, For soon thou art loathsome KING CHRISTIAN. A NATIONAL SONG OF DENMARK.FROM THE DANISH OF JOHANNES EVALD. KING CHRISTIAN stood by the lofty mast In mist and smoke; His sword was hammering so fast, |