After the feast, beholding her
Who danced with grace peculiar ;
Fair Salomé, who did excel
All in that land for dancing well.
The feastful monarch's heart was fired,
And whatsoe'er thing she desired,
Though half his kingdom it should be,
He in his pleasure swore that he
Would give the graceful Salomé.
The damsel was Herodias' daughter.
She to the queen hastes, and besought her
To teach her what great gift to name.
Instructed by Herodias, came
The damsel back; to Herod said,
"Give me John the Baptist's head;
And in a charger let it be
Hither straightway brought to me."
Herod her suit would fain deny,
But for his oath's sake must comply.
When painters would by art express
Beauty in unloveliness,
They, Herodias' daughter, thee
The fittest subject take to be.
They give thy form and features grace;
But ever in thy beauteous face
They show a steadfast, cruel gaze,
An eye unpitying; and amaze
In all beholders deep they mark,
That thou betrayest not one spark
Of feeling for the ruthless deed,
That did thy praiseful dance succeed.
For on the head they make you look,
As if a sullen joy you took
A cruel triumph, wicked pride,
That for your sport a saint had died.
WHEN I the memory repeat
Of the heroic actions great,
Which, in contempt of pain and death,
Were done by men who drew their breath
In ages past, I find no deed
That can in fortitude exceed
The noble boy, in Sparta bred,
Who in the temple ministered.
By the sacrifice he stands,
The lighted incense in his hands;
Through the smoking censer's lid
Dropped a burning coal, which slid
Into his sleeve, and passéd in
Between the folds, e'en to the skin.
Dire was the pain which then he proved;
But not for this his sleeve he moved,
Or would the scorching ember shake
Out from the folds, lest it should make
Any confusion, or excite
Disturbance at the sacred rite;
But close he kept the burning coal,
Till it eat itself a hole
In his flesh. The standers by
Saw no sign and heard no cry.
All this he did in noble scorn,
And for he was a Spartan born.
In this story thou mayest see
That may useful prove to thee.
By this example thou wilt find,
That, to the ingenuous mind,
Shame can greater anguish bring
Than the body's suffering;
That pain is not the worst of ills,
Not when it the body kills;
That in fair Religion's cause,
For thy country, or the laws,
When occasion dire shall offer,
'Tis reproachful not to suffer.
ABOU-BEN-ADHEM · may his tribe increase!
Awoke one night from a deep dream of peace,
And saw, within the moonlight of his room,
Making it rich and like a lily's bloom,
An angel writing in a book of gold.
Exceeding peace had made Ben-Adhem bold;
And to the Presence in the room he said,
"What writest thou?" The vision raised his head,
And, with a look made of all sweet accord,
Answered, "The names of those who love the Lord."
"And is mine one?" said Abou. 66
'Nay, not so,"
Replied the angel. Abou spake more low,
But cheerily still; and said, "I pray thee, then,
Write me as one that loves his fellow-men."
The angel wrote, and vanished. The next night
He came again, with a great wakening light,
And showed the names whom love of God had blest;
And, lo! Ben-Adhem's name led all the rest!
YOUR heart is beating day by day:
If it could speak, what would it say?
The hours of night its pulses tell ;-
Have you, my child, considered well
What means this restless little heart,
That doth so well perform its part?
It is a little bell, whose tone
Is heard by you and God alone.
At your soul's door it hangs; and there
His Spirit stays with loving care,
And rings the bell, and deigns to wait
To see if closed remains the gate.
At once your prayer, "Lord, enter in!"
So when its time on earth is past,
Your heart will beat no more at last;
And when its latest pulse is o'er,
"T will go and knock at Heaven's door;
And stand without, and patient wait,
To see if Christ will ope the gate,
And say "Here endless joys begin,
Here, faithful servant, enter in!
I was on earth thy cherished guest,
And now in Heaven I give thee rest.
Receive at length thy due reward;
Enjoy the blessings of thy Lord."
SONGS FROM THE GERMAN.
TAKE not God's name in vain ;
Speak not that holy name,
Not with a laughing lip,
Not in thy playful game;
For the great God of all
Heareth each word we say:
He will remember it,
In the great judgment-day.
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