There in her place she did rejoice, Self-gathered in her prophet-mind, Came rolling on the wind. To mingle with the human race, part by part to men revealed Grave mother of majestic works, From her isle-altar gazing down, And, King-like, wears the crown: The wisdom of a thousand years Keep dry their light from tears ; Make bright our days and light our dreams, The falsehood of extremes ! “LOVE THOU THY LAND, WITH LOVE FAR BROUGHT." LOVE thou thy land, with love far brought From out the storied Past, and used Within the Present, but transfused Love that endures not sordid ends, But pamper not a hasty time, Nor feed with crude imaginings The herd, wild hearts and feeble wings, That every sophister can lime. Deliver not the tasks of might To weakness, neither hide the ray From those, not blind, who wait for day, Though sitting girt with doubtful light. Make knowledge circle with the winds; But let her herald, Reverence, fly Before her to whatever sky Bear seed of men and growth of minds. Watch what main-currents draw the years : Cut Prejudice against the grain: But gentle words are always gain : Regard the weakness of thy peers : Nor toil for title, place, or touch Of pension, neither count on praise : It grows to guerdon after-days: Nor deal in watchwords overmuch; Not clinging to some ancient saw : Not mastered by some modern term ; Not swift nor slow to change, but firm: With Life, that, working strongly, binds Set in all lights by many minds, To close the interests of all. For Nature also, cold and warm, And moist and dry, devising long, Through many agents making strong, Matures the individual form. Meet is it changes should control Our being, lest we rust in ease. So let the change which comes be free To ingroove itself with that, which flies, And work, a joint of state, that plies For all the past of Time reveals A bridal dawn of thunder-peals, Wherever Thought hath wedded Fact. Even now we hear with inward strife A motion toiling in the gloom The Spirit of the years to come Yearning to mix himself with Life. A slow-developed strength awaits Completion in a painful school ; Phantoms of other forms of rule, hard to mark; Is bodied forth the second whole. And heap their ashes on the head; To shame the boast so often made, That we are wiser than our sires. But vague in vapor, O yet, if Nature's evil star Drive men in manhood, as in youth, To follow flying steps of Truth Across the brazen bridge of war If New and Old, disastrous feud, Must ever shock, like armed foes, And this be true, till Time shall close, That Principles are rained in blood; Not yet the wise of heart would cease To hold his hope through shame and guilt. But with his hand against the hilt, Would pace the troubled land, like Peace; Not less, though dogs of Faction bay, Would serve his kind in deed and word, Certain, if knowledge bring the sword, That knowledge takes the sword awayWould love the gleams of good that broke From either side, nor veil his eyes: And if some dreadful need should rise, Would strike, and firmly, and one stroke: To-morrow yet would reap to-day, As we bear blossom of the dead; Earn well the thrifty months, nor wed Raw Haste, half-sister to Delay. THE GOOSE. I. I KNEW an old wife lean and poor, Her rags scarce held together; There strode a stranger to the door, And it was windy weather. II. He held a goose upon his arm, He uttered rhyme and reason, · Here, take the goose, and keep you warm, It is a stormy season.” III. She caught the white goose by the leg, A goose—'twas no great matter. The goose let fall a golden egg With cackle and with clatter. IV. She dropt the goose, and caught the pelf, And ran to tell her neighbors ; And rested from her labors. V. And feeding high, and living soft, Grew plump and able-bodied; parson smirked and nodded. VI. She felt her heart grow prouder: It clacked and cackled louder. VII. It stirred the old wife's mettle: And hurled the pan and kettle. VIII. “A quinsy choke thy cursed note!” Then waxed her anger stronger. |