POLITICAL GREATNESS.

OR happiness, nor majesty, nor fame,

Nor peace, nor strength, nor skill in arms or

arts,

Shepherd those herds whom tyranny makes tame;

Verse echoes not one beating of their hearts,
History is but the shadow of their shame,
Art veils her glass, or from the pageant starts,
As to oblivion their blind millions fleet,
Staining that heaven with obscene imagery

Of their own likeness. What are numbers knit

By force or custom? Man who man would be,
Must rule the empire of himself; in it
Must be supreme, establishing his throne
On vanquished will, quelling the anarchy
Of hopes and fears, being himself alone.

TO WORDSWORTH.

OET of Nature, thou hast wept to know
That things depart which never may return ;
Childhood and youth, friendship and love's

first glow,

Have fled like sweet dreams, leaving thee to mourn.
These common woes I feel. One loss is mine
Which thou too feel'st, yet I alone deplore.
Thou wert as a lone star, whose light did shine
On some frail bark in winter's midnight roar :
Thou hast like to a rock-built refuge stood
Above the blind and battling multitude.
In honoured poverty thy voice did weave
Songs consecrate to truth and liberty,—
Deserting these, thou leavest me to grieve,

Thus having been, that thou shouldst cease to be.

K

THE LOVE OF GOD.

(I.)

OVE Thee !-O Thou, the world's eternal Sire!
Whose palace is the vast infinity,

Time, space, height, depth, O God! are full of

Thee,

And sun-eyed seraphs tremble and admire. Love Thee-but Thou art girt with vengeful fire, And mountains quake, and banded nations flee, And terror shakes the wide unfathomed sea, When the heavens rock with Thy tempestuous ire. O Thou! too vast for thought to comprehend, That wast ere time,-shalt be when time is o'er; Ages and worlds begin-grow old-and end; Systems and suns Thy changeless throne before, Commence and close their cycles :-lost, I bend To earth my prostrate soul, and shudder, and adore!

(II.)

OVE thee !-oh, clad in human lowliness,

In whom each heart its mortal kindred knows

Our flesh, our form, our tears, our pains, our

woes,

A fellow-wanderer o'er earth's wilderness !

Love thee !-whose every word but breathes to bless!
Through Thee, from long-sealed lips, glad language flows;
The blind their eyes, that laugh with light, unclose ;
And babes, unchid, Thy garment's hem caress.
I see Thee, doomed by bitterest pangs to die,

Up the sad hill, with willing footsteps, move,
With scourge, and taunt, and wanton agony,
While the cross nods, in hideous gloom, above,
Though all-even there-be radiant Deity!
-Speechless I gaze, and my whole soul is Love!

HUNTSPILL TOWER.

OVE beyond cove, in faint and fainter line
I trace the winding shore, and dream I hear
The distant billows where they break and shine
Around us, far and near,

On the dark isles.

The bright gay breeze is sweeping cheerily,
Chequering the green moor, like the summer field

Of ocean, with the shadows of the sky.

In all their graceful majesty revealed,
Now purple-shaded, now in playful light,

To south and north the glorious hills are seen;
Where hovering fancy may at will alight
By pastoral dingle, or deep rocky screen.

Such airs, light sallies of thy cheerful heart,
A living joy, dear friend, to all impart.