74 THE HOME OF THE SPIRIT. O many-toned and chainless wind, Ye clouds that gorgeously repose The bright clouds answer'd: "We depart, For that which cannot die." Speak, then, thou voice of God within, And the voice answer'd: "Be thou still Clouds, winds, and stars their part fulfil; MRS. HEMANS. THE SUNBEAM. THOU art no lingerer in monarch's hall; Thou art walking the billows, and Ocean smiles To the solemn depths of the forest shades Like fire-flies glance to the pools below. I look'd on the peasant's lowly cot; To the earth's wild places a guest thou art, 76 THE MURDERED TRAVELLER. Thou tak'st through the dim church-aisle thy way, And its pillars from twilight flash forth to day, And its high pale tombs with their trophies old Are bath'd in a flood as of molten gold. And thou turnest not from the humblest grave, Sunbeam of summer! oh, what is like thee? MRS. HEMANS. THE MURDERED TRAVELLER. WHEN spring to woods and wastes around The murder'd traveller's bones were found The fragrant birch above him hung And many a vernal blossom sprung, And nodded careless by. The red-bird warbled, as he wrought THE MURDERED TRAVELLER. And fearless near the fatal spot But there was weeping far away; With watching many an anxious day, They little knew, who lov'd him so, When shouting o'er the desert snow, Nor how, when round the frosty pole The mountain wolf and wild cat stole Nor how, when strangers found his bones, And mark'd his grave with nameless stones, But long they look'd and fear'd and wept And dream'd and started as they slept, So long they look'd,—but never spied Nor knew the fearful death he died BRYANT. 77 KING HENRY V. AND THE HERMIT OF DREUX. He pass'd unquestion'd through the camp, In silent reverence, or begg'd A blessing, as he went; King Henry sat in his tent alone, King Henry lifted up his eyes. His look was gentle as a saint's, "Repent thee, Henry, of the wrongs Which thou hast done this land! I have past forty years of peace But what a weight of woe hast thou |