THE FORSAKEN MERMAN. 79 Come away, away, children, She will start from her slumber We shall see, while above us A pavement of pearl. Singing, "Here came a mortal, But faithless was she, And alone dwell for ever The kings of the sea." But children, at midnight, We will gaze from the sand-hills, At the church on the hill-side,- Singing, "There dwells a loved one, But cruel is she; She left lonely for ever The kings of the sea." Matthew Arnold. MEETING AT NIGHT. 'HE gray sea, and the long black land, TH And the yellow half-moon large and low, Then a mile of warm, sea-scented beach, And a voice less loud, through its joys and fears, SINE R. Browning. THE RISING OF THE HILLS. INKING, sinking, all the country slowly sank beneath the waves; And the ocean swept the forests, reptiles, dragons, to their graves; Afterwards with shells old Ocean all the conquered country paves, MONADNOCK. 81 "It is mine for ever!"-not for ever, not Singing, For the subterranean forces laughed at Ocean's boastful song, Lifting up the sunken country, for their backs were broad and strong, Till the sea-shells were uplifted even to the mountain peak. Far below the waves are moaning, but with voices faint and weak, Sorrowing for their lost dominion and the toys they vainly seek. P. G. Hamerton. MONADNOCK. MONADNOCK is a mountain strong, Tall and good my kind among ; But, well I know, no mountain can For it is on zodiacs writ, Adamant is soft to wit: And when the greater comes again With my secret in his brain, I shall pass, as glides my shadow Through all time, in light and gloom, Of him that cometh, and shall come; Of him who shall as lightly bear And the long Alleghanies here, And all town-sprinkled lands that be, Sailing through stars with all their history. Every morn I lift my head, Gaze o'er New England underspread, South from Saint Lawrence to the Sound, I await the bard and sage, Who, in large thoughts, like fair pearl-seed, Shall string Monadnock like a bead. R. W. Emerson. AN ALPINE PICTURE. TAND here and look, and softly hold your breath How many miles away is yonder town Set flower-wise in the valley? Far beneath— With drifts of snow, fantastic wreath on wreath; MOUNTAIN TARNS. And peak on peak against the turquoise-blue. 83 T. B. Aldrich. Ο MOUNTAIN TARNS. H! askest thou of me What store of thoughtful glee Go thou, and spend an hour The eagle's royal soul Is nurtured in the roll And echo of the thunder, And feeds forevermore, Amid the summits hoar, On sights and sounds of wonder, |