Like a star of heaven,

In the broad day-light

Thou art unseen, but yet I hear thy shrill delight.

4. What thou art we know not;

What is most like thee?

From rainbow clouds there flow not

Drops so bright to see,

As from thy presence showers a rain of melody.

5. Like a poet hidden

In the light of thought,
Singing hymns unbidden,
Till the world is wrought

To sympathy with hopes and fears it heeded not :

6. Like a high-born maiden

In a palace tower,
Soothing her love-laden

Soul in secret hour

With music sweet as love, which overflows her bower:

7. Like a glow-worm golden,

In a dell of dew,

Scattering unbeholden

Its aërial hue

Among the flowers and grass, which screen it from the view.

8. Like a rose embowered

In its own green leaves,

By warm winds deflowered.

Till the scent it gives

Makes faint with too much sweet these heavy-winged thieves.1

9. Teach us, 'sprite or bird,

What sweet thoughts are thine:

I have never heard

Praise of love or wine

That panted forth a flood of rapture so divine.

[spirit.

1 These heavy-winged thieves, the winds, laden with the luscious perfume which

they have stolen from the rose.

(853)

16

10. We look before and after,
And pine for what is not:
Our sincerest laughter

With some pain is fraught;

Our sweetest songs are those that tell of saddest thought.

11. Better than all measures

Of delightful sound,

Better than all treasures

That in books are found,

Thy skill to poet were, thou scorner of the ground!1

12. Teach me half the gladness

That thy brain must know,

Such harmonious madness 2
From my lips would flow,

The world should listen then, as I am listening now

JOHN KEATS.

Born 1796-Died 1821.

MY DOVE.

I had a dove, and the sweet dove died;
And I have thought it died of grieving:

Oh, what could it grieve for? Its feet were tied
With a silken thread of my own hands' weaving.

Sweet little red feet! why should you die?

Why would you leave me, sweet bird! why?
You lived alone in the forest tree:

Why, pretty thing! would you not live with me?
I kissed you oft, and gave you white peas;
Why not live sweetly, as in the green trees?

2 Harmonious madness, wild and de

1 Thou scorner of the ground. The skylark ceases to sing as soon as it has lirious song. touched the ground.

Lord Ullin reached that fatal shore,-
His wrath was changed to wailing.

12. For, sore dismayed, through storm and shade His child he did discover;

One lovely hand she stretched for aid,
And one was round her lover.

13." Come back! come back!" he cried in grief, "Across this stormy water;

And I'll forgive your Highland chief,
My daughter! oh, my daughter !”.

14. 'Twas vain: the loud waves lashed the shore, Return or aid preventing ;

The waters wild went o'er his child,
And he was left lamenting.

FELICIA DOROTHEA HEMANS.

Born 1794-Died 1835.

TYROLESE EVENING HYMN.

1. Come to the sunset tree!

The day is past and gone;
The woodman's axe lies free,
And the reaper's work is done.

2. The twilight star to heaven,
And the summer dew to flowers,
And rest to us is given

By the cool soft evening hours.

3. Sweet is the hour of rest!

Pleasant the wind's low sigh,
And the gleaming of the west,

And the turf whereon we lie;