Dim-sighted men.

To tell you all that passed Would far exceed my power; Suffice it, then, to say, Joy winged the passing hour, Till, ere we knew, The setting day Had clad the world In silver grey.

p. 204I kindly took my leave, And blessed the happy lot Of those I left behind Lodged in their humble cot; And pitied some In palace walls, Where pride torments, And pleasure palls.

p. 204

The silver moon now shed A flood of trembling light On tower, and tree, and stream; The twinkling stars shone bright, Nor misty stain Nor cloud was seen O’er all the deep Celestial green.

Mild was the lovely night, Nor stirred a whispering breeze. Smooth was the glassy lake, And still the leafy trees; No sound in air Was heard afloat, Save Philomel’s Sweet warbling note.

My thoughts were on the wing, And back my fancy fled To where contentment dwelt In the neat humble shed; To shining courts From thence it ran, Where restless pride Oppresses man.

p. 205In fame some search for bliss, Some seek content in gain, In search of happiness Some give the slackened rein To passions fierce, And down the stream Through giddy life, Of pleasures dream.

p. 205

These all mistake the way, As many more have done: The narrow path of bliss Through God’s Eternal Son Directly tends; And only he Who treads this path Can happy be.

Who anchors all above Has still a happy lot, Though doomed for life to dwell E’en in a humble cot, And when he lays This covering down He’ll wear a bright Immortal crown.

THE RAINBOW.

The shower is past, and the sky O’erhead is both mild and serene, Save where a few drops from on high, Like gems, twinkle over the green: p. 206And glowing fair, in the black north, The rainbow o’erarches the cloud; The sun in his glory comes forth, And larks sweetly warble aloud.

p. 206

That dismally grim northern sky Says God in His vengeance once frowned, And opened His flood-gates on high, Till obstinate sinners were drowned: The lively bright south, and that bow, Say all this dread vengeance is o’er; These colours that smilingly glow Say we shall be deluged no more.

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