last. For darkness comes with night, his paramour, And cast their shadows over all the land; And in their stilly presence creeps repose, And folds his arms around the lifeful sounds, Till all is hushed of nature into rest, And all the tuneful throng is mutely still, And comes no sound of labor from the hill. Then thrilling is the grandeur of the calm; The only sounds which come upon the ear, To tell the mind that life remaineth near, p. 92Are the soft murmurings of the silvery stream, The gentle winds which whisper to the trees As they go wandering in the border woods, Or now and then the screeching of an owl, The bleeting lamb, or distant watch-dog’s howl. p. 90 p. 91 p. 92 ’Twas on this scene Lord Henry loved to dwell— A noble bearer of a noble name— Lured by the tranquil of a country home To muse upon the beauties of the land. ’Twas here the castle of his fathers stood— Time honored and of pleasing memories, Adorned of nature and of every art Which the devising of the mind can give To feed the fancy of admiring man. But in these pleasants soon there came a time When he got weary of the lonesome life, Which led him, day by day, in the same scenes, And did not still the longings of his soul. For now he felt the presence of a power Which all men feel, that moves the will at ease Unto a bondage which they fain would shun, Yet loving well the while the gentle guile Which bids the soul unto the presence sweet Of some fair maid, whose winning charms had wrought Well on the strongholds of a purposed heart, p. 93Until the entrance hath been fully made, And it is captive to her choosing will, And all the forms to wedlock which pertain. This mystic power incited on him more, Till he resolved to seek a maiden fair, And share with her the blessings of his home, And mete with her the measure of his life. Thus said the voice which whispered to his soul: “And she shall cheer me in the heavy hours, And give a spirit to my lonesome life; And she shall be a maiden, young, and fair, And gentle, and be termed the sweetest flower Of all the land for many measures round; And such a maiden I shall love, and serve, And honor, and revere, with all the love Which an admiring soul can give to one Who is the perfect image of his heart.” And, ere a while, Lord Henry loved, and wooed, And wed a maiden of a worthy line, And led her gently to his country home, And uséd every power to make her glad, And loved and served her with a constant love, And had no mind to other than to her. For she was sweet, and fair, and gentle (more Than the bright picture he had fancied of); And they were happy in such tranquil
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