Dark, calm, large-fronted, lightning-eyed, Earth has no double from its mould! Ere from the fields by valor won The battle-smoke had rolled away, And bared the blood-red setting sun, His eyes were opened on the day. His land was but a shelving strip Black with the strife that made it free; He lived to see its banners dip Their fringes in the Western sea. The boundless prairies learned his name, His words the mountain echoes knew. The Northern breezes swept his fame From icy lake to warm bayou. In toil he lived; in peace he died; When life's full cycle was complete Put off his robes of power and pride, And laid them at his Master's feet. 40 50 Not while the rocking steeples reel Or shrieks a cry of warning The lark of Scotia's morning sky! Whose voice may sing his praises? With Heaven's own sunlight in his eye, He walked among the daisies, Till through the cloud of fortune's wrong He soared to fields of glory; But left his land her sweetest song And earth her saddest story. 'Tis not the forts the builder piles That chain the earth together; 30 40 The wedded crowns, the sister isles, Are stronger than the myriad swords No rest that throbbing slave may ask, But warmed with that unchanging flame See how yon beam of seeming white Is braided out of seven-hued light, 20 30 1 Having read our company so much of the Professor's talk about age and other subjects connected with physical life, I took the next Sunday morning to repeat to them the following poem of his, which I have had by me for some time. He calls it-I suppose for his professional friends The Anatomist's Hymn,' but I shall name it The Living Temple.' (HOLMES, introducing the poem, in the Autocrat.) Yet in those lucid globes no ray ear With music it is heaven to hear. Then mark the cloven sphere that holds O Father! grant thy love divine 40 50 1858. THE DEACON'S MASTERPIECE OR, THE WONDERFUL ONE-HOSS SHAY' A LOGICAL STORY HAVE you heard of the wonderful one-hoss shay, That was built in such a logical way Frightening people out of their wits, - But the Deacon swore (as deacons do, With an 'I dew vum,' or an 'I tell yeou') He would build one shay to beat the taown 'N' the keounty 'n' all the kentry raoun'; 30 It should be so built that it could n' break daown: 'Fur,' said the Deacon, ''t's mighty plain Thut the weakes' place mus' stan' the strain; 'N' the way t' fix it, uz I maintain, Is only jest T' make that place uz strong uz the rest.' Eighteen hundred increased by ten; - Little of all we value here 70 For the wheels were just as strong as the thills, And the floor was just as strong as the sills, And the panels just as strong as the floor, And the whipple-tree neither less nor more, And the back crossbar as strong as the fore, And spring and axle and hub encore. And yet, as a whole, it is past a doubt In another hour it will be worn out! 91 First of November, 'Fifty-five! This morning the parson takes a drive. Now, small boys, get out of the way! Here comes the wonderful one-hoss shay, Drawn by a rat-tailed, ewe-necked bay. 'Huddup!' said the parson. Off went they. 100 The parson was working his Sunday's text, Had got to fifthly, and stopped perplexed Just the hour of the Earthquake shock! 110 End of the wonderful one-hoss shay Logic is logic. That's all I say. CONTENTMENT 'Man wants but little here below.' LITTLE I ask; my wants are few; Plain food is quite enough for me; Thank Heaven for three. Amen! I always thought cold victual nice; My choice would be vanilla-ice. ; 120 1858. 10 I care not much for gold or land; - I only ask that Fortune send Honors are silly toys, I know, And titles are but empty names; But only near St. James; Jewels are baubles; 't is a sin To care for such unfruitful things; 20 |