"NO GRANDEUR NOW IN NATURE OR IN BOOK DELIGHTS US-(WILLIAM WORDSWORTH) "THE SENSE THAT PAINTS, BY STRENGTH OF SORROW, [The Delphic oracle having foretold that the first Greek who landed on the shores of Troy would die, Protesilaus offers himself up as a victim; leaps upon the sandy plain, and falls by a hostile sword. "Him, springing to the shore, First of the Greeks, a Dardan warrior slew." HOMER, Iliad, ii. 695 (Lord Derby's Translation). Laodamia, his wife, overcome with grief, implores the infernal gods to be 66 B |UT if thou goest, I follow."—"Peace!" he said,— Brought from a pensive though a happy place. He spake of love, and love as Spirits feel THE UNCONQUERABLE STRENGTH OF LOVE."-WORDSWORTH. RAPINE, AVARICE, EXPENSE, THIS IS IDOLATRY; AND THESE WE ADORE."-WORDSWORTH. "PLAIN LIVING AND HIGH THINKING ARE NO MORE; THE HOMELY BEAUTY OF THE GOOD OLD CAUSE IS GONE; MEN ARE WE, AND MUST GRIEVE WHEN E'EN THE SHADE-(WORdsworth) Of all that is most beauteous-unaged there And fields invested with purpureal gleams; Climes which the sun, who sheds the brightest day Yet there the soul shall enter which hath earned "The end of man's existence I discerned, Could draw, when we had parted, vain delight, "And while my youthful peers before my eyes “The wished-for wind was given: I then revolved And, if no worthier led the way, resolved When of thy loss I thought, beloved Wife! OF THAT WHICH ONCE WAS GREAT HAS PASSED AWAY."-W. WORDSWORTH. OUR PEACE, OUR PERFECT INNOCENCE, and pure RELIGION BREATHING HOUSEHOLD LAWS."-W. WORDSWORTH. "EVERY GIFT OF NOBLE ORIGIN IS BREATHED UPON BY HOPE'S PERPETUAL BREATH; "TO THINK OUR LIFE IS ONLY DREST FOR SHOW!"-WORDSWORth. The paths which we had trod-these fountains, flowers; 'Behold they tremble! haughty their array, Old frailties then recurred :—but lofty thought, "And Thou, though strong in love, art all too weak In reason, in self-government too slow; I counsel thee by fortitude to seek Our blest reunion in the shades below. "Learn, by a mortal yearning, to ascend— Aloud she shrieked! for Hermes reappears! Swift toward the realms that know not earthly day, Thus all in vain exhorted and reproved, By the just gods, whom no weak pity moved, MEAN HANDIWORK OF CRAFTSMAN, COOK, OR GROOM!"-IBID. AND RICHES ARE AKIN TO FEAR, TO CHANGE, TO COWARDICE, AND DEATH."-WORDSWORTH. "THE MARTIAL COURAGE OF A DAY IS VAIN, AN EMPTY NOISE OF DEATH THE BATTLE'S ROAR, "'TIS IN OURSELVES OUR SAFETY MUST BE SOUGHT;-(WORDSWORTH) 502 WILLIAM WORDSWORTH. Apart from happy ghosts, that gather flowers Of blissful quiet 'mid unfading bowers. Yet tears to human suffering are due; And mortal hopes defeated and o'erthrown, Of Hellespont (such faith was entertained) From out the tomb of him for whom she died; [From "Poems of Imagination and Fancy."] ODE. INTIMATIONS OF IMMORTALITY FROM RECOLLECTIONS OF I. HERE was a time when meadow, grove, and stream, To me did seem Apparelled in celestial light, The glory and the freshness of a dream. *This may remind us of the following passage from Scott : "Call it not vain :-they do not err, Lay of the Last Minstrel, Canto v. 'TIS BY OUR OWN RIGHT HANDS IT MUST BE WROUGHT."-WORDSWORTH. IF VITAL HOPE BE WANTING TO RESTORE, OR FORTITUDE BE WANTING TO SUSTAIN."-WORDSWORTH. "AVAUNT ALL SPECIOUS PLIANCY OF MIND IN MEN OF LOW DEGREE, ALL SMOOTH PRETENCE !-(WORDSWORTH) "SAY, WHAT IS HONOUR? 'TIS THE FINEST SENSE-(WORDSWORTH) ["The birds thus sing. Turn whereso'er I may, By night or day, The things which I have seen I now can see no more. I BETTER LIKE A SELF-RESPECTING SLOWNESS, DISINCLINED TO WIN ONE AT FIRST SIGHT."-W. WORDSWORTH. |