Life Without and Life Within Part 36

He never boasts, will ne'er deceive, For vanity nor yet for gain; All that he says you may believe; For worlds he would not conscience stain.

If he desires what others do, And they deserve it more than he, He gives to them what is their due, Happy in his humility.

Not to his friends alone he's kind, But his foes too with candor sees; Not to their good intentions blind, Though hopeless their dislike t' appease.

His eyes are clear, his hands are pure, To G.o.d it is his constant prayer That, be he rich or be he poor, He never may wrong actions dare.

If rich, he to the suffering gives All he can spare, and thinks it just, That, since he by G.o.d's bounty lives, He should as steward hold his trust.

If poor, he envies not; he knows How covetousness corrupts the heart, Whatever a just G.o.d bestows Receiving as his proper part.

O Father, such a man I'd be; Like him would act, like him would pray: Lead me in truth and purity To win thy peace and see thy day.

ON A PICTURE REPRESENTING THE DESCENT FROM THE CROSS.

BY RAPHAEL.

Virgin Mother, Mary mild!

It was thine to see the child, Gift of the Messiah dove, Pure blossom of ideal love, Break, upon the "guilty cross,"

The seeming promise of his life; Of faith, of hope, of love, a loss, Deepened all thy, bosom's strife, Brow down-bent, and heart-strings torn, Fainting, by frail arms upborne.

All those startled figures show, That they did not apprehend The thought of Him who there lies low, On whom those sorrowing eyes they bend.

They do not feel this holiest hour; Their hearts soar not to read the power, Which this deepest of distress Alone could give to save and bless.

Soul of that fair, now ruined form, Thou who hadst force to bide the storm, Must again descend to tell Of thy life the hidden spell; Though their hearts within them burned, The flame rose not till he returned.

Just so all our dead ones lie; Just so call our thoughts on high; Thus we linger on the earth, And dully miss death's heavenly birth.

THE CAPTURED WILD HORSE.[46]

On the boundless plain careering, By an unseen compa.s.s steering, Wildly flying, reappearing,-- With untamed fire their broad eyes glowing, In every step a grand pride showing, Of no servile moment knowing,--

Happy as the trees and flowers, In their instinct cradled hours, Happier in fuller powers,--

See the wild herd n.o.bly ranging, Nature varying, not changing, Lawful in their lawless ranging.

But hark! what boding crouches near?

On the horizon now appear Centaur-forms of force and fear.

On their enslaved brethren borne, With bit and whip of tyrant scorn, To make new captives, as forlorn.

Wildly snort the astonished throng, Stamp, and wheel, and fly along, Those centaur-powers they know are strong.

But the la.s.so, skilful cast, Holds one only captive fast, Youngest, weakest--left the last.

How thou trembledst then, Konick!

Thy full breath came short and thick, Thy heart to bursting beat so quick;

Thy strange brethren peering round, By those tyrants held and bound, Tyrants fell,--whom falls confound!

With rage and pity fill thy heart; Death shall be thy chosen part, Ere such slavery tame thy heart.

But strange, unexpected joy!

They seem to mean thee no annoy-- Gallop off both man and boy.

Let the wild horse freely go!

Almost he shames it should be so; So lightly prized himself to know.

All deception 'tis, O steed!

Ne'er again upon the mead Shalt thou a free wild horse feed.

The mark of man doth blot thy side, The fear of man doth dull thy pride, Thy master soon shall on thee ride.

Thy brethren of the free plain, Joyful speeding back again, With proud career and flowing mane,

Find thee branded, left alone, And their hearts are turned to stone-- They keep thee in their midst alone.

Cruel the intervening years, Seeming freedom stained by fears, Till the captor reappears;

Finds thee with thy broken pride.

Amid thy peers still left aside, Unbeloved and unallied; Finds thee ready for thy fate; For joy and hope 'tis all too late-- Thou'rt wedded to thy sad estate.

Wouldst have the princely spirit bowed?

Whisper only, speak not loud, Mark and leave him in the crowd.

Thou need'st not spies nor jailers have; The free will serve thee like the slave, Coward shrinking from the brave.

And thy cohorts, when they come To take the weary captive home, Need only beat the retreating drum.

EPILOGUE TO THE TRAGEDY OF ESs.e.x.

SPOKEN IN THE CHARACTER OF THE QUEEN.--TRANSLATED FROM GOETHE.

No Ess.e.x here!--unblest--they give no sign.

And shall such live, while earth's best n.o.bleness Departs and leaves her barren? Now too late Weakness and cunning both are exorcised.

How could I trust thee whom I knew so well?

Am I not like the fool of fable? He Who in his bosom warmed the frozen viper, And fancied man might hope for grat.i.tude From the betrayer's seed? Away! begone!

No breath, no sound shall here insult my anguish.

Ess.e.x is dumb, and they shall all be so; No human presence shall control my mood.

Begone, I say! The queen would be alone!