Joy swells melodious in his throat, No cunning show of art severe, Those magic tones call from the past And shining hopes come thronging fast The harmony is seen and heard; For notes and rays combine, And joys and hopes, and sun and bird, All seem to sing and shine. Is not that strain an Eolian of Spirit Land-a "Sunbeam shining to the ear"-than which old Herrick never produced a more dainty image. But let us take leave of these gentle recreations "out of Doors with Nature" with a bit of Rhymed Philosophy that may have its uses in reconciling men to our desultory mode of treating such heretofore strait-laced and science-encrusted themes. COMMON NATURE. Every flower that bears an odor, Every star that lives in beaming Sends a ray to common mind. Scentless flowers give too their blessing, From the splendors on their lips, Every fitful air caressing, Splendor out of splendor sips. Tuneless birds tell too their story- CHAPTER XVI. THE GHOST-FLOWER, AND CHILD. A DREAM. A shaded creature, dim and fair, With thin, transparent colors of the gloom;A flower-stalagmite, cold and rare, Chiseled by Gnomes of caverned air, With dew-sweats on it, gathered there— Then moon-drawn upward into sudden bloom. I. Elfin are Wonders-and Elfin are we- They know the godly, where elephants kneel, A Child comes forth, within his eyes THE CHILD'S SONG. II. Tom Todd, Tom Todd come here! I have brought to you a fierce bird,Tom Todd, come here? Tom Todd won't come! Tom Todd! Tom Todd, come here? I have brought you a bird that singeth so! Tom Todd, come here ? Tom Todd wont come! Tom Todd! Tom Todd, come here? For this strange bird you should hear!Tom Todd! Tom Todd, come here ?— Tom Todd wont come! Tom Todd! Tom Todd, come here? Tom Todd's a fool! Tom Todd, the world is sad! He singeth on wing a rustling song, And all things fear him on the ground; He's fierce, Tom Todd, but he is not bad. Sings glory to the upper air! He wingeth fiercely the dark clouds, And is the first to feel the beams That God lets fall from yellow suns. |