"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—unagèd there And fields invested with purpureal gleams; 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, What time the fleet at Aulis lay enchained. "The wished-for wind was given: I then revolved And, if no worthier led the way, resolved 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; My new-planned cities, and unfinished towers. 'Behold they tremble! haughty their array, Old frailties then recurred :-but lofty thought, “And Thou, though strong in love, art all too weak 66 In reason, in self-government too slow; I counsel thee by fortitude to seek Our blest reunion in the shades below. The invisible world with thee hath sympathized; Be thy affections raised and solemnized. 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, 66 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, Who say, that when the poet dies, 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. OF JUSTICE THAT THE HUMAN MIND CAN FRAME."-WORDSWORTH. I BETTER LIKE A SELF-RESPECTING SLOWNESS, DISINCLINED TO WIN ONE AT FIRST SIGHT."-W. WORDSWORTH. "IF THOUGHT AND LOVE Desert us, frOM THAT DAY-(WORDSWORth) 506 WILLIAM WORDSWORTH. While Earth herself is adorning, This sweet May-morning, On every side, In a thousand valleys far and wide, Fresh flowers; while the sun shines warm, I hear, I hear, with joy I hear !— A single Field which I have looked upon, The Pansy at my feet Doth the same tale repeat: Whither is fled the visionary gleam? Where is it now, the glory and the dream? "WITH THOUGHT AND LOVE COMPANIONS OF OUR WAY, WHATE'ER THE SENSES TAKE OR MAY REFUSE,-(WORDSWORTH) THE MIND'S INTERNAL HEAVEN SHALll shed her LAWS OF INSPIRATION ON THE HUMBLEST LAY."-w. WORDSWORTH. *This doctrine of the pre-existence of human souls before their investment in mortal bodies is of Eastern origin. It seems to have been familiar to Plato. Of late it has been revived in Germany by the younger Fichte. See, too, its exposition in Julius Muller's "Die Christliche Lehre von der Sünde." LET US BREAK OFF ALL COMMERCE WITH THE MUSE."-WORDSWORTH. |