With splinters of the dryest pine What with the aid of fire's dread power Tell of our skill and form our pride. And it shall last to days remote, Shall thrill the ear of many a race; Shall sound with sorrow's mournful note, And call to pure devotion's grace, Whatever to the sons of earth Their changing destiny brings down, To the deep, solemn clang gives birth, That rings from out this metal crown. See, the boiling surface, whitening, Now with joy and festive mirth Salute that loved and lovely child, Whose earliest moments on the earth Are passed in sleep's dominion mild. While on Time's lap he rests his head, The fatal sisters spin their thread; A mother's love, with softest rays, Gilds o'er the morning of his days.But years with arrowy haste are fled, His nursery bonds he proudly spurns; He rushes to the world without; After long wandering, home he turns, Arrives a stranger and in doubt. There, lovely in her beauty's youth, A form of heavenly mould he meets, Of modest air and simple truth; The blushing maid he bashful greets. A nameless feeling seizes strong On his young heart. He walks alone; To his moist eyes emotions throng; His joy in ruder sports has flown, To deck her beauty seems too dim. See how brown the liquid turns! Quick, my lads, and steady, The bridal garland plays! And merry bells invite us there, Where mingle festive lays. Yet love will endure The fruit to insure. 'Tis by means such as these, that abundance is poured In a full, endless stream, to increase all his hoard, While his house to a palace spreads out. Within doors governs The modest, careful wife, The children's kind mother; And wise is the rule Of her household school. She teaches the girls, And she warns the boys; And increases their gain And she fills with her treasures her sweetscented chests; From the toil of her spinning-wheel scarcely she rests; And she gathers in order, so cleanly and bright, The softest of wool, and the linen snow-white: The father, cheerful, from the door, Now we may begin to cast; All is right and well prepared: Yet, ere the anxious moment's past, A pious hope by all be shared. Strike the stopper clear! God preserve us here! Sparkling, to the rounded mould It rushes hot, like liquid gold, How useful is the power of flame, If human skill control and tame! And much of all that man can boast, Without this child of Heaven, were lost. But frightful is her changing mien, When, bursting from her bonds, she's seen To quit the safe and quiet hearth, Falls amain The blessed rain: Ringing loud the fearful knell, Are all the skies; But no dawning light is spread. But see, the heavens still threatening lower! While kindling, blazing, mounting quick, Hope now dies. We now confide what we have made; As in earth too the seed is laid, In hope the seasons will give birth To fruits that soon may be displayed. And yet more precious seed we sow With sorrow in the world's wide field; And hope, though in the grave laid low, A flower of heavenly hue 'twill yield. Slow and heavy Hear it swell! 'Tis the solemn Passing bell! Sad we follow, with these sounds of woe, She cannot hear her tender call, Nor see them in affliction bow. Her true affection guards no more; Her watchful care wakes not again: O'er all the once loved orphan's store The indifferent stranger now must reign. Till the bell is safely cold, May our heavy labor rest; Free as the bird, by none controlled, Each may do what pleases best. With approaching night, Twinkling stars are bright. Vespers call the boys to play; The master's toils end not with day. Cheerful in the forest gloom, The wanderer turns his weary steps To his loved, though lowly home. Bleating flocks draw near the fold; And the herds, Wide-horned, and smooth, slow-pacing come Lowing from the hill, The accustomed stall to fill. Heavy rolls Along the wagon, Richly loaded. On the sheaves, With gayest leaves They form the wreath; And the youthful reapers dance Upon the heath. Street and market all are quiet, And round each domestic light Gathers now a circle fond, As with light, That the deeds of crime discovers; Holy Order! rich with all A thousand active hands, combined Under sweet Freedom's holy care, Gentle peace! Sweet union! Linger, linger, Kindly over this our home! With the evening's softened air, Of burning towns in ruin dread. Now break up the useless mould: The master may destroy the mould With careful hand, and judgment wise But, woe!-in streams of fire, if rolled, The glowing metal seek the skies! Loud bursting with the crash of thunder, It throws aloft the broken ground; Like a volcano rends asunder, The praise of our Creator's name, While round each circling season runs. Of hastening time's unceasing flight. Of human passions, griefs, and joys. Now, lads, join your strength around! And in the kingdom wide of sound Its birth-place see it leave!- FRIEDERICH VON SCHILLER. ALGERNON SIDNEY ON GOVERN. MENT. [ALGERNON SIDNEY, English author and statesman, born about 1622, executed at London, 1683, a son of the Earl of Leicester, and grand-nephew of Sir Philip Sidney. He became distinguished both in civil and in military life, fighting gallantly at Marston Moor, entering Parliament, and being made governor of Dublin and of Dover. He was one of the judges of King Charles I, but did not sign the warrant of execution. A republican in principle, he remained in voluntary exile for years till 1677, when he was permitted to return to England. He was arrested and thrown into the Tower in 1683, charged with complicity in the Ryehouse plot, and conspiracy against the king's life. Of this no legal evidence was produced, but the infamous Judge Jeffreys, with a subservient jury, upon garbled extracts from his work on Government, yet unpublished, but found among his papers, convicted him of high treason. Sidney met the barbarous death by the headsman's axe with the fortitude of a stoic, leaving an eloquent vindication of his principles in an address to his countrymen, who have enshrined him among the most illustrious martyrs of English liberty. From his "Discourses on Government,” a work written in refutation of Sir Robert Filmer's Defence of Absolute Monarchy, we quote a few passages:] Our author's cavils concerning I know not what vulgar opinions that democracies were introduced to curb tyranny, deserve no answer; for our question is, whether one form of government be prescribed to us |