We have no wings,—we cannot soar,— The mighty pyramids of stone That wedge-like cleave the desert airs, The distant mountains, that uprear The heights by great men reached and kept, Standing on what too long we bore Nor deem the irrevocable Past If rising on its wrecks, at last, H. W. Longfellow. CLIV. TO A CHILD IN SICKNESS. S LEEP breathes at last from out thee, My little patient boy; And balmy rest about thee Smoothes off the day's annoy. I sit me down and think Of all thy winning ways; Yet almost wish, with sudden shrink, Thy sidelong pillowed meekness, These, these are things that may demand Sorrows I've had, severe ones, Ah, first-born of thy mother, Kind playmate of thy brother, My bird when prison-bound, To say 'he has departed' 'His voice-his face-'tis gone!' To feel impatient-hearted, Yet feel we must bear on ! (FROM 'PARADISE LOST.' BOOK V.) HESE are thy glorious works, Parent of good, Thus wondrous fair: Thyself how wondrous then! In these thy lowest works; yet these declare Him first, him last, him midst, and without end. If better thou belong not to the dawn, Sure pledge of day, that crown'st the smiling morn With thy bright circlet, praise him in thy sphere, While day arises, that sweet hour of prime. Thou Sun, of this great world both eye and soul, Of Nature's womb, that in quaternion run + And nourish all things, let your ceaseless change His praise, ye Winds, that from four quarters blow, * Ancient and mediæval astronomy reckoned the sun and moon among the planets. The 'five other wandering fires' are Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn. + 'The mingling and interchange of the four elements, air, earth, fire, and water, producing successive alterations in the condition and constitution of the universe, was a doctrine of ancient philosophy.' To hill, or valley, fountain, or fresh shade, J. Milton. Adam. CLVI. AS YOU LIKE IT. ACT II. SCENE VI.-The Forest. Enter ORLANDO and ADAM. EAR master, I can go no further: O, I die for food! Here lie I down, and measure out my grave. Farewell, kind master. Orl. Why, how now, Adam! no greater heart in thee? Live a little; comfort a little; cheer thyself a little. If this uncouth forest yield any thing savage, I will either be food for it or bring it for food to thee. Thy conceit is nearer death than thy powers. For my sake be comfortable; * hold death awhile at the arm's end: I will here be with thee presently; and if I bring thee not something to eat I will give thee leave to die but if thou diest before I come, thou art a mocker of my labour. Well said! thou lookest cheerly, and I'll be with thee quickly. Yet thou liest in the bleak air : come, I will bear thee to some shelter; and thou shalt not die for lack of a dinner, if there live any thing in this desert. Cheerly, good Adam ! [Exeunt. SCENE VII.-The Forest. A Table set out. Enter DUKE senior, AMIENS, and Lords like Outlaws. * Be comfortable, that is, take confort. |