Saw in the sun a mighty angel stand, And heard great Babylon's doom pronounced by heaven's command. Then, kneeling down, to heaven's eternal King, While circling time moves round in an eternal sphere. Compared with this, how poor religion's pride, May hear, well-pleased, the language of the soul, And in his Book of life the inmates poor enrol. BURNS. EXCELSIOR. THE shades of night were falling fast, His brow was sad; his eye beneath, In happy homes he saw the light 66 Try not the pass," the old man said; "Dark lowers the tempest overhead, The roaring torrent's deep and wide!" And loud the clarion voice replied, Excelsior! "O stay," the maiden said, "and rest "Beware the pine tree's withered branch! Beware the awful avalanche!" This was the peasant's last good night! At break of day, as heavenward A traveller, by the faithful hound There, in the twilight cold and grey, And from the sky serene and far Excelsior! LONGFELLOW. SELF-EXAMINATION. SUM up at night what thou hast done by day, And in the morning what thou hast to do; Dress and undress thy soul, mark the decay And growth of it; if with thy watch, that too Be down, then wind both up; since we shall be More surely judged, make thy accounts agree. HERBERT. TO DAFFODILS. FAIR daffodils, we weep to see Stay, stay, Until the hastening day But to the evensong; And, having prayed together, we We have short time to stay, as you; We die, As your hours do; and dry Like to the summer's rain, HERRICK. THE MAIDEN AT HER SPINNING WHEEL. ROUND goes the wheel, the merry wheel, The sun shines bright and clear; The flax is spinning on the reel, The lark is singing near. |