Then faintly ceasing - one by one, And then again that moonlight band, In one bold burst away. The joyous laugh came on the breeze, The smiling nymphs the wild flowers threw, Soft as a summer evening's sigh, Low, fervent whisperings fell: Each lovely form the eye might see, With love's own sparkling eyes: FREDERIC MELLEN. TO THE ARNO. BRIGHT stream! how calm upon thy waters rest And the dark waving of thy woods And when the mountains catch, upon their heights, Of heaven twinkle in the sky; How sweet the cicada's lone cry Mourns through thy woods in Autumn's mellow nights. How lovely are thy shores when on the air, And bright in heaven burns the evening star! Flow on, thou classic stream, thy verdant shore; Still will fond memory think of thee, And sigh to look upon thy stream once more! THE VILLAGE CHURCH. SWEET home of peace! the ling'ring day, Is mingled with the low wind's moan. They left thy altars desolate. Sweet home of peace! how oft I've stood A truant boy stolen forth to get And listened to the village hum With the long echoing laugh and shout, Sent shrilly from the urchin rout. And oft at Autumn's balmy eve, When the bright flowers began to leave The faded grass, and gloriously The harvest moon went up the sky; Here, when the Sabbath day was done, Shone o'er the little vale below, - Uprose the hymn so sweet, so slow, Those days have passed; and mournfully That finds not there those beauteous flowers And humbly here sleep side by side. THE CRUSADER'S FAREWELL. Lady, farewell! The morning sun is smiling on thy bower, The matin chant Is rising now; but when the evening hymn At that lone hour, Afar from.thee, I'll look upon the sky, And when that star Which we have loved together, brightly burns For me, When thou art lone, And o'er thy heart Hope sheds no brightening ray; O sing the notes I loved in happier days — Days fled and gone. |