The outlines of this world; and through
That spread of darkness-like the bow,
Call'd out of rain-clouds, hue by hue-
Saw the grand, gradual picture grow!-
The covenant with human kind
Which God hath made-the chains of Fate He round himself and them hath twined, Till his high task he consummate—
Till good from evil, love from hate, Shall be work'd out through sin and pain, And Fate shall loose her iron chain,
And all be free, be bright again!
Such were the deep-drawn mysteries,
And some, perhaps, even more profound,
More wildering to the mind than these,
Which-far as woman's thought could sound,
Or a fallen, outlaw'd spirit reach—
She dared to learn, and I to teach.
Till-fill'd with such unearthly lore,
And mingling the pure light it brings
With much that Fancy had, before,
Shed in false tinted glimmerings
Th' enthusiast girl spoke out, as one
Inspired, among her own dark race,
Who from their altars, in the sun
Left standing half adorn'd, would run
her holier face.
And, though but wild the things she spoke,
Yet 'mid that play of error's smoke
Into fair shapes by fancy curl'd,
Some gleams of pure religion broke-
Glimpses that have not yet awoke,
But startled the still dreaming world!
Oh, many a truth, remote, sublime,
Which God would from the minds of men
Have kept conceal'd, till his own time,
Stole out in these revealments then-
Revealments dim, that have fore-run,
By ages, the bright, Saving One!*
Like that imperfect dawn, or light
Escaping from the Zodiac's signs,
* It is the opinion of some of the Fathers, that the knowedge which the Heathens possessed of the Providence of God, a Future State, and other sublime doctrines of Christianity, was derived from the premature revelations of these fallen angels to the women of earth.-See Note.
Which makes the doubtful east half bright
Before the real morning shines!
Thus did some moons of bliss go by-
Of bliss to her, who saw but love
And knowledge throughout earth and sky;
To whose enamour'd soul and eye,
I seem'd, as is the sun on high,
The light of all below, above,
The spirit of sea, land, and air,
Whose influence, felt every where,
Spread from its centre, her own heart,
Even to the world's extremest part―
While through that world her reinless mind
Had now career'd so fast and far,
That earth itself seem'd left behind,
And her proud fancy, unconfined,
Already saw Heaven's gates a-jar!
Happy enthusiast! still, oh still,
Spite of my own heart's mortal chill,
Spite of that double-fronted sorrow,
Which looks at once before and back,
Beholds the yesterday, the morrow,
And sees both comfortless, both black-
Spite of all this, I could have still
In her delight forget all ill ;
Or, if pain would not be forgot,
At least have borne and murmur'd not.
When thoughts of an offended Heaven,
Of sinfulness, which even I,
While down its steep most headlong driven,-
Well knew could never be forgiven,
Came o'er me with an agony
Beyond all reach of mortal woe,-
A torture kept for those who know,
Know every thing, and, worst of all,
Know and love virtue while they fall! -
Even then her presence had the power
To soothe, to warm,-nay, even to blessIf ever bliss could graft its flower
On stem so full of bitternessEven then her glorious smile to me
Brought warmth and radiance, if not balm, Like moonlight on a troubled sea,
Brightening the storm it cannot calm.
Oft, too, when that disheartening fear,
Which all who love beneath the sky,
Feel, when they gaze on what is dear—
The dreadful thought that it must die!
That desolating thought, which comes
Into men's happiest hours and homes;
Whose melancholy boding flings
Death's shadow o'er the brightest things,
Sicklies the infant's bloom, and spreads
The grave beneath young lovers' heads!
This fear, so sad to all—to me
Most full of sadness, from the thought
That I must still live on, when she
Would, like the snow that on the sea
Fell yesterday, in vain be sought-
That Heaven to me the final seal
Of all earth's sorrow would deny,
And I eternally must feel
The death-pang, without power to die! Even this, her fond endearments-fond
As ever twisted the sweet bond
'Twixt heart and heart-could charm away:
Before her look no clouds would stay,
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