"I BOW BEFORE THE NOBLE MIND THAT FREELY SOME GREAT WRONG FORGIVES ;-(PROCTER) THERE ARE MORE THINGS IN HEAVEN AND EARTH THAN WE TO THE SOUTH WIND. Fair hope is dead, and light Is quenched in night. What sound can break the silence of despair? O doubting heart! The sky is overcast, Yet stars shall rise at last, Brighter for darkness past, [From A. A. Proctor's "Legends and Lyrics," 1859.] Bryan Waller Procter. [IN the literary world this agreeable writer is best known by his favourite nom de plume of " Barry Cornwall;" under which he has won no small meed of critical approval as lyrist and dramatist. He has written some of the most vigorous songs in the English language; and not a few which -in terseness of expression, closeness of thought, and happy imageryremind us of the best lyrics of the Elizabethan writers. His larger poems are written with much animation; but perhaps his genius is seen to its highest advantage in his "Dramatic Scenes," where he sometimes copes with Ford, and sometimes rivals Beaumont and Fletcher. His tragedy of "Mirandola❞ was brought out in 1821. His principal works are: "Marcian Colonna," "A Sicilian Story," and "The Flood of Thessaly." He has also written "Memorials of Charles Lamb." For Until 1861 Mr. Procter was born in 1790, and educated at Harrow School. TO THE SOUTH WIND. SWEET south wind! Long hast thou lingered 'midst those islands fair, CAN DREAM OF, OR THAN NATURE UNDERSTANDS."-PROCTER. 347 YET NOBLER IS THE ONE FORGIVEN, WHO BEARS THAT BURDEN WELL, AND LIVES."-PROCTER. "TIS NIGHT! THE MOON IS ON THE STREAM; BRIGHT SPELLS ARE ON THE SOOTHED SEA ;-(CORNWALL) 66 HE WHO DOTH climb the difficult mouNTAIN'S TOP-(CORNWALL) 348 BRYAN WALLER PROCTER. Charmed by the cloudless sun and azure air! Pause here awhile, and gently now unbind Wilt thou not unloose now, In this, the bluest of all hours, Rest; and let fall the fragrance from thy brow, And on her cheeks which crimson like the skies; We, whom the northern blast Blows on, from night till morn, from morn till eve, That our poor summer's-day not long may last: With thee, sweet spirit of the sunny south; [From Barry Cornwall's "English Songs."] THE SEA. HE sea! the sea! the open sea! WILL, THE NEXT DAY, OUTSTRIP AN IDLER MAN!"-BARRY CORNWALL. AND HOPE, THE CHILD, IS GONE TO DREAM OF PLEASURES WHICH MAY NEVER BE."-BARRY CORNWALL. "WHAT SIGHT CAN FIERY MORNING SHOW TO SHAME THE STARS OR PALE MOONLIGHT?-(CORNWALL) "WE DO WHAT WE DESIRE. 'TIS NOT THE SINEWS-(CORNWALL) WHAT BOUNTY CAN THE DAY BESTOW, LIKE THAT WHICH FALLS FROM GENTLE NIGHT?"-CORNWALL. ["The sea! the sea! the open sea!"] Or like a cradled creature lies. I'm on the sea! I'm on the sea! I am where I would ever be! With the blue above, and the blue below, I love (oh, how I love) to ride And why the south-west blasts do blow. HOW BEAUTIFUL IS MORNING, WHEN THE STREAMS-(CORNWALL) THE HAPPY HOURS. 351 I've lived since then, in calm and strife, With wealth to spend and a power to range, [From Barry Cornwall's "English Songs."] OUR AMBITION, OUR CONTENT LIES IN SIMPLER THINGS."-CORNWALL. THE HAPPY HOURS. H, the hours! the happy hours! And all the sky was blue above, Of such happy Hours? Oh, the hours! the spring-time hours! The love, the light, the bloom Ever do the year's bright hours But no new springs bear [From Barry Cornwall's "English Songs."] OF LIGHT COME RUNNING UP THE EASTERN SKIES!"-CORNWALL. |