All our duties lighter grow; Pleasant seems the meanest station; And from light to light we go To the fulness of salvation. Be our spirits ever such, Tuned into harmonious meetness, Till their chords to every touch Answer in some tone of sweetness; Quickened by celestial grace, Purified of earthly leaven, Shining, like the Prophet's face, With a glory caught from heaven. DOMESTIC LOVE. EXTRACT FROM AN UNPUBLISHED POEM. How lovely is domestic harmony, Where mind on mind and heart on heart repose Their hopes, their joys, their cares, appear to live And all are happy, loving and beloved? And what is hell, but the abode of hate And envy, where discordant elements Mingle, and hiss, and jar eternally? Bright comes the morn and soft descends the night On the fair dwelling-place of love and peace; Prayer meets no hindrance there; and praise from thence, Of hearts and lips in unison, ascends The idol Self is from his throne cast down, And God set up instead; and where He reigns There must be happiness, there must be heaven. L SAD THOUGHTS. 1815. YES, I am calm, am humbled now; And I have learnt my head to bow, I would not struggle with my God, Yet withering thoughts at times will break Across my calmer frame ; And then I feel how hearts may ache, Though still they bow the same. Dark moods, too long and fondly nursed, And thou, ah thou, beloved the first, To be the last forgot! I meet thy pensive, moonlight face; And former hours and scenes retrace, Too fleeting, and too dear! Then sighs and tears flow fast and free, Though none is nigh to share; And life has nought beside for me So sweet as this despair. There are crushed hearts that will not break ; And mine, methinks, is one; Or thus I should not weep and wake, And thou to slumber gone. |