Whate'er I did, or dream'd, or felt, The thought of what might yet befall That splendid creature mix'd with all.

Nor she alone, but her whole race

Through ages yet to come-whate'er

Of feminine, and food, and fair, Should spring from that pure mind and face, All wak'd my soul's intensest care; Their forms, souls, feelings, still to me God's most disturbing mystery!

It was my doom-ev'n from the first, When summon'd with my cherub peers, To witness the young vernal burst

Of nature through those blooming spheres, Those flowers of light, that sprung beneath The first touch of the' Eternal's breath

It was my doom still to be haunted
By some new wonder, some sublime

And matchless work, that, for the time
Held all my soul, enchain'd, enchanted,
And left me not afthought, a dream,
A word, but on that only theme!

The wish to know-that endless thirst,
Which ev'n by quenching is awak'd,
And which becomes or blest or curst,

As is the fount whereat 'tis slak'd.-
Still urg'd me onward, with desire
Insatiate, to explore, inquire-

Whate'er the wondrous things might be,

That wak'd each new idolatry

Their cause, aim, source from whence

they sprung,

Their inmost powers, as though for me

Existence on that knowledge hung.

Oh what a vision were the stars,

When first I saw them burn on high, Rolling along, like living cars

Of light, for gods to journey by! They were my heart's first passion-days And nights, unwearied, in their rays Have I hung floating, till each sense Seem'd full of their bright influence. Innocent joy! alas, how much

Of misery had I shunn'd below,

Could I have still liv'd bless'd with such ; Nor, proud and restless, burn'd to know The knowledge that brings guilt and woe!

Often so much I lov'd to trace

The secrets of this starry race

Have I at morn and evening run
Along the lines of radiance spun,

Like webs, between them and the sun,

Untwisting all the tangled ties

Of light into their different dyes→
Then fleetly wing'd I off, in quest
Of those, the farthest, loneliest,
That watch, like winking sentinels,
The void, beyond which Chaos dwells,
And there, with noiseless plume, pursued
Their track through that grand solitude,
Asking intently all and each

What soul within their radiance dwelt, And wishing their sweet light were speech, That they might tell me all they felt.

Nay, oft, so passionate my chace

Of these resplendent heirs of space,

Oft did I follow-lest a ray

Should 'scape me in the farthest night

Some pilgrim Comet on his way

To visit distant shrines of light,

And well remember how I sung

Exulting out, when on my sight

New worlds of stars, all fresh and young, As if just born of darkness, sprung!

Such was my pure ambition then,
My sinless transport, night and morn ;
Ere this still newer world of men,

And that most fair of stars was born

Which I, in fatal hour, saw rise

Among the flowers of Paradise! Thenceforth my nature all was chang'd, My heart, soul, senses turn'd below; And he, who but so lately rang'd

Yon wonderful expanse, where glow Worlds upon worlds, yet found his mind Ev'n in that luminous rangé confin'd,