All round a hedge upshoots, and shows
At distance like a little wood;
Thorns, ivies, woodbine, mistletoes,
And grapes with bunches red as blood;
All creeping plants, a wall of green
Close-matted, bur and brake and briar,
And glimpsing over these, just seen,
High up, the topmost palace-spire.

When will the hundred summers die,
And thought and time be born again,
And newer knowledge, drawing nigh,
Bring truth that sways the soul of men ?
Here all things in their place remain,

As all were ordered, ages since.
Come, Care and Pleasure, Hope and Pain,
And bring the fated fairy Prince.

THE SLEEPING BEAUTY.

Year after year unto her feet,

She lying on her couch alone,

Across the purple coverlet,

The maiden's jet-black hair has grown,

On either side her tranced form
Forth streaming from a braid of pearl:
The slumbrous light is rich and warm,
And moves not on the rounded curl.

The silk star-broidered coverlid

Unto her limbs itself doth mould Languidly ever; and, amid

Her full black ringlets downward rolled, Glows forth each softly-shadowed arm With bracelets of the diamond bright: Her constant beauty doth inform Stillness with love, and day with light.

She sleeps: her breathings are not heard
In palace chambers far apart.
The fragrant tresses are not stirred
That lie upon her charmed heart.
She sleeps: on either hand upswells
The gold-fringed pillow lightly prest :
She sleeps, nor dreams, but ever dwells
A perfect form in perfect rest.

THE ARRIVAL.

All precious things, discovered late,
To those that seek them issue forth;
For love in sequel works with fate,
And draws the veil from hidden worth.
He travels far from other skies -
His mantle glitters on the rocks -
A fairy Prince, with joyful eyes,
And lighter-footed than the fox.

The bodies and the bones of those
That strove in other days to pass,
Are withered in the thorny close,
Or scattered blanching in the grass.
He gazes on the silent dead :
"They perished in their daring deeds."
This proverb flashes through his head,
"The many fail: the one succeeds."

He comes, scarce knowing what he seeks : He breaks the hedge: he enters there : The color flies into his cheeks:

He trusts to light on something fair;

For all his life the charm did talk
About his path, and hover near
With words of promise in his walk,
And whispered voices in his ear.

More close and close his footsteps wind; The magic music in his heart

Beats quick and quicker, till he find

The quiet chamber far apart.

His spirit flutters like a lark,

He stoops - to kiss her - on his knee.

"Love, if thy tresses be so dark,

How dark those hidden eyes must be !"

THE REVIVAL.

A touch, a kiss! the charm was snapt. There rose a noise of striking clocks, And feet that ran, and doors that clapt, And barking dogs, and crowing cocks; A fuller light illumined all,

A breeze through all the garden swept,

A sudden hubbub shook the hall,

And sixty feet the fountain leapt.

The hedge broke in, the banner blew,
The butler drank, the steward scrawled,

The fire shot up, the martin flew,

The parrot screamed, the peacock squalled,

The maid and page renewed their strife,

The palace banged, and buzzed and clackt,

And all the long-pent stream of life

Dashed downward in a cataract.

And last of all the king awoke,

And in his chair himself upreared, And yawned, and rubbed his face, and spoke, "By holy rood, a royal beard! How say you? we have slept, my lords. My beard has grown into my lap." The barons swore, with many words, 'T was but an after-dinner's nap.

"Pardy," returned the king, "but still
My joints are something stiff or so.
My lord, and shall we pass the bill
I mentioned half an hour ago?"
The chancellor, sedate and vain,
In courteous words returned reply:
But dallied with his golden chain,
And, smiling, put the question by.