And such a beautiful creation makes

As renders needless spells and magic wands,
And for the boldest tale belief commands.
When first mine eyes beheld that famous Hill,
The sacred ENGELBERG, celestial Bands,
With intermingling motions soft and still,
Hung round its top, on wings that changed their
hues at will.

Clouds do not name those Visitants; they were The very Angels whose authentic lays,

Sung from that heavenly ground in middle air,
Made known the spot where piety should raise
A holy Structure to the Almighty's praise.
Resplendent Apparition! if in vain.

My ears did listen, 't was enough to gaze;
And watch the slow departure of the train,
Whose skirts the glowing Mountain thirsted to
detain.

XIX.

OUR LADY OF THE SNOW.

MEEK Virgin Mother, more benign
Than fairest Star, upon the height
Of thy own mountain* set to keep

* Mount Righi.

Lone vigils through the hour of sleep,
What eye can look upon thy shrine
Untroubled at the sight?

These crowded offerings, as they hang
In sight of misery relieved,

Even these, without intent of theirs,
Report of comfortless despairs,

Of many a deep and cureless pang,
And confidence deceived.

To thee, in this aerial cleft,
As to a common centre, tend
All sufferers that no more rely
On mortal succor, all who sigh

And pine, of human hope bereft,
Nor wish for earthly friend.

And hence, O Virgin Mother mild!
Though plenteous flowers around thee blow,
Not only from the dreary strife

Of Winter, but the storms of life,
Thee have thy Votaries aptly styled,
OUR LADY OF THE SNOW.

Even for the Man who stops not here,
But down the irriguous valley hies,
Thy very name, O Lady! flings
O'er blooming fields and gushing springs
A tender sense of shadowy fear,
And chastening sympathies !

Nor falls that intermingling shade
To summer-gladsomeness unkind:
It chastens only to requite

With gleams of fresher, purer light;
While, o'er the flower-enamelled glade,
More sweetly breathes the wind.

But on! - a tempting downward way,
A verdant path, before us lies;
Clear shines the glorious sun above;
Then give free course to joy and love,
Deeming the evil of the day
Sufficient for the wise.

XX.

EFFUSION,

IN PRESENCE OF THE PAINTED TOWER OF TELL, AT

ALTORF.

THIS Tower stands upon the spot where grew the LindenFree against which his son is said to have been placed, when the father's archery was put to proof under circumstances so famous in Swiss story.

WHAT though the Italian pencil wrought not here, Nor such fine skill as did the meed bestow

On Marathonian valor, yet the tear

Springs forth in presence of this gaudy show,

While narrow cares their limits overflow.

Thrice happy, burghers, peasants, warriors old,
Infants in arms, and ye, that, as ye go
Homeward or school-ward, ape what ye behold:
Heroes before your time, in frolic fancy bold!

And when that calm Spectatress from on high
Looks down, the bright and solitary Moon,
Who never gazes but to beautify;

And snow-fed torrents, which the blaze of noon
Roused into fury, murmur a soft tune

That fosters peace, and gentleness recalls;
Then might the passing Monk receive a boon
Of saintly pleasure from these pictured walls,
While, on the warlike groups, the mellowing lustre
falls.

How blest the souls who when their trials come
Yield not to terror or despondency,

But face like that sweet Boy their mortal doom,
Whose head the ruddy apple tops, while he
Expectant stands beneath the linden-tree:
He quakes not like the timid forest game,
But smiles,
the hesitating shaft to free;
Assured that Heaven its justice will proclaim,
And to his father give its own unerring aim.

To dignity,

XXI.

THE TOWN OF SCHWYTZ.

By antique Fancy trimmed, though lowly, bred in thee, O SCHWYTZ! are seen The genuine features of the golden mean; Equality by Prudence governèd,

Or jealous Nature ruling in her stead;

And therefore art thou blest with peace, serene As that of the sweet fields and meadows green In unambitious compass round thee spread. Majesty BERNE, high on her guardian steep, Holding a central station of command,

Might well be styled this noble body's HEAD; Thou, lodged 'mid mountainous intrenchments

deep,

Its HEART; and ever may the heroic Land
Thy name, O SCHWYTZ! in happy freedom keep.*

XXII.

ON HEARING THE RANZ DES VACHES ON THE TOP OF

I LISTEN,

THE PASS OF ST. GOTHARD.

but no faculty of mine

Avails those modulations to detect,

*Nearly five hundred years (says Ebel, speaking of the French Invasion) had elapsed, when, for the first time, foreign soldiers were seen upon the frontiers of this small Canton, to impose upon it the laws of their governors.