Rise, kindling with the orient beam, Unfold the garments roll'd in blood! And point the way to heaven-to God! XXXI.-HOPE AT THE CLOSE OF LIFE. UNFADING Hope! when life's last embers burn, When soul to soul, and dust to dust return! Heav'n to thy charge resigns the awful hour! Oh! then, thy kingdom comes! Immortal Power! What though each spark of earth-born rapture fly The quivering lip, pale cheek, and closing eye! Bright to the soul thy seraph hands convey The morning dream of life's eternal day— Then, then, the triumph and the trance begin! And all the phoenix spirit burns within! O deep-enchanting prelude to repose, The dawn of bliss, the twilight of our woes! Yet half I hear the panting spirit sigh, It is a dread and awful thing to die! Mysterious worlds, untravell'd by the sun! Where Time's far wandering tide has never run, From your unfathom'd shades, and viewless spheres, A warning comes, unheard by other ears. 'Tis Heaven's commanding trumpet, long and loud, Like Sinai's thunder, pealing from the cloud! While Nature hears with terror-mingled trust, The shock that hurls her fabric to the dust; And, like the trembling Hebrew, when he trod The roaring waves, and call'd upon his God, With mortal terrors clouds immortal bliss, And shrieks, and hovers o'er the dark abyss! Daughter of Faith, awake, arise, illume The dread unknown, the chaos of the tomb; Melt, and dispel, ye spectre-doubts, that roll XXXII.—WHAT CONSTITUTES A STATE? WHAT Constitutes a state? Not high-rais'd battlement and labour'd mound, Thick wall, or moated gate: Not cities proud, with spires and turrets crown'd: Not bays and broad-arm'd ports, Where, laughing at the storm, rich navies ride: Not starr'd and spangled courts, Where low-bred baseness wafts perfume to pride: No-men, high-minded men, With powers as far above dull brutes endu'd, In forest, brake, or den, As beasts excel cold rocks and brambles rude: Men, who their duties know, But know their rights: and, knowing, dare maintain, Prevent the long-aim'd blow, And crush the tyrant, while they rend the chain. These constitute a state: And sovereign law, that state's collected will, O'er thrones and globes elate, Sits empress, crowning good, repressing ill. XXXIII. MY MIND TO ME A KINGDOM IS.1 My minde to me a kingdome is; Such perfect joy therein I finde That God or Nature hath assignde. Content I live, this is my stay; I presse I seek no more than may suffice; Content with that my mind doth bring. I see how plentie surfets oft, And hastie clymbers soonest fall: Mishap doth threaten most of all: No princely pompe, nor welthie store. No shape to winne a lover's eye; 1 This excellent philosophical song appears to have been famous in the sixteenth century. It is quoted by Ben Jonson in his play of "Every Man out of his Humour," first acted in 1599, Act I. Scene I., where an impatient person says "I am no such pil'd cynique to believe Some have too much, yet still they crave, I grudge not at another's gaine : I weigh not Croesus' welth a straw; I fear not fortune's fatall law. My mind is such as may not move I wander not to seek for more; In greatest stormes I sitte on shore, And laugh at them that toile in vaine To get what must be lost againe. I kisse not where I wish to kill; I feigne not love where most I hate ; Extreames are counted worst of all: This is my choyce, for why, I finde My welth is health and perfect ease, Nor by desert to give offence: XXXIV. THE CATARACT OF LODORE. "How does the water Come down at Lodore?" To tell him in rhyme; Anon at the word, To second and third The request of their brother, Comes down at Lodore, They had seen it before. |