Poems in Two Volumes, vol 1 | Page 8

to espy;
I gave a fervent welcome to the sight,
And
from my Horse I leapt; great joy had I.
Upon a leaf the Glow-worm did I lay,
To bear it with me through the
stormy night: 10 And, as before, it shone without dismay;
Albeit
putting forth a fainter light.
When to the Dwelling of my Love I came,
I went into the Orchard
quietly;
And left the Glow-worm, blessing it by name,
Laid safely

by itself, beneath a Tree.
The whole next day, I hoped, and hoped with fear;
At night the
Glow-worm shone beneath the Tree:
I led my Lucy to the spot, "Look
here!"
Oh! joy it was for her, and joy for me! 20
I travell'd among unknown Men

I travell'd among unknown Men,
In Lands beyond the Sea;
Nor
England! did I know till then
What love I bore to thee.
'Tis past, that melancholy dream!
Nor will I quit thy shore
A second
time; for still I seem
To love thee more and more.
Among thy mountains did I feel
The joy of my desire; 10 And She I
cherish'd turn'd her wheel
Beside an English fire.
Thy mornings shew'd--thy nights conceal'd
The bowers where Lucy
play'd;
And thine is, too, the last green field
Which Lucy's eyes
survey'd!
ODE TO DUTY.

Stern Daughter of the Voice of God!
O Duty! if that name thou love

Who art a Light to guide, a Rod
To check the erring, and reprove;

Thou who art victory and law
When empty terrors overawe;

From vain temptations dost set free;
From strife and from despair; a
glorious ministry.
There are who ask not if thine eye
Be on them; who, in love and truth,
10 Where no misgiving is, rely
Upon the genial sense of youth:

Glad Hearts! without reproach or blot;
Who do thy work, and know it
not:
May joy be theirs while life shall last!
And Thou, if they

should totter, teach them to stand fast!
Serene will be our days and bright,
And happy will our nature be,

When love is an unerring light,
And joy its own security. 20 And
bless'd are they who in the main
This faith, even now, do entertain:

Live in the spirit of this creed;
Yet find that other strength, according
to their need.
I, loving freedom, and untried;
No sport of every random gust,
Yet
being to myself a guide,
Too blindly have reposed my trust:

Resolved that nothing e'er should press
Upon my present happiness,
30 I shoved unwelcome tasks away;
But thee I now would serve more
strictly, if I may.
Through no disturbance of my soul,
Or strong compunction in me
wrought,
I supplicate for thy controul;
But in the quietness of
thought:
Me this uncharter'd freedom tires;
I feel the weight of
chance desires:
My hopes no more must change their name,
I long
for a repose which ever is the same. 40
Yet not the less would I throughout
Still act according to the voice

Of my own wish; and feel past doubt
That my submissiveness was
choice:
Not seeking in the school of pride
For "precepts over
dignified,"
Denial and restraint I prize
No farther than they breed a
second Will more wise.
Stern Lawgiver! yet thou dost wear
The Godhead's most benignant
grace; 50 Nor know we any thing so fair
As is the smile upon thy face;

Flowers laugh before thee on their beds;
And Fragrance in thy
footing treads;
Thou dost preserve the Stars from wrong;
And the
most ancient Heavens through Thee are fresh and strong.
To humbler functions, awful Power!
I call thee: I myself commend

Unto thy guidance from this hour;
Oh! let my weakness have an end!
60 Give unto me, made lowly wise,
The spirit of self-sacrifice;
The

confidence of reason give;
And in the light of truth thy Bondman let
me live!
POEMS COMPOSED DURING A TOUR, CHIEFLY ON FOOT.
0. BEGGARS.
She had a tall Man's height, or more;
No bonnet screen'd her from the
heat;
A long drab-colour'd Cloak she wore,
A Mantle reaching to
her feet:
What other dress she had I could not know;
Only she wore
a Cap that was as white as snow.
In all my walks, through field or town,
Such Figure had I never seen:

Her face was of Egyptian brown:
Fit person was she for a Queen,
10 To head those ancient Amazonian files:
Or ruling Bandit's Wife,
among the Grecian Isles.
Before me begging did she stand,
Pouring out sorrows like a sea;

Grief after grief:--on English Land
Such woes I knew could never be;

And yet a boon I gave her; for the Creature
Was beautiful to see; a
Weed of glorious feature!
I left her, and pursued my way;
And soon before me did espy 20 A
pair of little Boys at play,
Chasing a crimson butterfly;
The Taller
follow'd with his hat in hand,
Wreath'd round with yellow flow'rs, the
gayest of the land.
The Other wore a rimless crown,
With leaves of laurel stuck about:

And they both follow'd up and down,
Each whooping with a merry
shout;
Two Brothers seem'd they, eight and ten years old;
And like
that Woman's face as gold is like to gold. 30
They bolted on me thus, and lo!
Each ready with a plaintive whine;

Said I, "Not