72 THE NEW LEGEND OF WARKWORTH. Then Percy took his sword again, And on the beast did jump, He hack'd and hack'd with might and main Now if some unbelieving Jew Then let him go and put on oath And Pringle, sexton, grave men both, Then ask them,-Did your forefathers That effigy recorded, sirs, In some quaint modern rhyme? And in the castle he'll not fail A tiger-fowl without a tail, View also the old hermitage Judge for yourselves, and if you scout What there are means to trace * * By sight and touch, why next you'll doubt HUGHES WILD FLOWERS. 73 59. WILD FLOWERS. BEAUTIFUL children of the woods and fields ! Beautiful flowers! to me ye fresher seem Fair, modest maidens, nursed in hamlets small :--- Beautiful gems! that on the brow of earth Beautiful things ye are where'er ye grow! The wild red rose-the speedwell's peeping eyesOur own bluebell-the daisy, that doth rise Wherever sunbeams fall, or winds do blow; And thousands more of blessed forms and dyes,I love ye all! H 74 WILD FLOWERS. Beautiful nurslings of the early dew! Beautiful watchers! day and night ye wake! Beautiful objects of the wild-bee's love! The wild-bird joys your opening bloom to see, Beautiful children of the glen and dell The dingle deep-the moorland stretching wide, Ye o'er my heart have thrown a lovesome spell, NICOLL. 60. THE FLOWER MORE ENDURING THAN MARBLE. MARBLE is less enduring than the flower That wither'd ages since, and withers now, Where, black as night, th' unalter'd mountains tower, And baffled time sees things that mock his power. ELLIOTT. THE BETTER LAND. 75 61. THE BETTER LAND. "I HEAR thee speak of the better land; Thou call'st its children a happy band; Mother! oh where is that radiant shore? Shall we not seek it, and weep no more? Is it where the flower of the orange blows, And the fire-flies dance through the myrtle boughs?" "Not there, not there, my child!” "Is it where the feathery palm-trees rise, "Is it far away, in some region old, Where the rivers wander o'er sands of gold? Where the burning rays of the ruby shine, And the diamond lights up the secret mine, And the pearl gleams forth from the coral strand?— Is it there, sweet mother, that better land ?" "Not there, not there, my child! Eye hath not seen it, my gentle boy! MRS. HEMANS. 76 BABY'S SHOES. 62. BABY'S SHOES. O THOSE little, those little blue shoes! That those shoes would buy, Those little blue unused shoes! For they hold the small shape of feet Years since grew still, And ceased from their totter so sweet! And O, since that baby slept, So hush'd! how the mother has kept, That little dear treasure, For they mind her for evermore Look up from her knees, With the look that in life they wore. As they lie before her there, A little sweet face, That's a gleam in the place, With its little gold curls of hair. |