Tears brightened by the serenade
For infant in the cradle laid.

Ah! not for emerald fields alone,

With ambient streams more pure and bright
Than fabled Cytherea's zone

Glittering before the Thunderer's sight,

Is to my heart of hearts endeared

50

The ground where we were born and reared!

Hail, ancient Manners! sure defence,

55

Where they survive, of wholesome laws;
Remnants of love whose modest sense
Thus into narrow room withdraws;
Hail, Usages of pristine Mould,

And ye that guard them, Mountains old!

60

Bear with me, Brother! quench the thought

That slights this passion, or condemns;

If thee fond Fancy ever brought

From the proud margin of the Thames,
And Lambeth's venerable towers,

65

To humbler streams, and greener bowers.

Yes, they can make, who fail to find,
Short leisure even in busiest days;
Moments, to cast a look behind,

And profit by those kindly rays

70

That through the clouds do sometimes steal,
And all the far-off past reveal.

Hence, while the imperial City's din
Beats frequent on the satiate ear,
A pleased attention I may win
To agitations less severe,

That neither overwhelm nor cloy,
But fill the hollow vale with joy!

75

FROM THE RIVER DUDDON.

V.

Sole listener, Duddon! to the breeze that played
With thy clear voice, I caught the fitful sound
Wafted o'er sullen moss and craggy mound—
Unfruitful solitudes, that seemed to upbraid
The sun in heaven!—but now, to form a shade
For thee, green alders have together wound
Their foliage; ashes flung their arms around;
And birch-trees risen in silver colonnade.
And thou hast also tempted here to rise,

5

'Mid sheltering pines, this Cottage rude and grey; 10 Whose ruddy children, by the mother's eyes Carelessly watched, sport through the summer day, Thy pleased associates :-light as endless May

On infant bosoms lonely Nature lies.

XXI.

Whence that low voice?-A whisper from the heart. That told of days long past, when here I roved

With friends and kindred tenderly beloved;
Some who had early mandates to depart,
Yet are allowed to steal my path athwart
By Duddon's side; once more do we unite,
Once more, beneath the kind Earth's tranquil light;
And smothered joys into new being start.
From her unworthy seat, the cloudy stall
Of Time, breaks forth triumphant Memory;
Her glistening tresses bound, yet light and free
As golden locks of birch, that rise and fall
On gales that breathe too gently to recall
Aught of the fading year's inclemency!

5

ΙΟ

XXVI.

Return, Content! for fondly I pursued,

Even when a child, the Streams-unheard, unseen;
Through tangled woods, impending rocks between;
Or, free as air, with flying inquest viewed

The sullen reservoirs whence their bold brood-
Pure as the morning, fretful, boisterous, keen,
Green as the salt-sea billows, white and green-
Poured down the hills, a choral multitude!
Nor have I tracked their course for scanty gains;
They taught me random cares and truant joys,
That shield from mischief and preserve from stains
Vague minds, while men are growing out of boys;
Maturer Fancy owes to their rough noise
Impetuous thoughts that brook not servile reins.

5

ΙΟ

XXXIV.

AFTER-THOUGHT.

I thought of thee, my partner and my guide,
As being past away.-Vain sympathies!
For backward, Duddon! as I cast my eyes,
I see what was, and is, and will abide;
Still glides the Stream, and shall for ever glide;
The Form remains, the Function never dies;
While we, the brave, the mighty, and the wise,
We men, who in our morn of youth defied
The elements, must vanish;-be it so!

Enough, if something from our hands have power
To live, and act, and serve the future hour;
And if, as toward the silent tomb we go,

5

ΙΟ

Through love, through hope, and faith's transcendent dower,

We feel that we are greater than we know.

HYMN

FOR THE BOATMEN, AS THEY APPROACH THE RAPIDS UNDER THE CASTLE OF HEIDELBERG.

Jesu! bless our slender Boat,

By the current swept along;

Loud its threatenings-let them not
Drown the music of a song

Breathed thy mercy to implore,

Where these troubled waters roar!

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Saviour, for our warning, seen

Bleeding on that precious Rood;
If, while through the meadows green

Gently wound the peaceful flood,
We forgot Thee, do not Thou
Disregard thy Suppliants now!

Hither, like yon ancient Tower

Watching o'er the River's bed,
Fling the shadow of thy power,

Else we sleep among the dead;
Thou who trod'st the billowy sea,
Shield us in our jeopardy!

Guide our Bark among the waves;

IO

15

Through the rocks our passage smooth; 20

Where the whirlpool frets and raves

Let thy love its anger soothe:

All our hope is placed in Thee;

Miserere Domine!

THE SOURCE OF THE DANUBE.

Not, like his great Compeers, indignantly

Doth DANUBE spring to life! The wandering Stream (Who loves the Cross, yet to the Crescent's gleam Unfolds a willing breast) with infant glee

Slips from his prison walls and Fancy, free
To follow in his track of silver light,

5

Mounts on rapt wing, and with a moment's flight