 | The Poetical Works of (Richard Monckton Milnes) Lord Houghton |  |
43
THE MEMORY OF LOVE.
Religious Love! it is most sure and true,
That Man, before he felt the dank night-air
Of this our nether birth, thy kingdom knew,
And bathed his Spirit in the day-spring there.
That Man, before he felt the dank night-air
Of this our nether birth, thy kingdom knew,
And bathed his Spirit in the day-spring there.
Else could world-withered age and flippant youth,
Minds of unloving and unlovely mould,
Who hold the “ancient lie” for solid truth,
And prize its wretched life-dross all as gold,—
Minds of unloving and unlovely mould,
Who hold the “ancient lie” for solid truth,
And prize its wretched life-dross all as gold,—
Could these, the minions of the dust,—even these,
Descant of thee as a familiar name,—
Detect thy signs, revere thy mysteries,
And, godless else, adore thy altar-flame?
Descant of thee as a familiar name,—
Detect thy signs, revere thy mysteries,
And, godless else, adore thy altar-flame?
And Poets too have been, who boldly own
They never felt thy influence o'er them shine,
But whose high Art has built thee many a throne,
Where thou canst fitly sit, confessed divine.
They never felt thy influence o'er them shine,
But whose high Art has built thee many a throne,
Where thou canst fitly sit, confessed divine.
Remember then, oh Pilgrim! and beware,—
Thou, with that Memory for a master-key,
Wilt open Heaven, and be no alien there,—
For as thou honourest Love—so will Love honour thee.
Thou, with that Memory for a master-key,
Wilt open Heaven, and be no alien there,—
For as thou honourest Love—so will Love honour thee.
1839.
| The Poetical Works of (Richard Monckton Milnes) Lord Houghton | |