The Christian Scholar By the Author of "The Cathedral" [i.e. Isaac Williams] |
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| II. | II.
HOME. |
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 | The Christian Scholar |  |
261
II. HOME.
“Brightest Eye of Islets fair,
“Or peninsulas most rare,
“Which in watery friths around,
“Or in either sea are found;—
“Sirmio, with what delight
“Do I see thee safe again,
“And can scarce believe me quite
“'Scaped from the Bithynian plain!
“Or peninsulas most rare,
“Which in watery friths around,
“Or in either sea are found;—
“Sirmio, with what delight
“Do I see thee safe again,
“And can scarce believe me quite
“'Scaped from the Bithynian plain!
“Oh, how blessed thus to cease
“From all cares, and find release,
“When the mind throws off her load
“After wanderings long abroad,
“Wearied out with toils to come
“And to be again at home,—
“There resign ourselves oppress'd
“On the accustom'd bed at rest;—
“Moment long'd for;—this at last—
“This repays all labours past.
“From all cares, and find release,
“When the mind throws off her load
“After wanderings long abroad,
“Wearied out with toils to come
“And to be again at home,—
“There resign ourselves oppress'd
“On the accustom'd bed at rest;—
“Moment long'd for;—this at last—
“This repays all labours past.
“Sirmio, hail, my pleasant Isle,
“Greet thy master! gently smile,
“Lydian lake! About me come,
“All ye laughs that haunt my home.”
“Greet thy master! gently smile,
“Lydian lake! About me come,
“All ye laughs that haunt my home.”
262
The last wish to a human breast:
Yes, sweetest spot to them that roam,
It is a little quiet home:
Yet 'twas a Christian's wish to die
With none, or none but strangers, nigh,
At a lone inn: that thought express'd
A fear on earth to find its rest:
'Twas this of old the pilgrim led
To have no place to lay his head,—
No spot on earth to call his own,
Except a grave in lands unknown.
Foxes have holes, the bird a nest,
Man hath on earth no place of rest.
| The Christian Scholar | |