Skip directly to:Main content Main navigation

University of Virginia Library

Poems by William Wetmore Story

Story, William Wetmore (1819-1895)

collapse section

1.

VOL. I. PARCHMENTS AND PORTRAITS

collapse section

BY WAY OF INTRODUCTION.

NOTE BY THE EDITOR.

collapse section

PARCHMENTS AND PALIMPSESTS.

A ROMAN LAWYER IN JERUSALEM.

A JEWISH RABBI IN ROME.

A PRIMITIVE CHRISTIAN IN ROME.

PHIDIAS TO PERICLES.

MARCUS AURELIUS TO LUCIUS VERUS.

GIROLAMO, DETTO IL FIORENTINO, DESPONDS AND ABUSES THE WORLD.

collapse section

PORTRAITS AND PERSONS.

MARCUS ANTONIUS.

PRAXITELES AND PHRYNE.

PADRE BANDELLI PROSES TO THE DUKE LUDOVICO SFORZA ABOUT LEONARDO DA VINCI.

LEONARDO DA VINCI POETIZES TO THE DUKE IN HIS OWN DEFENCE.

A CONTEMPORARY CRITICISM:

IN THE ANTECHAMBER OF MONSIGNORE DEL FIOCCO.

THE LESSON OF MONSIGNORE GALEOTTO.

THE PADRE AND THE NOVICE.

IN ST. PETER'S.

BARON FISCO AT HOME.

EVENING IN SUMMER.

THE CHIFFONIER.

AN ESTRANGEMENT.

THE MANDOLINATA.

THE EMPTY HALL.

THE DESOLATION OF JERUSALEM.

AN ENGLISH HUSBAND TO HIS ITALIAN WIFE.

NINA AND HER TREASURES.

collapse section

2.

VOL II. MONOLOGUES AND LYRICS

collapse section

DRAMATIC MONOLOGUES AND NARRATIVES.

GINEVRA DA SIENA.

AUNT RACHEL'S STORY.

THE THREE SINGERS.

THE BATTLE OF MORAT.

THE CONFESSIONAL.

A LEGEND.

collapse section

AT THE VILLA CONTI.

UNDER THE ILEXES.

AUTUMN IN TUSCANY.

collapse section

COMPANIONS ON THE ROAD.

“DE MORTUIS.”

LOVE AND DEATH.

AFTER MANY DAYS.

VETERIS VESTIGIA FLAMMÆ.

IN THE MOONLIGHT.

THE SAD COUNTRY.

TWENTY YEARS AGO.

THE GARDEN OF ROSES.

COMING INTO PORT.

THE END OF THE BANQUET.

collapse section

LITTLE WE KNOW WHAT SECRET INFLUENCE.

GLAD IS THE SUNSHINE.

THE MIGHTY MAKERS.

GIOTTO'S CHAPEL.

IT WOULD NOT SEEM TO ME ONE HALF SO STRANGE.

collapse section

1.

[I. What were we made for? If to struggle here]

2.

[II. We are pursued by Fate; nothing on earth]

3.

III. High as man's hopes may fly, he ever falls

AFTER LONG DAYS OF DULL PERPETUAL RAIN.

collapse section

SINGING AT TWILIGHT.

UN BACIO DATO NON È MAI PERDUTO.

ON THE SURFACE.

O FILIA PULCHRA!

LOVE AND PRUDENCE.

collapse section

1.

[I. To each his separate work; the ox to drag the plough]

2.

II. SHAKESPEARE.

3.

[III. Strive not to say the whole! the Poet, in his Art]

4.

[IV. We of our age are part, and every thrill that wakes]

5.

[V. All Arts are one, howe'er distributed they stand]

6.

[VI. Lift thou thyself above the accidents of life]

7.

[VII. Yes, thrift is very good. Respect to men of thrift]

8.

[VIII. Live not without a friend! The Alpine rock must own]

9.

[IX. While we are young our youth too near for Art doth lie]

10.

[X. That dress of thine is made of many lives; I see]

11.

[XI. The conscious Intellect the servant is of Art]

12.

[XII. An inward faith alone can make our life sincere]

13.

[XIII. Nature in circles moves round fixed and central laws]

14.

[XIV. We are but what we think, and must immortal be]

15.

[XV. The East for sweet luxurious ease and rest]

16.

[XVI. The Imperfect hath a charm the Perfect cannot own]

collapse section

Collapse All | Expand All expand section

142

A LEGEND.

High noon in Acre blazed, and all the throng
Had sought the shade, when striding stern along
The burning street, and through the open square,
With feet unsandalled and dishevelled hair,
Was seen a figure strange, mysterious, tall,
With face uncovered, yet unknown to all.
Round her she gazed with wild impassioned look,
And in one hand a flaming torch she shook
High o'er her head, and in the other bore
A jar with water brimmed and running o'er,—
And with a high, clear voice she cried, “Behold!
I will burn heaven up with this torch I hold,
And with this jar of water I, as well,
Will quench forever all the fires of hell,
So that when heaven and hell alike are gone,
Man may love God, for God's own sake alone.”