 | [To James Russell Lowell, in] Blackwood's Edinburgh magazine |  |
589
TO JAMES RUSSELL LOWELL.
Friend of my childhood, boyhood, manhood, age,
How can I fail thy bitter loss to mourn,
That from the book of life its glowing page
So filled with golden memories has torn?
How can I fail thy bitter loss to mourn,
That from the book of life its glowing page
So filled with golden memories has torn?
No! no! those memories still remain—more sad—
That they are now but silent dreams that rise,
Faint phantoms, once so real, living, glad,
Now only to be seen through tear-filled eyes.
That they are now but silent dreams that rise,
Faint phantoms, once so real, living, glad,
Now only to be seen through tear-filled eyes.
Ah! of Truth's temples gone are nearly all
Of its strong props, by cruel death o'erthrown;
And now, like some weak pillar near to fall,
Amid the wreck I stand almost alone.
Of its strong props, by cruel death o'erthrown;
And now, like some weak pillar near to fall,
Amid the wreck I stand almost alone.
We roamed together through the fields of play,
We strove through life as strenuous friends and warm;
No doubting shadows in our pathway lay,
Nor o'er our friendship swept one passing storm.
We strove through life as strenuous friends and warm;
No doubting shadows in our pathway lay,
Nor o'er our friendship swept one passing storm.
Shoulder to shoulder, heart to heart, through life
We went; ne'er asking which was best or first,
Unknowing envy, jealousy, or strife,
Sure of each other—through the best and worst.
We went; ne'er asking which was best or first,
Unknowing envy, jealousy, or strife,
Sure of each other—through the best and worst.
Fame, honour, fortune, crowned thee with its wreath;
Justly the world to thee adjudged its prize;
But simple, heedless of its flattering breath,
Thy path was onward with uplooking eyes,—
Justly the world to thee adjudged its prize;
But simple, heedless of its flattering breath,
Thy path was onward with uplooking eyes,—
Onward through life, strong, earnest in the fight
For freedom, duty, justice, all things good,
Sowing brave words, high thoughts, for Truth, for Right,
And unseduced by all Life's siren brood.
For freedom, duty, justice, all things good,
Sowing brave words, high thoughts, for Truth, for Right,
And unseduced by all Life's siren brood.
Nature to thee the poet's power bestowed,
A genial humour, and a trenchant wit,
That now like mild heat-lightning gleamed and glowed,
Now with a sudden flash life's centre hit.
A genial humour, and a trenchant wit,
That now like mild heat-lightning gleamed and glowed,
Now with a sudden flash life's centre hit.
590
All the great gifts that lavish Nature gave
By study, culture, art, were trained and formed.
As scholar, critic, poet—gay or grave—
The world to thee with heart responsive warmed.
By study, culture, art, were trained and formed.
As scholar, critic, poet—gay or grave—
The world to thee with heart responsive warmed.
Thy loss, not I alone, a nation mourns,
The double nation of our English speech,
Where'er the illuming light of letters burns,
Where'er brave words and noble thoughts can reach.
The double nation of our English speech,
Where'er the illuming light of letters burns,
Where'er brave words and noble thoughts can reach.
Grateful I listen to the generous strain
Of praise and grief, that through the whole world rings,—
But ah! what hand like thine will wake again
The glad old music on my broken strings?
Of praise and grief, that through the whole world rings,—
But ah! what hand like thine will wake again
The glad old music on my broken strings?
| [To James Russell Lowell, in] Blackwood's Edinburgh magazine | |