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89
EVENING.
A SKETCH FROM NATURE.
Ut pictura poesis erit.—
Hor.
Hor.
'Tis now the young decline of day;
The light is lingering in the sky,
Fading unconsciously away,
Like brightness in a maiden's eye
That fain would sleep,
But watch must keep.
The light is lingering in the sky,
Fading unconsciously away,
Like brightness in a maiden's eye
That fain would sleep,
But watch must keep.
Now shadows steal o'er hill and plain;
Just, as in life's decline, we find
Reflection steal across the mind,
That sunshine will not aye remain
The village windows gleam like gold,
Most bright and beauteous to behold,
Reflected in the lake below;
Mocking, with their sheeny glare,
The lights that soon will twinkle there;
One, two, three! a glorious show;
And, now, they like a thousand glow!
Just, as in life's decline, we find
Reflection steal across the mind,
That sunshine will not aye remain
90
Most bright and beauteous to behold,
Reflected in the lake below;
Mocking, with their sheeny glare,
The lights that soon will twinkle there;
One, two, three! a glorious show;
And, now, they like a thousand glow!
How Fancy works!—they seem to me
Like to some illumination,
Given by a mighty nation,
On their hero's victory,
Their prince's birth-day celebration,
Or a saintly jubilee!
It is a sight I joy to see,
It chimes well with my simple mood,
To think that rustic nature should
(Cheering her chosen sons) impart
Sights that outvie the powers of art! [OMITTED]
Like to some illumination,
Given by a mighty nation,
On their hero's victory,
Their prince's birth-day celebration,
Or a saintly jubilee!
It is a sight I joy to see,
It chimes well with my simple mood,
To think that rustic nature should
(Cheering her chosen sons) impart
Sights that outvie the powers of art! [OMITTED]
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