Beauties of the mind, a poetical sketch With lays, historical and romantic. By Charles Swain |
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THE YOUNG COTTAGERS. |
 | Beauties of the mind, a poetical sketch |  |
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THE YOUNG COTTAGERS.
“Years steal
Fire from the mind as vigour from the limb;
And life's enchanted cup but sparkles at the brim.”
Byron.
Fire from the mind as vigour from the limb;
And life's enchanted cup but sparkles at the brim.”
Byron.
I.
The blue streams know them—and the birdsHave grown familiar to their voice;
The echoes of the woods rejoice
In the glad music of their words!
Blithe creatures of the summer air,
Companions of the flower and bee;
Whose homeless feet find every where
The free sweet rest of liberty:
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Their young forms in my wanderings;
Lone seated by some ancient tree—
Or brook that through the valley sings
A pleasant melody!
II.
Their voice my heart to gladness stirs,Amid its utter loneliness;
And half unconsciously I bless,
The young, the mountain cottagers!
True, they are poor—but He whose power
Hath dressed the floweret of the vale,
Will not forget them in that hour,
The tempest-winds prevail!
His eye—that rank nor wealth prefers;
But on Earth's humblest children falls,
Bright as though born in palace-halls—
Will shield the mountain cottagers!
| Beauties of the mind, a poetical sketch | |