What though the earlier grooves
Which ran the laughing loves

Around thy base, no longer pause and press?
What though, about thy rim,

Scull-things in order grim

Grow out, in graver mood, obey the sterner

stress?

Look not thou down but up!

To uses of a cup,

The festal board, lamp's flash and trumpet's peal, The new wine's foaming flow,

The Master's lips a-glow!

Thou, heaven's consummate cup, what needst

thou with earth's wheel?

But I need, now as then,

Thee, God, who mouldest men ;

And since, not even while the whirl was worst,

Did I,-to the wheel of life

With shapes and colours rife,

Bound dizzily,-mistake my end, to slake Thy

thirst:

So, take and use Thy work!
Amend what flaws may lurk,

What strain o' the stuff, what warpings past the

aim !

My times be in Thy hand!

Perfect the cup as planned!

Let age approve of youth, and death complete the same!

AUBREY DE VERE

Born 1814

SONG

When I was young, I said to Sorrow,
"Come, and I will play with thee:"--
He is near me now all day;
And at night returns to say,
"I will come again to-morrow,
I will come and stay with thee."

Through the woods we walk together;
His soft footsteps rustle nigh me;
To shield an unregarded head,
He hath built a winter shed;

And all night in rainy weather,
I hear his gentle breathings by me,

FROM "ODE ON THE ASCENT OF THE ALPS"

All night as in my dreams I lay

The shout of torrents without number
Was in my ears-" Away, away,

No time have we for slumber!
The star-beams in our eddies play--
The moon is set: away, away!"
And round the hills in tumult borne

Through echoing caves and gorges rocking,

The voices of the night and morn

Are crying louder in their scorn,

My tedious languor mocking.

Alas! in vain man's wearied limbs would rise

To join in elemental ecstasies!

"But thou, O Muse, our heavenly mate,
Unclogged art thou by fleshly weight!
Ascend; upbearing my desire
Among the mountains high and higher.
Leap from the glen upon the forest-

Leap from the forest on the snow :
And while from snow to cloud thou soarest
Look back on me below:

Where from the glacier bursts the river

With iron clang, pursue it ever;

K

Where Eagles through the tempest break,

Float forward in their viewless wake;
Where sunbeams gild the icy spire
Fling from thy tresses fire on fire."

I spake-Behold her o'er the broad lake flying :
Like a great Angel missioned to bestow

Some boon on men beneath in sadness lying:
The waves are murmuring silver murmurs low :
Beneath the curdling wind

Green through the shades the waters rush and roll,
(Or whitened only by the unfrequent shoal)
Till two dark hills, with darker yet behind,
Confront them,-purple mountains almost black,
Each behind each self-folded and withdrawn
Beneath the umbrage of yon cloudy rack—
That orange gleam! 'tis dawn!

Onward! the swan's flight with the eagle's blending,
On, winged Muse; still forward and ascending!

That mighty sweep, one orbit of her flight,

Has overcurved the mountain's barrier height:
She sinks, she speeds on prosperous wing prevailing,
(Broad lights below and changeful shadows sailing)
Over a vale upon whose breadth may shine

Not noontide suns alone, but suns of even,
Warming the gray fields in their soft decline,

The green streams flushing with the hues of heaven.