296 HYMN OF APOLLC. Are filled with my bright presence; and the air Leaves the green earth to my embraces bare. The sunbeams are my shafts, with which I kill Deceit, that loves the night and fears the day; All men who do or even imagine ill Fly me, and from the glory of my ray Good minds and open actions take new might, Until diminished by the reign of night. I feed the clouds, the rainbows, and the flowers With their ethereal colors; the moon's globe, And the pure stars in their eternal bowers, Are cinctured with my power as with a robe; Whatever lamps on earth or heaven may shine Are portions of one power, which is mine. I stand at noon upon the peak of heaven, For grief that I depart, they weep and frown: I am the eye with which the Universe Beholds itself, and knows itself divine; All prophecy, all medicine, are mine, A DEWDROP FALLING. 297 A GENIAL MOMENT OFT HAS GIVEN. - Trench. A GENIAL moment oft has given years Of long industrious toil, have striven Yet count not, when thine end is won, Nor say it had been wiser done To spare the painful cost. One spark alighting from on high, – But those sweet gums and fragrant woods, By tedious quest o'er lands and floods A DEWDROP FALLING. — Trench. A DEWDROP, falling on the wild sea wave, Which thrust it forth, as it had feared, to die ; 298 THE PRIORESS'S TALE. Until again, "I perish quite," it said, THE SEED MUST DIE. - Trench. THE seed must die, before the corn appears THE PRIORESS'S TALE. Chaucer. THERE was in Asia, in a great city, For foul usure and lucre of villainy, A little school of Christian folk there stood Down at the further end, in which there were Children a heape comen of Christian blood, THE PRIORESS'S TALE. That learned in that schoolè year by year Among these children was a widow's son, Thus hath this widow her little son ytaught This little child his little book learning, As children learned their antiphonere ; 6 Nought wist he what this Latin was to say, 1 Young clerk. Standeth. 7 Knew. 2 Custom. 299 3 Simple. 4 Learn. 6 Chanting alternate verses of the Psalms. 300 THE PRIORESS'S TALE T'expounden him this song in his anguage, Or tell him why this song was in usage; This pray'd he him to construe and declare, Full often time upon his kneès bare. His fellow, which that elder was than he, 2 Her to salue, and eke her for to pray To be our help and succour when we dey.3 "And is this song makèd in reverence Of Christès mother?" said this innocent: "Now certès I will do my diligence To conn 5 it all ere Christèmas be went, His fellow taught him homeward privily From word to word according with the note: As I have said, throughout the Jewèry This little child, as he came to and fro, Full merrily then would he sing and cry, 1 Bountiful. 4 Know. 2 Praise. 5 Learn. Punished, the strict meaning is ruined. 3 Die. |