QUICKNESS.

ALSE life! a foil and no more, when
Wilt thou be gone?

Thou foul deception of all men,
That would not have the true come on!

Thou art a moon-like toil; a blinde

Self-posing state;

A dark contest of waves and winde;
A meer tempestuous debate.

Life is a fix'd, discerning light,
A knowing joy;

No chance, or fit; but ever bright,
And calm, and full, yet doth not cloy.

'Tis such a blissful thing, that still
Doth vivifie,

And shine and smile, and hath the skill
To please without eternity.

Thou art a toylsom mole, or less,
A moving mist.

But life is, what none can express,

A quickness, which my God hath kist.

THE WREATH.

INCE I in storms us'd most to be,
And seldom yielded flowers,

How shall I get a wreath for Thee
From those rude, barren hours?
The softer dressings of the Spring,
Or Summer's later store,
I will not for Thy temples bring,
Which thorns, not roses, wore.

But a twin'd wreath of grief and praise,
Praise soil'd with tears, and tears again
Shining with joy, like dewy days,
This day I bring for all Thy pain;
Thy causless pain! and, sad as death,
Which sadness breeds in the most vain,
-O not in vain-now beg Thy breath,
Thy quickning breath, which gladly bears
Through saddest clouds to that glad place,
Where cloudless quires sing without tears,
Sing Thy just praise, and see Thy face.

TELL me whence that joy doth spring,

Whose diet is divine and fair,

Which wears heaven like a bridal ring, And tramples on doubts and despair?

Whose Eastern traffique deals in bright
And boundles empyrean themes,
Mountains of spice, day-stars and light,
Green trees of life, and living streams?

Tell me, O tell, who did thee bring,
And here without my knowledge plac'd;
Till thou didst grow and get a wing,
A wing with eyes, and eyes that taste?

Sure, holyness, the magnet is,

And love the lute that woos thee down; Which makes the high transcendent bliss Of knowing thee, so rarely known!

66

1 In various countries we have the provincialism 'to queer' = to puzzle or pose e. g. Scott, in the Heart of Midlothian, uses it in an immortal passage: Come now Jeanie, ye are but queering us" (c, xxv.). This seems to be the substantival form the puzzle. G.

THE BOOK.

TERNAL God! Maker of all

That have liv'd here since the man's fall!

The Rock of Ages! in whose shade

They live unseen, when here they fade

Thou knew'st this papyr. when it was
Meer seed, and after that but grass;
Before 'twas drest or spun, and when
Made linen, who did wear it then :

e;

What were their lifes, their thoughts and deeds, Whether good corn, or fruitless weeds.

Thou knew'st this tree, when a green shade
Cover'd it, since a cover1 made,

And where it flourish'd, grew, and spread,
As if it never should be dead.

Thou knew'st this harmlesss beast, when he
Did live and feed by Thy decree

On each green thing; then slept-well fed-
Cloath'd with this skin, which now lies spred
A covering o're this aged book,

Which makes me wisely weep, and look

1 Alluding to the massive wooden side-covers of old books. G.

2 Misprinted 'liee'. G.

On my own dust; meer dust it is,

But not so dry and clean as this.

Thou knew'st and saw'st them all, and though
Now scatter'd thus, dost know them so.

O knowing, glorious Spirit! when

Thou shalt restore trees, beasts and men,
When Thou shalt make all new again,
Destroying onely death and pain,

Give him amongst thy works a place,
Who in them lov'd and sought Thy face!

TO THE HOLY BIBLE.

BOOK! Life's guide! how shall we part;
And thou so long seiz'd1 of my heart?
Take this last kiss; and let me weep

True thanks to thee before I sleep.

Thou wert the first put in my hand,
When yet I could not understand,
And daily didst my yong eyes lead
To letters, till I learnt to read.

But as rash youths, when once grown strong,
Flye from their nurses to the throng,

1 A legal term, as before: = put in possession. G.

ន