Here Alfred the Truth-Teller Suddenly closed his book, And lifted his blue eyes, With doubt and strange surmise And Othere the old sea-captain Then smiled, till his shining teeth His tawny, quivering beard. And to the King of the Saxons, In witness of the truth, Raising his noble head, He stretched his brown hand, and said, "Behold this walrus-tooth!" DAYBREAK. A WIND came up out of the sea, It hailed the ships, and cried, "Sail on, Ye mariners, the night is gone." And hurried landward far away, It said unto the forest, "Shout! It touched the wood-bird's folded wing, And said, "O bird, awake and sing." And o'er the farms, "O chanticleer, Your clarion blow; the day is near." It whispered to the fields of corn, "Bow down, and hail the coming morn." It shouted through the belfry-tower, It crossed the churchyard with a sigh, THE FIFTIETH BIRTHDAY OF AGASSIZ. May 28, 1857. Ir was fifty years ago In the pleasant month of May, In the beautiful Pays de Vaud, And Nature, the old nurse, took Saying "Here is a story-book Thy Father has written for thee." "Come, wander with me," she said, "Into regions yet untrod; And read what is still unread In the manuscripts of God." And he wandered away and away Who sang to him night and day And whenever the way seemed long, Or his heart began to fail, She would sing a more wonderful song, Or tell a more marvellous tale. So she keeps him still a child, Though at times his heart beats wild For the beautiful Pays de Vaud; |