O! YE delicious fables, where the wave

And woods were peopled, and the air, with things So lovely! why, ah! why has science grave

Scattered afar your sweet imaginings?

Why seared the delicate flowers that genius gave, And dashed the diamond drops from fancy's wings?

No more by well or bubbling fountain clear,
The Naiad dries her tresses in the sun;
No longer may we in the branches hear

The Dryad talk, nor see the Oread run
Along the mountains; nor the Nereid steer
Her way among the waves when day is done.
Alas! the spirit languishes, and lies
At mercy of life's dull realities.

SONNET.

THE world is too much with us; late and soon,
Getting and spending, we lay waste our powers;
Little we see in Nature that is ours;

We have given our hearts away, a sordid boon!
This sea that bares her bosom to the moon,

The winds that will be howling at all hours,
And are up-gathered now, like sleeping flowers,
For this, for every thing, we are out of tune;
It moves us not. Great God! I'd rather be
A pagan suckled in a creed outworn;

So might I, standing on this pleasant lea, Have glimpses that would make me less forlorn ; Have sight of Proteus coming from the sea; Or hear old Triton blow his wreathéd horn.

WORDSWORTH.

THE PERMANENCY OF MYTHOLOGICAL ASSOCIATIONS.

THE intelligible forms of ancient poets,

The fair humanities of old religion,

The Power, the Beauty, and the Majesty,
That had their haunts in dale or piny mountain,

Or forest, by slow stream, or pebbly spring,

Or chasms and watery depths; all these have van

ished;

They live no longer in the faith of reason.

But still the heart doth need a language; still
Doth the old instinct bring back the old names;
Spirits or gods that used to share this earth
With man, as with their friend; and at this day
"Tis Jupiter who brings whate'er is great,
And Venus who brings every thing that's fair.

COLERIDGE.

OLYMPUS; THE RESIDENCE OF THE GODS.

So saying, Minerva, goddess azure-eyed,
Rose to Olympus, the reputed seat

Eternal of the gods, which never storms

Disturb, rains drench, or snow invades; but calm The expanse, and cloudless, shines with purest day. There the inhabitants divine rejoice

Forever.

COWPER'S HOMER.

SONNET.

THE world is too much with us; late and soon,
Getting and spending, we lay waste our powers;
Little we see in Nature that is ours;

We have given our hearts away, a sordid boon!
This sea that bares her bosom to the moon,

The winds that will be howling at all hours,
And are up-gathered now, like sleeping flowers,
For this, for every thing, we are out of tune;
It moves us not. Great God! I'd rather be
A pagan suckled in a creed outworn ;

So might I, standing on this pleasant lea, Have glimpses that would make me less forlorn; Have sight of Proteus coming from the sea; Or hear old Triton blow his wreathéd horn.

WORDSWORth.

THE PERMANENCY OF MYTHOLOGICAL ASSOCIATIONS.

THE intelligible forms of ancient poets,

The fair humanities of old religion,

The Power, the Beauty, and the Majesty,

That had their haunts in dale or piny mountain,

Or forest, by slow stream, or pebbly spring,

Or chasms and watery depths; all these have van

ished;

They live no longer in the faith of reason.

But still the heart doth need a language; still
Doth the old instinct bring back the old names;
Spirits or gods that used to share this earth
With man, as with their friend; and at this day
Tis Jupiter who brings whate'er is great,
And Venus who brings every thing that's fair.

COLERIDGE.

OLYMPUS; THE RESIDENCE OF THE GODS.

So saying, Minerva, goddess azure-eyed,

Rose to Olympus, the reputed seat

Eternal of the gods, which never storms

Disturb, rains drench, or snow invades; but calm

The expanse, and cloudless, shines with purest day. There the inhabitants divine rejoice

Forever.

COWPER'S HOMER.