Grief, care, and poverty may haunt May be his portion;-slow disease May undermine his outward frame; And Calumny, more dread than these, May blight his fame:— But let him still, with fortitude, See that his footsteps onward tend; And strive, with faith and hope endued, To wait THE END! The threat'ning clouds which darkly lower, At times that light's reviving ray Shall lend him, even here below, And in a brighter world than this Bard! Prophet! Priest! go on in hope; It is a thorny path to trace; Yet other feet its thorns have trod; Then bear thee up, and humbly place Thy trust in God! FLOWERS. He who delights to trace, with serious thought, In all he sees the noiseless steps of TIME, Shall find the outward forms of Nature fraught With ample food for many a lofty rhyme; Or should he fear such dazzling heights to climb, And love to tread a less aspiring way,— Leaving untouch'd the awful and sublime, And seeking humbler objects to portray, May find in such the theme of many a pleasing lay. What though the glorious Sun, enthron'd on high, May more conspicuously this lesson teach; Or Moon and Stars, which gem the midnightsky, A yet more touching homily may preach, As silent preachers in the Christian's view; | Ye loftier Lilies, bath'd in morning's dew, Not gratifying merely outward sense Come forth, then, lovely heralds of the Spring! Leave at your Maker's call your earthly bed; At his behest your grateful tribute bring To light and life, from darkness and the dead! Thou, timid Snow-drop, lift thy lowly head; Crocus and Primrose, show your varied dye; Violets, your ceaseless odours round you shed, Yourselves the while retiring from the eye, Yet loading with your sweets each breeze that passes by. And you,-in gay variety that grace, Uplift, proud Sun-flower, to thy favourite orb That disk whereon his brightness loves to dwell; And, as thou seemst his radiance to absorb, Your star-like blossoms, fragrant to the And where my favourite Abbey rears on high On which, when glory fills the glowing west, Convolvolus, expand thy cup-like flower, Graceful in form, and beautiful in hue; Clematis, wreathe afresh thy garden-bower; pride |