Not Thule's waves so wildly break To drown the northern shore; As when in summer's sweetest day Sudden the lightning's blast descends, At once the various ruin blends, But when, to clear his stormy breast, O then what anguish he betray'd! His shame how deep, how true! He view'd the waste his rage had made, And shudder'd at the view. The meek-ey'd dawn, in saffron robe, Up rose the sun to gild the globe, The birds their vernal notes repeat, When pious ELDRED early rose The Lord of all to hail; Who life with all its gifts bestows, Whose mercies never fail ! That done he left his woodland glade, Within the bosom of a wood, A little, modest mansion stood, While many a prouder castle fell, The house where guardian virtues dwell Of Eglantine an humble fence Around the mansion stood, Which serv'd at once to charm the sense, And screen an infant wood. The wood receiv'd an added grace, The smallness of the stream did well But little streams may serve to tell The source from which they flow. This mansion own'd an aged Knight, And such a man was he, As Heaven just shows to human sight, His youth in many a well-fought field The vigour of a green old age His reverend form did bear; And yet, alas! the warrior sage Had drain'd the dregs of care: And sorrow more than age can break, One darling daughter sooth'd his cares, Her heart a little sacred shrine, And holy Hope and Faith divine She lov'd to raise her fragrant bower And there she screen'd each fav'rite flower And not a shrub or plant was there For wisdom, by a father's care, The trees, whose foliage fell away, While fair perennial greens that stood, He taught her that the gaudiest flowers While the sweet-scented rose shall last, And beauty's shorter hour. And here the virgin lov'd to lead Embower'd she grac'd the woodland shades, From courts and cities far, The pride of Caledonian maids, The peerless northern star. As shines that bright and lucid star, When beaming through the cloudless air So BIRTHA shone! - But when she spoke The Muse herself was heard, As on the ravish'd air she broke, And thus her prayer preferr'd: "O bless thy BIRTHA, Power Supreme, She starts to hear a stranger's voice, The stranger lost in transport stood, The virgin blush which spreads her cheek And all those dazzling beams which break He view'd them all, and as he view'd And still his raptur'd eye pursued, And feasted on the sight. |