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On mistless meadow or unvaried moor,

Imbrowned by changes of the ripening year.
All I had seen from diverse prospects drawn
To me, at length,-a far spectator then-
Appeared to form one sunless passage broad
Through the deep bosom of a darksome vale,
Bound of all nearer than the sun-rise hills.
Dense fixed gloom hung o'er its barren breast,
Where trees of aspect drear their naked boughs
Extended o'er that path, and canopied

Its solemn stillness, thickening with the gloom,
Buried in which at last the whole were lost.

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power had I to penetrate its depths, But piercing deep in thought, at intervals Broke the dull roll of waters on my ear,

As in its midst a loosened torrent raved,
Or tempest-tossed with surging billows smote
Its channel sides in strong tempestuous ire.

I shuddered, and exclaimed:-"What wisdom e'er

Would urge the footsteps onward, and so far,

E'en were it prone to yonder radiant hills,

Since further than that vale no road is shown
Upleading there, nor other path is found

(Welcome it were!) which shall not reach its shade?

Say, ye dark fields! oh, leafless bowers, declare!
Are ye not ever green ? or, where the Sun

Averted calls away the trembling dawn,

Eternal do ye stand the tomb of Time

And Time's events?" Ere mine was hushed a voice, Borne from the garden, bid me start and turn,

As light it echoed o'er the laughing meads.

There one did lean upon its gate and gaze
Beyond, as anxious for that freedom wide,
In admiration's longing wonder lost;

But not from him those merry accents rose
Which seemed a moment to disturb and change

His trancelike reverie: amidst the flowers

There strayed a lovely child, upon whose brow,
As sunshine on the streamlet, I beheld

The name of Peace imprinted soft and clear.

Ah, happy one! thy locks of gold were bright;
How deep the lustre of thy laughing eyes!

If e'er they wept, their bitterest tears were shed
Like April's early rain, which, as it falls,
Glad sunshine wipes away, and in the sky
Long dwells a deeper and serener blue.
"See," she exclaimed with eager voice again,
"Within this rosy arbour I have found

A volume placed, a shining treasure—see !
On all those paths beyond there cannot be,
My brother, aught so fair, or streams and flowers,
As these around, or beautiful as now

The prospect of yon rising hills from here!"

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"Sister," the youth in thoughtless mood replied,

Why there remain? the sunshine overhead

To show the splendour of yon spacious fields

Is given: Come, let us, in those valleys white
With daisies of the spring, together roam ;

Or shall I but a little while be gone,

Of

every

bud that fairest there is found

To twine a wreath to deck my sister's brow?
Why still so silent? Peace, oh, tell me why
Thou car'st for nothing save those hills remote
We cannot reach ? we know not what is there."

Like heavenly music to my ears arose

That babe's soft answer, that, with smile half sad,
To him, whose name was writ Unwise, she gave:-
"Their light is dear, nor there is valley dark
To fright me when I gaze, however far!

And what a beauteous place must that needs be

Whose sunshine tints these leaves and flowers around!

There often do I think can be no night,

For when at early hour the songs awake

And call me from my rest, first there I look,
And all is glorious, and my heart is glad :
Nor when the peaceful sea unrippled shines
Beneath the setting sun, and with the plains
Grows twilight grey, are they too shadow'd o'er,
Most lovely then! And nightly gilded seen
When hours of sleep arrive; for, turned on them,
These eyes scarce-willing close, and pictured scenes
Such as are there my happy dreams divide !
But more than all, the only hindrance here

To perfect pleasure is at last removed;

For this straight path these eyes can now behold
Pass o'er the bosom of yon hazy mount

Above the vale, and to those realms I love:

Oh! wondrous mount!"-She ceased; a sight ap

peared

Of sudden glory strange; for down that way

Came One exceeding beautiful and bright,

With rainbow splendour, wide-encompassed round,

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