While Reason took To his sermon-book Oh! which was the pleasanter no one need doubt, Which was the pleasanter no one need doubt. Beauty, who likes to be thought very sage, "Look here, sweet maid !”— The sight of his cap brought her back to herself; While Reason read His leaves of lead, With no one to mind him, poor sensible elf! Then Reason grew jealous of Folly's gay cap; Had he that on, he her heart might entrap"There it is," Quoth Folly, "old quiz!” (Folly was always good-natured, 'tis said.) "Under the sun There's no such fun, As Reason with my cap and bells on his head, But Reason the head-dress so awkwardly wore, That Beauty now liked him still less than before; While Folly took Old Reason's book, And twisted the leaves in a cap of such ton, (Though not aloud), She liked him still better in that than his own, Yes,-liked him still better in that than his own. ALONE IN CROWDS TO WANDER ON. 'LONE in crowds to wander on, And feel that all the charm is gone Which voices dear and eyes beloved Shed round us once, where'er we roved This, this the doom must be Of all who've loved, and lived to see The few bright things they thought would stay For ever near them, die away. Tho' fairer forms around us throng, And want that charm which dwells alone The long-known voice-where are they now? Oh, what is Fancy's magic worth, From lips now mute, and eyes now cold? As soon could she bring back again Those eyes themselves from out the grave, As wake again one bliss they gave. THE INDIAN BOAT. WAS midnight dark; The seaman's bark Swift o'er the waters bore him, He spied a light Shoot o'er the wave before him. "A sail! a sail!" he cries; "She comes from the Indian shore, And to-night shall be our prize, With her freight of golden ore: Sail on! sail on!" When morning shone, He saw the gold still clearer; But, though so fast The waves he pass'd, That boat seem'd never the nearer. Bright daylight came, And still the same Rich bark before him floated; Like While on the prize His wishful eyes any young lover's doated: "More sail! more sail!" he cries, While the waves o'ertop the mast ; And his bounding galley flies, Thus on, and on, Till day was gone, And the moon through heaven did hie her, He swept the main, But all in vain, That boat seem'd never the nigher. And many a day To night gave way, And many a morn succeeded: While still his flight, Through day and night, That restless mariner speeded. Who knows-who knows what seas He is now careering o'er? Behind, the eternal breeze, And that mocking bark, before! For, oh, till sky And earth shall die, And their death leave none to rue it, That boat must flee O'er the boundless sea, And that ship in vain pursue it. |