But he never shall send our ancient friend To be tossed on the stormy sea. Then here's to the oak, the brave old oak, Who stands in his pride alone; And still flourish he, a hale green tree, When a hundred years are gone! LORD HOUGHTON (RICHARD MONCKTON MILNES). [BORN in 1809; a modern English politician, poet, and prosewriter. A few years after completing his university course at Cambridge he was elected to Parliament, and distinguished himself as a zealous supporter of all questions relative to popular education and complete religious equality. His literary efforts were various in kind and of an excellent character. His poetical works comprise Poems of Many Years, Memorials of Many Scenes, Poems Legendary and Histori cal, and Palm Leaves. He was also the author of the Life, Letters, and Literary Remains of John Keats, and a contributor to the Westminster Review.] The tall pink foxglove bowed his head; The violets courtesied, and went to bed; And good little Lucy tied up her hair, And said, on her knees, her favorite prayer. And, while on her pillow she softly lay, She knew nothing more till again it was day; And all things said to the beautiful sun, "Good morning, good morning! our work is begun." THE MEN OF OLD. I KNOW not that the men of old Of heart more kind, of hand more bold, Of more ingenuous brow; I heed not those who pine for force A ghost of time to raise, As if they thus could check the course Of these appointed days. Still it is true, and over-true, That I delight to close This book of life self-wise and new, And let my thoughts repose On all that humble happiness The world has since foregone, The daylight of contentedness That on those faces shone! ELIZABETH BARRETT BROWNING. 1809-1861. [BORN at Herts, England, 1809. Published Prometheus Bound and other poems, 1835: the Seraphim and other poems, 1838; Romaunt of the Page, 1839; two volumes of Poems, 1844; married Robert Browning, 1846, and went with him to reside in Italy; published in 1850 her collected works, including The Drama of Exile and Lady Geraldine's Courtship; among her other poems are Casa Guidi Windows, 1851; Aurora Leigh, 1856; Poems before Congress, 1860. The Last Poems were published posthumously in 1862, with a dedication to grateful Florence," in allusion to the inscription on the tablet which after her death the city of Florence had put up in her honor. She died at Florence, June 29, 1861, with the reputation of being the greatest poetess England had ever produced.] COWPER'S GRAVE. Ir is a place where poets crowned may It is a place where happy saints may Earth surely now may give her calm to whom she gave her anguish. poets! from a maniac's tongue was poured the deathless singing! O Christians! at your cross of hope a hopeless hand was clinging! O men! this man in brotherhood your weary paths beguiling, Groaned inly while he taught you peace, and died while ye were smiling! And now, what time ye all may read through dimming tears his story, How discord on the music fell, and darkness on the glory, And how, when one by one, sweet sounds and wandering lights departed, He wore no less a loving face because so broken-hearted. 66 With quiet sadness and no gloom I learn to think upon him, With meekness that is gratefulness to Who suffered once the madness-cloud to And wrought within his shatter'd brain, As hills have language for, and stars, And silent shadow from the trees re- Wild timid hares were drawn from woods to share his home-caresses, Uplooking to his human eyes with sylvan tendernesses; The very world, by God's constraint, from falsehood's ways removing, Its women and its men became beside him true and loving. He shall be strong to sanctify the poet's But while in blindness he remained un conscious of the guiding, And things provided came without the Nor man nor nature satisfy, whom only |