Albert Laighton
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A L B E R T L A I G H T O N . B O S T O N P O R T S M O U T H ' ' O S E P H H I L L E R F O S T E R . 1 8 5 9 . E n te ed acco din to A ct of Con e in th e ea 1859 b r , r g gr ss , y r , y A L B E R T L AI G H T ON , ’ In th e l k ffi c th e i t t t c f e Ham hi C er s O e of D s ric Cour of th e Distl i t o N w p s re , E L F C T RO T Y P E D A T T H F‘ B O S T O N S T E R E O T Y P E F O U N D R Y. P R IN T E D DY G L O R A IN D A ' E R Y . fla sh iwtimn A D N REW P . P EA B ODY T es e few a n d s e fl owe s en ew h impl r , that, hidd , gr I b n a n d Offe o u e . A ro un d my h art , i d r y Yo u ca n b ut ke e e s o on ec ta th m , th y may d ay , Then idly you may fl in g them all away ' O r s o u e o a n d fr n ce ve , haply, h ld th y j y agra gi , Or l e av e s om e gen tle m em ory that W ill liv e ’ W en I m fo o or fa r w or e h rg t, a ay, d ad , Then n ot in v ain a re their fain t o dors shed . PORTSMO TH N . H . 1 8 U , , 59. M §9 §9 25 CONTENTS . AU T BE Y, T H E T O F T BIR H LIGH , T H E SS P S MI ING SHI , T N T A IGH , O D A F UND E D , T AU UMN , N E E N LAN W G D, I N T HE W OO S D , S O S A T T NG MIDNIGH , LOW E S F R , T H E T S S O F A RE H IR , T M Y O L o S U , O A K A ' E ND IN , T H E H M E C I S , E C AT O O D E D DI I N , T H E HOU S E HOLD P E T T H E EA T O F S P BR H RING , IN THE S TA L H T R IG , O T C N T E N S . TH E S OW E SUMMER H R, Y NAT ' E R ' E M I I R, T H E HT O C MIDNIG V I E , M A Y, ' O E , IN M O A EM RI M , TH E NEC O P OL S R I , F LO A ELL R B , E R R A F LO W ND , M AY - LOW R S F E , TH E ' E LE R EF I D G I , ’ T H E P A P S P R A U ER YER , T H E DEA D , N I T O A N' OCA I N , T H E O' E O P G O D L , A M O AL EM RI , THE P AN TO H M , AN A T N T OU T U UM H GH , T H E U B A S N E M , T o A O T BIG , HYMN , O E G N , T H E TW O W O L S R D , TEAR' D E CA T O DI I N HYMN , O C N T E N T S . TH E ALLAD O F R T B LA B U H Y , S ON O F T K AT RS G HE S E , S O N N E T S O C TOB E R , N T IGH , D AT O F A L E H CHI D , ale B E A U T Y . SING Beauty ' not of that which lies ’ Before me now , that gleams in woman s eyes And blushes on her ch eck that were theme To fill the measure of a poet ’ s dream ' Not of the matchless tints that painters give Old The pictures of masters , that yet live Kept sacred from the wrecks and spoils of Tim e ’ ’ Claude s perfect sunsets , Rafaelle s shapes sublime , ’ Corre io s gg landscapes , and madonnas fair With soul -entrancing eyes and shining hair E ' tract s from a p o e m de livere d b efore th e U n it e d Lit c S o e e s B o o A n C o e e s 3 1 858 . rary ci ti at wd i ll g , ugu t , B E A U T Y . Not of the cold , calm loveliness that lies In marble forms , that stand before our eyes ’ The W hite ideals Of the sculptor s brain Not of the triumphs won in Art’ s domain But of that beauty stamped with Heaven ’ s own seal , T hat angels blessed , and day and night veal That like a living presence fills the Skies And everywhere around our pathway lies . When into darkness God stretched forth h is hand And out of chaos , at his high command This lower W orld in perfect order stood wa s Arrayed in robes of light , and all good , With shouts of joy the heavenly arches rang , And all the morning stars together sa ng . Shall man not join the strain , immortal man , For Whom He formed this fair and wondrous plan ‘9 B E A U T Y . Shall Nature sing and he alone be mute , And Show no nobler passion than the brute How many varied scenes this world displays To fill the heart with joy , the lips with praise Go where we may and Beauty follows too , n With radiant smiles , and shapes forever ew . ’ She haunts the Spring beneath a fairy s guise' With unbound golden hair and azure eyes A wreath of Violets in each dainty hand , And round her sunny brow an emerald band ' ’ sh e While all day long strays o er hill and glen , Through leafy bowers , amid the homes of men dellS And when night falls , from out the echon , The lilies ring for her their crystal bells , ’ h sh e And in the forest s dept s dreams till morn , ’ - Waked by the music of the wild bee s horn . She reigns a qu een in Summ er on a throne - Of amethyst , with full blown roses strown T B E A U Y . sh e About her feet , sits in regal state Millions of tiny beings on her wait , With shining wings , and ever to her praise With happy hearts sing their melodious lays . m She comes to Autu n , an enchantress rare With trailing robes of gold and as in air ‘3 0 rl en e d She waves her crimson wand , the p Gather with rustling banners on the leaves A rain of glory falls and in the skies Cloud pictures rise at sunset , tinged with dyes That Heaven alone displays to mortal eyes ' Cal m lakes Of amber gemmed with purple isles - Gold crested mountains , through whose long defile s We seem to s ee the angels come and go With harps of light , and white wings waving 1 slow . T B E A U Y . ’ w She roams an artist o er the winter orld , W hose pencil fair , with frozen dews impearled , Paints fairy pictures on the window panes - Of time worn castles , grove and towering fanes Of grottoes overarched by blossoming trees An d s tately ships becalmed in silver seas Of chasms deep , by cobweb bridges spanned That lead to mountains bright with pearly sand , Whose crystal peaks , touched by the morning f In Silence all , and vanish one by one . ’ Climb earth s most holy fanes , the mountain And there h er siren voice s ublimely speaks Stand on some rocky strand that ocean laves And watch the long procession of the waves , E T B A U Y . As one by one along their sapphire way , With measured step they come with wreaths of spray ' Or mark the Storm- king a s with deafening roar He hunts the billows thundering to the shore Or go in fancy to the mystic deeps That plummet never reached , where Silence keep Eternal watch roam through the fairy bowers Festooned with mosses those perennial flowers That blossom in the peaceful gardens there And Naiads twine amid their flowing hair fl i Or stoop and take the wreathed Shell that lies Close at thy feet ' behold its splendid dyes , ’ That Heaven s own bow of light almos t eclipse ' Of List to the whisperings its parted lips , As if some happy spirit of the s e a Filled all its pearly halls with melody And tell me , did not Beauty walk with thee B E A U T Y .