Warm with a rapture not its own, Or those meek ones whose martyrdom And gently, by a thousand things Like breezes o'er the harp's fine strings, Leaving their token strange and new The summons to the right and true Oh, then, if gleams of truth and light Though heralded with nought of fear, Or outward sign or show: Though only to the inward ear Though dropping, as the manna fell, MY SOUL AND I. STAND still, my soul, in the silent dark Alone in the shadow drear and stark What, my soul, was thy errand here? Or heaping up dust from year to year? Speak, soul, aright in his holy sight And steadily on thee through the night: What hast thou done, oh soul of mine, Hast thou wrought his task, and kept the line What, silent all!-art sad of cheer? Art fearful now? When God seemed far and men were near How brave wert thou? Aha! thou tremblest!-well I see Thou'rt craven grown. Is it so hard with God and me Summon thy sunshine bravery back Oh, wretched sprite ! Let me hear thy voice through this deep and black What hast thou wrought for Right and Truth, From the golden hours of bright-eyed youth To life's mid span ? Ah, soul of mine, thy tones I hear, Like far sad murmurs on my ear “I have wrestled stoutly with the Wrong, From beneath the footfall of the throng "Wherever Freedom shivered a chain, To Error amidst her shouting train Ah, soul of mine! ah, soul of mine! Thy deeds are well: Were they wrought for Truth's sake or for thine? My soul, pray tell. "Of all the work my hand hath wrought Beneath the sky, Save a place in kindly human thought, No gain have I." Go to, go to !-for thy very self Thou for fame, the miser for pelf, VOL. I. And where art thou going, soul of mine? And whither this troubled life of thine What daunts thee now ?-what shakes thee so? "I see a cloud like a curtain low "Whither I go I cannot tell: High as the heaven and deep as hell, "I see its shadow coldly enwrap Sadly they enter it, step by step, To return no more. "They shrink, they shudder, dear God! they kneel, To thee in prayer. They shut their eyes on the cloud, but feel "In vain they turn from the dread Before For while gazing behind them evermore "Yet, at times, I see upon sweet pale faces A light begin To tremble, as if from holy places And shrines within. "And at times methinks their cold lips move As if somewhat of awe, but more of love "I call on the souls who have left the light I bend mine ear to that wall of night, "But I hear around me sighs of pain And a sound like the slow sad dropping of rain, Each drop a tear! “Ah, the cloud is dark, and day by day, I must pass beneath it on my way— Ah, soul of mine! so brave and wise Now standing apart with God and me But never for this, never for this For the craven's fear is but selfishness, Folly and Fear are sisters twain : The other peopling the dark inane Know well, my soul, God's hand controls. Round Him in calmest music rolls Whate'er thou hearest. |