Volume Ii Part 5 (2/2)
The fourth part of a mile I ween He thus had gone, ere he was seen By any human eye. 130
But when he was first seen, oh me!
What shrieking and what misery!
For many saw; among the rest His Mother, she who loved him best, She saw her poor blind Boy.
But for the Child, the sightless Boy, It is the triumph of his joy!
The bravest Traveller in balloon, Mounting as if to reach the moon, Was never half so bless'd. 140
And let him, let him go his way, Alone, and innocent, and gay!
For, if good Angels love to wait On the forlorn unfortunate, This Child will take no harm.
But now the pa.s.sionate lament, Which from the crowd on sh.o.r.e was sent, The cries which broke from old and young In Gaelic, or the English tongue, Are stifled--all is still. 150
And quickly with a silent crew A Boat is ready to pursue; And from the sh.o.r.e their course they take, And swiftly down the running Lake They follow the blind Boy.
With sound the least that can be made They follow, more and more afraid, More cautious as they draw more near; But in his darkness he can hear, And guesses their intent. 160
”_Lei-gha--Lei-gha_”--then did he cry ”_Lei-gha--Lei-gha_”--most eagerly; Thus did he cry, and thus did pray, And what he meant was, ”Keep away, And leave me to myself!”
Alas! and when he felt their hands-- You've often heard of magic Wands, That with a motion overthrow A palace of the proudest shew, Or melt it into air. 170
So all his dreams, that inward light With which his soul had shone so bright, All vanish'd;--'twas a heartfelt cross To him, a heavy, bitter loss, As he had ever known.
But hark! a gratulating voice With which the very hills rejoice: 'Tis from the crowd, who tremblingly Had watch'd the event, and now can see That he is safe at last. 180
And then, when he was brought to land, Full sure they were a happy band, Which gathering round did on the banks Of that great Water give G.o.d thanks, And welcom'd the poor Child.
And in the general joy of heart The blind Boy's little Dog took part; He leapt about, and oft did kiss His master's hands in sign of bliss, With sound like lamentation. 190
But most of all, his Mother dear, She who had fainted with her fear, Rejoiced when waking she espies The Child; when she can trust her eyes, And touches the blind Boy.
She led him home, and wept amain, When he was in the house again: Tears flow'd in torrents from her eyes, She could not blame him, or chastise: She was too happy far. 200
Thus, after he had fondly braved The perilous Deep, the Boy was saved; And, though his fancies had been wild, Yet he was pleased, and reconciled To live in peace on sh.o.r.e.
_THE GREEN LINNET_.
The May is come again:--how sweet To sit upon my Orchard-seat!
And Birds and Flowers once more to greet, My last year's Friends together: My thoughts they all by turns employ; A whispering Leaf is now my joy, And then a Bird will be the toy That doth my fancy tether.
One have I mark'd, the happiest Guest In all this covert of the blest: 10 Hail to Thee, far above the rest In joy of voice and pinion, Thou, Linnet! in thy green array, Presiding Spirit here to-day, Dost lead the revels of the May, And this is thy dominion.
While Birds, and b.u.t.terflies, and Flowers Make all one Band of Paramours, Thou, ranging up and down the bowers, Art sole in thy employment; 20 A Life, a Presence like the Air, Scattering thy gladness without care, Too bless'd with any one to pair, Thyself thy own enjoyment.
Upon yon tuft of hazel trees, That twinkle to the gusty breeze, Behold him perch'd in ecstasies, Yet seeming still to hover; There! where the flutter of his wings Upon his back and body flings 30 Shadows and sunny glimmerings, That cover him all over.
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