Familiar Quotations Part 68

Where through the long-drawn aisle and fretted vault The pealing anthem swells the note of praise.

Hands, that the rod of empire might have swayed, Or waked to ecstasy the living lyre.

Full many a flower is born to blush unseen, And waste its sweetness on the desert air.

Some mute, inglorious Milton here may rest.

And read their history in a nation's eyes.

Forbade to wade through slaughter to a throne, And shut the gates of mercy on mankind.

Along the cool, sequestered vale of life They kept the noiseless tenor of their way.

Implores the pa.s.sing tribute of a sigh.

And many a holy text around she strews, That teach the rustic moralist to die.

Nor cast one longing, lingering look behind.

E'en from the tomb the voice of nature cries, E'en in our ashes, live their wonted fires.

A youth, to fortune and to fame unknown.

Large was his bounty, and his soul sincere.

He gave to misery (all he had) a tear.

The bosom of his Father and his G.o.d.

_Ode on the Pleasure arising from Vicissitude_.

The meanest floweret of the vale, The simplest note that swells the gale, The common sun, the air, the skies, To him are opening paradise.

WILLIAM COLLINS.

1720-1756.

_Ode in 1746_.

How sleep the brave, who sink to rest, By all their country's wishes blessed!

By fairy hands their knell is rung; By forms unseen their dirge is sung; There Honor comes, a pilgrim gray, To bless the turf that wraps their clay; And Freedom shall awhile repair, To dwell a weeping hermit there.

_The Pa.s.sions_. Line 1.

When Music, heavenly maid, was young, While yet in early Greece she sung.

Line 10.

Filled with fury, rapt, inspired.

Line 28.

'Twas sad by fits, by starts 'twas wild.

Line 60.