IV And when the glory of her dream withdrew, v. Hers was the hand that played for many a year Love's silver phrase for England, -smooth and well. Would God, her heart's more inward oracle In that lone moment might confirm her dear! For when her questioned friends in agony Made passionate response, “We think of thee,' Her place was in the dust, too deep to hear. VI. Could she not wait to catch their answering breath? Was she content, content, with ocean's sound, Which dashed its mocking infinite around One thirsty for a little love ?-beneath Those stars content, where last her song had gone,They mute and cold in radiant life,-as soon Their singer was to be, in darksome death ?* VII. Bring your vain answers—cry, “We think of thee!' * Her lyric on the polar star came home with her latest papers. L. E. L.'S LAST QUESTION. Do you think of me as I think of you ?? From her poem written during the voyage to the Cape. 'Do you think of me as I think of you, My friends, my friends ??—She said it from the sea, The English minstrel in her minstrelsy, While, under brighter skies than erst she knew, Her heart grew dark, and groped there, as the blind, To reach across the waves friends left behind"Do you think of me as I think of you?' It seemed not much to ask-as I of you? III. Love-learnèd she had sung of love and love, - IV. And when the glory of her dream withdrew, When knightly gestes and courtly pageantries Were broken in her visionary eyes By tears the solemn seas attested true,Forgetting that sweet lute beside her hand She asked not,-Do you praise me, O my land ?But,-'Think ye of me, friends, as I of you?' Hers was the hand that played for many a year VI. Could she not wait to catch their answering breath? VII. Bring your vain answers-cry, "We think of thee! * Her lyric on the polar star came home with her latest papers. With all her visions unfulfilled save one, VIII. ‘Do ye think of me as I think of you ??— • 1x. CROWNED AND WEDDED. 1. WIEN last before her people's face her own fair face she bent, Within the meek projection of that shade she was content To erase the child-smile from her lips, which seemed as if it might Be still kept holy from the world to childhood still in sight, • To erase it with a solemn vow,-a princely vow-to rule; · A priestly vow-to rule by grace of God the pitiful; A very godlike vow-to rule in right and righteous ness, And with the law and for the land !-so God the vower bless! The minster was alight that day, but not with fire, I ween, And long-drawn glitterings swept adown that mighty aislēd scene. The priests stood stolid in their pomp, the sworded chiefs in theirs, And so, the collared knights, and so, the civil minis ters, and so, the waiting lords and dames—and little pages best At holding trains--and legates so, from countries east and west. |