196 

 A TEAR. 



(from the FRENCH OF DE LAMAUTINE.) 



" Tombcz, larmes silencienses 

 Sur une terre sans piti4 ; 

 Non plus entre des mains pieuses, 

 Ni sur le sein de I'amiti^ !" 



Down, down to earth, ye silent tears, 



Nor seek for kindred rest 

 In the soft hands of charity, 



Nor yet on friendship's breast. 



What boots it to my fellow man, 



Like mine, a broken heart ! 

 He feels himself above my woes,— 



He stands far, far apart. 

 Oh ! let me, then, no longer seek 



The hand of man to guide ; 

 But nurse, with silent tears, my grief, — 



My throbbing temples hide. 



When at the hour the troubled soul,— 



Fast sunk in deepest shade, — 

 Yields all of earth — whose widow'd hopes 



Before its vision, fade ; — 



When faithless friendship turns aside, 



Unheedful of our throes ; 

 And the last earthly prop gives way. 



And pierces as it goes ; — 



When feeble man, who weakly fears 



Contagion of distress ; 

 Leaves us far off to face our griefs 



In tears and loneliness; — 



And when for us the coming day. 

 Nor hope, nor pleasure wears ; 



And when the very bread we eat 

 Is mingled with our tears ; — 



'Tis then thy gentle voice, my God ! 



Brings to my soul relief; 

 'Tis then thy hand removes the weight — 



The icy weight of grief. 



'Tis then we feel that gentle voice 



Hath been withheld in love ; 

 Till we have learnt the nothingness 



Of r.ll things else to prove. 



Now like a friend, our weary head 



Is laid upon thy breast ; 

 And eyes that see us sweetly smile. 



Ask of us, " whence such rest?" 



The raptured soul absorbed in prayer,— 



Lost in eflfulgent light — 

 Feels the warm gush of sorrowing tears 



Sink at the glowing sight. 



Like the last dew-drop on the rock, 

 Dried by the sun's bright ray ; 



Which neither shade, nor wind, nor storm, 

 Had power to take awav ! 



