242 POETRY — THE SPIRIT WINGS. 



direction, although my horse was by tliis time considerably nearer to 

 him than it had been to the frog. I pulled in my horse, somewhat un- 

 certain whether I ought to give the snake a fair chance for his dinner or 

 interpose for the preservation of the poor frog's life; but before I could 

 decide, my horse was between the snake and the frog. The former was 

 evidently excited, and seemed to have some notion of taking vengeance 

 upon the horse, whose horny hoofs opposed so formidable a barrier in 

 the way of his progress. He lay in the way with erect head and hiss- 

 ing tongue, and if I had not known that this species of snake (Coluber) 

 was never venomous, I should have been somewhat alarmed. But find- 

 ing the road impassible, his snakeship turned up the hill in another di- 

 rection, whilst the terrified frog descended to the creek below. 



I infer from this, that snakes have no power of fascination over frogs, 

 but are compelled to capture ihem by surprise, or by a fair chase. 



W. M. R. 



THE SPIRIT AVINGS. 



Watch thou yon bird, whose bending wings 



Undrooping on their, upward way. 

 Move swiftly in their vibratings. 

 As wide the air-surge round she flings ; 

 Away, away, away, away. 

 Till the tingling sunlight 

 Flows into her eyes, 

 Where no cloud enfolds the bright 

 Bosom of the skies : 

 Still away, away, away. 



See, see 1 swift through the gleaming sky, 

 Two guardian birds beside her fly : 

 Till, the chrystal zenith near, 



From the aching sight she's riven, 

 Melts away into the sphere. 

 And is a part of Heaven I 



Then who dare say, that, when the wings. 

 Damp-folded in the souVs first sphere. 



Open in glory, as it springs 



To godlike hopes and godlike things. 

 That then the face shall pale in fear? 

 That then the heart shall force the tear? 



No life to watch, we cannot die ; 



No gloom to dread, we cannot sigh ; 



God's life, our life ; God's throne, our throne, 

 God's boundless heritage our own — 



All these are tiiine — Eternity ! 



