THE HOLLY-TREE. 313 



" Below a circling fence its leaves are seen, 



Wrinkled and keen ; 

 No grazing cattle through their prickly round 



Can reach to wound ; 



But as they grow where nothing is to fear, 

 Smooth and unarm'd, the pointless leaves appear. 



" I love to view these things with curious eyes, 



And moralize : 

 And in this wisdom of the holly-tree 



Can emblems see, 



Wherewith, perchance, to make a pleasant rhyme, 

 One which may profit in the after-time. 



' ' Thus, though abroad perchance I might appear 



Harsh and austere, 

 To those who on my leisure would intrude 



Reserved and rude ; 



Gentle at home, amid my friends I'd be, 

 Like the high leaves upon the holly- tree. 



' ' And should my youth, as youth is apt, I know, 



Some harshness show, 

 All vain asperities, I, day by day, 



Would wear away, 



Till the smooth temper of my age should be 

 Like the high leaves upon the holly-tree. 



" And as when all the summer trees are seen 



So bright and green, 

 The holly -leaves their fadeless hues display 



Less bright than they ; 



But when the bare and wintry woods we see, 

 What then so cheerful as the holly-tree ? 



" So serious should my youth appear among 



The thoughtless throng ; 

 So would I seem amid the young and gay 



More grave than they ; 

 That in my age as cheerful I might be 

 As the green winter of the holly-tree." 



