52 WILD SCENES AND SONG-BIEDS. 



Jewels, silks, "the pouncet box," and music! Dirt, vice, 

 tatters, wretchedness, and music I Silence over the jang- 

 ling roar of trampling, rushing, striving men lifted up intc 

 a Presence Godlike, "walking the clear billows of sweet 

 sound." What contrasts ! O thou Omnipotence of Music ! 

 Majestic soother ! before whose smile the fiery mane of 

 Storms, careering thunder-hoofed along the mountains of 

 the world, is laid ! whose touch has 



" Smoothed 

 The raven down of Darkness till it smiled ! 



Thou voice of God's Love ! how beneficent art thou ! All 

 pleasant objects, natures, forms, are tones of thee ! Moon- 

 light is the silver tone of thy calm, radiant blessing and 



" Oldest shades 'mong oldest trees 



Feel palpitations when thou lookest in. 

 O Moon ! old boughs lisp forth a holier din 

 The while they feel thine airy fellowship. 

 Thou dost bless everywhere, with silver lip 

 Kissing dead things to life. The sleeping kine, 

 Couch'd in thy brightness, dream of fields divine : 

 Innumerable mountains rise, and rise, 

 Ambitious for the hallowing of thine eyes ; 

 And yet thy benediction passeth not 

 One obscure hiding-place, one little spot 

 Where pleasure may be sent : the nested wren 

 Has thy fair face within its tranquil den, 

 And from beneath a sheltering ivy leaf 

 Takes glimpses of thee ; thou art a relief 

 To the poor patient oyster, where it sleeps 

 "Within its pearly house." 



Ay 1 and that poor human oyster the Loafer from out 

 his motley painted shell of filth and rags " takes glimpses of 

 thee I The largess of thy benediction falleth over him ! The 

 fellow is happy there, and his whistle is as blithesome as the 



