CLASSICAL MODERN POETRY. 175 



And dumb with agony, two parents bend 

 O'er a pale image in the coffin laid, 

 Their infant once, the laughing, leaping boy, 

 The paragon and nursling of their souls ! 

 Death touch'd him, and the life-glow fled away, 

 Swift as a gay hour's fancy ; fresh and cold 

 As winter's shadow, with his eyelids seal'd, 

 Like violet lips at eve, he lies, enrobed, 

 An offering to the grave ! but, pure as when ^ 

 It wing'd from heaven, his spirit hath return'd, 

 To lisp his hallelujahs with the choirs 

 Of sinless babes, imparadised above. 



MONTGOMERY. 



THE PARTING SPIRIT. 



Farewell, thou vase of splendour ! 



I need thy light no more, 

 No brilliance dost thou render 



The world to which I soar. 



Nor sun, nor moonbeam brightens 

 Those regions with a ray, 



But God himself enlightens 

 Their one eternal day. 



Farewell, sweet nature ! waving 

 With fruits and flow'rets fair, 



Of these but little craving 



Of what thou well canst spare. 



Only an earthly pillow 



To bear my death-cold head, 



And the turf and drooping willow, 

 To deck my lowly bed. 



The world to which I'm going 

 Has fairer fruit than thine ; 



Life's river ever flowing, 

 And skies that ever shine. 



