298 MY LIFE [Chap. 



" A thousand various scenes and tones 

 Awake the better thought, 

 By which our duller years of life 

 Become inspired and taught. 

 In olden times there rudely came 



Handwriting on the wall, 

 And prostrate souls fell horror-struck 



At that wild spirit-call ; 

 But now God's momentary gleam 



Is sent into the soul 

 To guide uncertain wavering feet 

 To Life's high solemn goal. 

 Better moments ! Better moments ! Ye are sunny angels' wings, 

 Sent to shed a holier radiance o'er all dim and worldly things." 



Of the numerous versified enigmas he wrote, I print four 

 of the best. They may interest some of my younger readers. 

 They are not difficult to guess, but I give the solutions at the 

 end. 



Enigmas. 



" There was a Spanish gentleman 



Of high and noble mien, 

 Who riding into Seville's town 



One summer's eve was seen ; 

 He came among us suddenly, 



And vanished as he came ; 

 We only knew him as my First, 



But never knew his name. 



" We saw him at the opera, 



We met him at the ball, 

 The very point of chivalry 



A pattern for us all ; 

 And oft upon my Second seen 



Where Seville's beauties came, 

 But still we knew him as my First, 



And did not know his name. 



" Twas / who brought that gentleman 

 From out another clime, 

 'Twas I upon my Second stood 

 With skins of smuggled wine ; 



