99 



as hero and philosopher, and must be acceptable to poet and naturalist, as also to 

 the horticulturist, whose business brings him into such immediate relations with 

 the birds, and so I introduce a part of it here : 



' 'Up, and away for life ! be fleet ! 

 The frost-king ties my fumbling feet, 

 Sings in my ears, my hands are stones, 

 Curdles the blood to the marble bones, 

 Tugs at the heart-strings, numbs the sense. 

 And hems in life with narrowing fence. 

 Well in this broad bed lie and sleep. 

 The punctual stars will vigil keep ; 

 • Embalmed by piu'ifying cold, 



The winds shall sing their dead-march old ; 



The snow is no ignoble shroud. 



The moon thy mourner, and the cloud. 



' 'Softly — but this way fate was pointing, 

 'Twas coming fast to such anointing, 

 When piped a tiny voice hard by. 

 Gay and polite, a cheerful cry, 

 Chiclc-chicJcadeedee ! saucy note. 

 Out of sound heart and merry throat, 

 As if it said, ' Good day, good sir, 

 Fine afternoon, old passenger ! 

 Happy to meet you in these places, 

 Whore January brings few faces.' 



' 'Here was this atom in full breath, 

 Hurling defiance at vast death ; 

 This scrap of valor, just for play. 

 Fronts the north wind in waistcoat gray. 

 As if to shame my weak behavior; 

 I greeted loud my little savior, 

 'You pet ! what dost here ? and what for ? 

 At this pinch, wee San Salvador ! 

 What fire burns in that little chest. 

 So frolic, stout and self-possessed ? ' 

 Henceforth^I wear no stripe but thine; 

 Ashes and jet all hues outshine. 

 Why are not diamonds black and gray ? 

 And I afBrm the spacious north 

 Exists to draw thy virtues forth. 

 I think no virtue goes with size ; 

 The reason of all cowardice 

 Is, that men are overgrown, 

 And, to be valiant, must come down 

 To the titmouse dimension. 



' 'I think old Caesar must have heard 

 In Northern Gaul my dauntless bird, 

 And, echosd in some frosty wold, 

 Borrowed thy battle numbers bold. 

 And I will write our annals new. 

 And thank thee for a better clew. 

 I, who dreamed not when I came here 

 To find the antidote of fear. 

 Now hear thee say in Koman key, 

 Pcean ! veni, vidi, vici." 



