V.
Who hath not seen the morning breaking gaily,
The rivers leaping into dazzling light?
Who hath not view’d the eve declining palely,
Flouting her rosy stillness with black night?
Who then hath mark’d thee not in joy delightful,
Careering on thy young soul’s restless flow?
Or who hath, sadly, blam’d not sorrow spiteful,
Tempering thy beauty with a heavenly glow?
The even tenor of thy bosom led past,
Nor brook’d those tremors that disturb light breasts;
But, like a holy ocean, calm, pure, steadfast,
Just heav’d beneath its load which on it rests;
Streaked with faint tints of long delicious light,
Whose radiance lures but never tires the sight.
VI.
Bound in a little room, my heart exulting,
Surveys the treasures of unmeasured space;
A thousand pathways in one spot resulting,
Disclose the errors of the human race;
What all men seek within that centre lies,
Whose ripening virtues shun the general view,
Lest all should dub them beautiful and wise,
And all that nature has of good and true:
O well for me that worth all would admire
Most should unconscious leave to my employ;
So may thy budding beauties breathe their fire,
All unattempted by the world’s annoy:
So nature crowns her gifts by liberal growth,
She owes success and sanctifies her troth.
VII.
But soon the rosebud, in developed beauty,
Unfolds its maiden, luring charms to light;
Soon love usurps the walks of tired duty,
And shows its godlike fulness to the sight;
The eaglet soon gladdens his golden plumage,
In the intensest orient of the sun;
Even the meek violet gently must assume age,
And glance through leaves the merit she hath won;
The noon it stealeth from the dewy morning,
And amorous night catcheth the trembling day,
The spring must ripen, and the summer’s warning
That autumn shall not linger more than May;
Thou too must change, developed till all love thee,
And yet a change shall hover just above thee.