110,10
123. 4.
The ocean Barrier is beating a
Again again forevermore
Haste the light curlings to the Shore
And yet advance & yet retreat
O
That seeks within its sandy cell
The pebble bright or purple shell 1
Far in its clear expanse l
Unruffledly that ocean tide
Stretching away where paler grew
The Heavens bright unclouded blue
And far away in distance dying
Old Englands Cliffy coast is lying
And beautiful as summer cloud
By the low sun empurpled proud
Strange that a space from shore to shore
So soon so easily passed oer
Should yet a wide distinction place
Twixt Man & Man twixt Race &
Sudden & marked the change you find
Religion Language even mind 2
That you might think that oceans span
Marked the varieties of Man
Thro many a shady soft retreat
Where the broad willow semblance gave
of Weeping Beauty in the Wave
And Elm with massy foliage pressed
And feathery aspens quivering Crest
And many a spiry poplar glade
And Hazels rich Entangled shade
While onward as advancing still
From Omers plain 3 to Cassells hill 4
Far yet more far the Landscape threw
Its deep immeasurable Blue
Oh beautiful those plains were showing
Where Summers Sun was hotly glowing
Many a Battle field lay spread
Once the dark Dwelling of the Dead
But fruitful now their Champaignswave
With bending Grain on soldiers Grave
While far beneath in long array
The priestly orders wound their way 5
Heavy the massive banners rolled
Rich wrought with gems and stiff with gold
While as the cross came borne on high
Beneath its crimson canopy
Many the haughty head that bowed
Sunk his high crest the warrior proud
T The priest his glance benignant cast
And murmured blessings as he past
While round the hillside echoing free
Rung the loud hymning melody.
Many a monkish voice was there
Many a trumpet rent the Aar air
And softer, sweeter, yet the same
The sounds in failing cadence came.
No marvel, that the pomp and pride
Of Romes religion thus should hide
The serpent folds beneath that roll
The poison mantling in the bowl 6
And bright the morn on Cassel broke
Along the green hillside we flew
Flashed the clear sunshine in the dew
That on the clustering herbage hung
That to the tangled copse wood clung
That shot like stars through every shade
And glanced on every noontide
At length by many a wind descending
That ever to the plain were bending
Farther and farther still we pressed
From Cassels insulated 7 crest
That back retiring fainter still
Showed the rich outlines of its hill
And faded in the purple haze
That spoke the coming noontide blaze
That noontide blaze delayed not long
On Tournays towers 8 twas fierce and strong
And ere we gained the middle way
The glow was like an U Afric day
Full upon Lilles high ramparts round 9
On massive wall and moated mound
Shot the fierce sun his glaring ray
As bent we on our burning way
Till past the narrow drawbridge length
The massive gates portcullised strength
And moat whose waves found steepy shore 10
Where forward high
And where the sentinels were set
High on the dizzy parapet
Till the last portals echoes woke
And Lille in all it upon us sudden broke
Giving to view another scene
So clear, so noble so serene
Twould seem enchantments varied hue
On palace street and avenue
Colossal form and figure fair
Seemed moving, breathing, living there
The vaulted arch where sunlight pure
Might never pierce the deep obscure
Where, broadly barred the ancient door
Was with rich carving imaged oer
In rich irregularity
The bending gothic gable roof
Of past magnificence gave proof
The modern windows formal square
With Saxon arch was mingled there
Whose stern recesses dark and deep
The figured iron stanchions 12 keep.
Upon the bosom of the blast 13
In wild confusion fiercely driven
Fled they across the face of
The fitful gust came shrieking high
The rattling rain flew driving by
But where the horizon stretched away
Towards the couch of parting day
A streak of paly light was seen
The heaped and darkling clouds between
Against that light for time full brief
Brussels arose in dark relief
Colossal on the western fire
Seemed massive tower and slender spire
Nearer and nearer as we drew
More strongly marked the outlines grew
Till of the buildings you might see
Distinct the gothic tracerie
The drawbridge rung, we past the gate 14
And regal Brussels entered straight
It stirs, to see the human tide
That marks a city in its pride
That fitful oceans eddying sweep
Is still more changeful than the deep
For those dark billows as they roll
Mark movements of the human soul.
Yet in that city there was none
Of that confused and busy hum
That tells of traffic & of trade
No, Brussels time of power is
Yet in her streets was something seen
Spoke what the city once had been
Our rapid course as now we wheel
Where she rose the huge Hotel de ville 15
The noble spires proportions high
Stood forth upon the cloudy sky
In rich all its fretted majesty.
And his last light the sun had sent
On Buttress and on Battlement
That while the houses were arrayed
In all the depth of twilight shade
Yet shot there faint a yellow glow
Where the tall arches shafted show
Glimmered a moment there the ray
Then fainter grew, and past away
Oh Brussels, Brussels thou hast been
Th Of many an action strange, the scene
Thou sawst, on Julys dreadful night 16
The veterans rushing to the fight
Thou heardest, when the word was spoken
At midnight thy repose was broken
The
Battalions bursting forth to bleed
Till the dark phalanx waving crest
Forth from thy gates was forward prest
And Breaking with the morning mild
The distant roar of battle wild
And later still the rabble shout
And revolutions riot rout
Leaving such marks as long shall tell
Of dark destruction fierce and fell.
The Meuse
In promise of a cloudless day
Fresh flew the breeze with whose light wing
Aspen and oak were quivering
From floweret dank it dashed the dew
The harebell bent its blossom blue
And from the Meuse the mist wreaths 17 grey
That morning breeze had swept away
Showing such scenes as well might seem
The fairy vision of a dream 18
For changing still and still as fair
Rock‸
Peak over peak, fantastic ever d
And grey and gaunt their lichened head
Rose sheerly from the rivers bed 19
Whose mantling wave, in foamy sheet
Their stern projecting bases beat
And lashed to fury in his pride
In circling whirlpools swept the tide
And threatening on some future day
Those mighty rocks to tear away
What though their front should seem to be
A barrier to eternity 20
But on its side the cliffs between
Were mazy forests ever seen
That the tall cliffs steep flanks so grey
Were clothed in mantle green and gay
Long time along that d e dell so deep
Beside the rivers bed we sweep
So steep the mighty crests inclined f
None other pathway you might find
Till the tall cliffs gigantic grace
To undulating hills gave place
And vineyards clothe the bending brow
Stead of the clinging copsewood now