256
A FLOWER IN A LETTER.
No flowers our gardened England hath,
To match with these, in bloom and breath,
Which from the world are hiding
In sunny Devon moist with rills,—
A nunnery of cloistered hills,—
The elements presiding.
To match with these, in bloom and breath,
Which from the world are hiding
In sunny Devon moist with rills,—
A nunnery of cloistered hills,—
The elements presiding.
By Loddon's stream the flowers are fair
That meet one gifted lady's care
With prodigal rewarding;
But Beauty is too used to run
To Mitford's bower—to want the sun
To light her through the garden!
That meet one gifted lady's care
With prodigal rewarding;
But Beauty is too used to run
To Mitford's bower—to want the sun
To light her through the garden!
And here, all summers are comprised—
The nightly frosts shrink exorcised
Before the priestly moonshine!
And every wind with stolid feet,
In wandering down the alleys sweet,
Steps lightly on the sunshine;
The nightly frosts shrink exorcised
Before the priestly moonshine!
And every wind with stolid feet,
In wandering down the alleys sweet,
Steps lightly on the sunshine;
And (having promised Harpocrate
Among the nodding roses, that
No harm shall touch his daughters)
Gives quite away the noisy sound,
He dares not use upon such ground,
To ever-trick ling waters.
Among the nodding roses, that
No harm shall touch his daughters)
Gives quite away the noisy sound,
He dares not use upon such ground,
To ever-trick ling waters.
Yet, sun and wind! what can ye do,
But make the leaves more brightly shew
In posies newly gathered?—
I look away from all. your best;
To one poor flower unlike the rest,—
A little flower half-withered.
But make the leaves more brightly shew
In posies newly gathered?—
I look away from all. your best;
To one poor flower unlike the rest,—
A little flower half-withered.
I do not think it ever was
A pretty flower,—to make the grass
Look greener where it reddened:
A pretty flower,—to make the grass
Look greener where it reddened:
