Page:The Poets and Poetry of the West.djvu/232

216 AMELIA B. WELBY. [18a0-40. His cheek pale with fervor — the blue orbs He spake, and it seemed that his statue- above like form Lit up with the splendors of youth and of Expanded and glowed as his spirit grew love ; warm — Yet the heart-glowing raptures that beamed His tone so impassioned, so melting his from those eyes, ail-. Seemed saddened by sorrows, and chas- As touched with compassion, he ended in tened by sighs, prayer, As if the young heart in its bloom had His hands clasped above him, his blue orbs grown cold. upthrown. With its loves unrequited, its sorrows un- Still pleading for sins that were never his told. own, While that mouth, where such sweetness Such language as his I may never re- ineffable clung. call; Still spoke, though expression had died on But his theme was salvation — salvation to all; And the souls of a thousand in ecstacy his tongue. God ! what emotions the speaker awoke ! hung A mortal he seemed — yet a deity spoke ; On the manna-like sweetness that dropped A man — yet so far from humanity riven ! from his tongue ; On earth — yet so closely connected with Not alone on the ear his wild eloquence heaven ! stole ; How oft in my fancy I've pictured him Enforced by each gesture it sank to the there. soul, As he stood in that triumph of passion and Till it seemed that an angel had brightened prayer, the sod With his eyes closed in raptui-e — their tran- And brought to each bosom a message from sient eclipse God. Made bright by the smiles that illumined his lips. He spoke of the Saviour — what pictures he drew ! There's a charm in delivery, a magical The scene of his sufferings rose clear on art. my view — That thi-ills, like a kiss, from the Up to the The cross — the rude cross where he suf- heart ; fered and died. 'Tis the glance, the expression, the well- The gush of bright crimson that flowed chosen word. from his side, By whose magic the depths of the spirit The cup of his sorrows, the wormwood and are stin-ed. gall. The smile, the mute gesture, the soul-start- The darkness that mantled the earth as a ling pause. pall, The eye's sweet expression, that melts The garland of thorns, and the demon-like while it awes. crews. The lip's soft persuasion, its musical tone — Who knelt as they scoffed Him — " Hail, such was the charm of that eloquent King of the Jews ! " one!