Poems (Hornblower)/Lines, on the Death of my Brother H. R.
LINES
ON THE DEATH OF MY BROTHER, H. R.
In Eden's blest and favoured land
Did angel footsteps print the earth,
And, 'midst those sacred gardens, stand
The visitants of heavenly birth.
Did angel footsteps print the earth,
And, 'midst those sacred gardens, stand
The visitants of heavenly birth.
And Adam hailed the brow divine,
The music of a loftier sphere;
Awe-struck, beheld the bright rays shine,
And bent in holy calm to hear.
The music of a loftier sphere;
Awe-struck, beheld the bright rays shine,
And bent in holy calm to hear.
Sweeter than zephyr o'er the flower,
Flowed the blest words of heavenly love,
As in that hushed and solemn horn,
The angel called his thoughts above.
Flowed the blest words of heavenly love,
As in that hushed and solemn horn,
The angel called his thoughts above.
Entrancing visions filled his soul
Of dignity, and power, and grace,
And yielding to their high control,
Celestial hopes inspired his face.
Of dignity, and power, and grace,
And yielding to their high control,
Celestial hopes inspired his face.
The angel passed—yet Adam stood,
From that brief gaze a nobler man,—
Aspirant to a loftier good,
And part of a diviner plan.
From that brief gaze a nobler man,—
Aspirant to a loftier good,
And part of a diviner plan.
The angel passed—yet o'er his brow
A more immortal Spirit flies;
He feels the tear of rapture flow,
And stands with fixed and tranced eyes.
A more immortal Spirit flies;
He feels the tear of rapture flow,
And stands with fixed and tranced eyes.
Even like that angel-form wert thou,
Lent for a season to our way;
The stamp of heaven on thy pure brow,
Its love within thine eye's mild ray.
Lent for a season to our way;
The stamp of heaven on thy pure brow,
Its love within thine eye's mild ray.
And every heart confessed thy power,
With reverence thy young virtue saw,
And hailed thee in thy youthful hour,
Thy dignity,a guide—a law!
With reverence thy young virtue saw,
And hailed thee in thy youthful hour,
Thy dignity,a guide—a law!
No shining wings adorned thee then,
And yet the angel trace was there,
As, mingling with thy fellow-men,
Thou walked as heaven's immortal hen.
And yet the angel trace was there,
As, mingling with thy fellow-men,
Thou walked as heaven's immortal hen.
Yet oh! replete with human love,
And words of tenderest human power,
Among us didst thou gently move
As if unconscious of thy dower.
And words of tenderest human power,
Among us didst thou gently move
As if unconscious of thy dower.
Thy mission done, thou also passed,
Yet not till o'er our souls was shed
A vision and a love to last
Till memory and till life he fled.
Yet not till o'er our souls was shed
A vision and a love to last
Till memory and till life he fled.
Our mortal gardens blooming shine,
As Eden's fair and glorious bowers
And though we see no forms divine,
We bless each spot where thou wert ours.
As Eden's fair and glorious bowers
And though we see no forms divine,
We bless each spot where thou wert ours.