A RETROSPECTIVE REVIEW. Он, when I was a tiny boy My days and nights were full of joy, To cast a look behind! A hoop was an eternal round Of pleasure. In those days I found A top a joyous thing; But now those past delights I drop, My head, alas! is all my top, And careful thoughts the string! My marbles once my bag was stor❜d,— Now I must play with Elgin's lord, With Theseus for a taw! My playful horse has slipt his string, And harness'd to the law! My kite-how fast and far it flew ! 'Twas paper'd o'er with studious themes, The tasks I wrote-my present dreams Will never soar so high! My joys are wingless all and dead ; My dumps are made of more than lead; My flights soon find a fall; My fears prevail, my fancies droop, Joy never cometh with a hoop, And seldom with a call! My football 's laid upon the shelf ; I am a shuttlecock myself The world knocks to and fro My archery is all unlearn'd, And grief against myself has turn'd No more in noontide sun I bask; My authorship's an endless task, My head's ne'er out of school : My heart is pain'd with scorn and slight, I have too many foes to fight, And friends grown strangely cool! The very chum that shared my cake It makes me shrink and sigh : On this I will not dwell and hang, Though these should meet his eye! No skies so blue or so serene As then ;-no leaves look half so green As cloth'd the play-ground tree! All things I lov'd are alter'd so, Nor does it ease my heart to know O, for the garb that mark'd the boy, Well ink'd with black and red; The crownless hat, ne'er deem'd an illIt only let the sunshine still Repose upon my head! O, for the riband round the neck! The careless dog's-ears apt to deck How can this formal man be styled A boy of larger growth? |