His words came feebly, from a feeble chest,
But each in solemn order followed each,
With something of a lofty utterance drest-
Choice word and measured phrase, above the
reach

Of ordinary men; a stately speech;

Such as grave Livers do in Scotland use, Religious men, who give to God and man their dues.

98

He told, that to these waters he had come
To gather leeches, being old and poor:
Employment hazardous and wearisome!
And he had many hardships to endure:
From pond to pond he roamed, from moor to

moor;

Housing, with God's good help, by choice or chance,

And in this way he gained an honest mainte

nance.

105

The old Man still stood talking by my side;
But now his voice to me was like a stream
Scarce heard; nor word from word could I
divide;

And the whole body of the Man did seem
Like one whom I had met with in a dream;
Or like a man from some far region sent,
To give me human strength, by apt admonish-

ment.

112

My former thoughts returned: the fear that
kills;

And hope that is unwilling to be fed;
Cold, pain, and labor, and all fleshly ills;
And mighty Poets in their misery dead.
-Perplexed, and longing to be comforted,
My question eagerly did I renew,

"How is it that you live, and what is it you

do?"

119

He with a smile did then his words repeat; And said, that, gathering leeches, far and wide He travelled; stirring thus about his feet The waters of the pools where they abide. "Once I could meet with them on every side; But they have dwindled long by slow decay; Yet still I persevere, and find them where I

may."

While he was

talking thus, the lonely place,

126

The old Man's shape, and speech-all troubled

me:

In my

mind's

eye

I seemed to see him pace

About the weary moors continually,
Wandering about alone and silently.
While I these thoughts within myself pursued,
He, having made a pause, the same discourse

renewed.

And soon with this he other matter blended,
Cheerfully uttered, with demeanor kind,

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66

But stately in the main; and when he ended, I could have laughed myself to scorn, to find In that decrepit Man so firm a mind.

God," said I, "be my help and stay secure; I'll think of the Leech-gatherer on the lonely

A SENSITIVE Plant in a garden grew,
And the young winds fed it with silver dew,
And it opened its fan-like leaves to the light,
And closed them beneath the kisses of night. 4

And the Spring arose on the garden fair,
Like the Spirit of Love felt everywhere;
And each flower and herb on Earth's dark
breast

Rose from the dreams of its wintry rest.

But none ever trembled and panted with bliss In the garden, the field, or the wilderness, Like a doe in the noontide with love's sweet

want,

As the companionless Sensitive Plant.

The snowdrop, and then the violet,

Arose from the ground with warm rain wet,

8

13

And their breath was mixed with fresh odor,

sent

From the turf, like the voice and the instru

ment.

Then the pied wind-flowers and the tulip tall,
And narcissi, the fairest among them all,
Who gaze on their eyes in the stream's recess,
Till they die of their own dear loveliness;

16

20

And the Naiad-like lily of the vale,
Whom youth makes so fair and passion so pale,
That the light of its tremulous bells is seen
Through their pavilions of tender green;

And the hyacinth purple, and white, and blue, Which flung from its bells a sweet peal anew Of music so delicate, soft, and intense,

24

It was felt like an odor within the sense; 28

And the rose like a nymph to the bath addrest, Which unveiled the depth of her glowing breast, Till, fold after fold, to the fainting air

The soul of her beauty and love lay bare: 32

And the wand-like lily, which lifted up,
As a Mænad, its moonlight-colored cup,
Till the fiery star, which is its eye,

Gazed through clear dew on the tender sky; 36

And the jessamine faint, and the sweet tuberose, The sweetest flower for scent that blows;

And all rare blossoms from every clime
Grew in that garden in perfect prime.

And on the stream whose inconstant bosom
Was prankt under boughs of embowering

blossom,

With golden and green light, slanting through Their heaven of many a tangled hue,

Broad water-lilies lay tremulously,
And starry river-buds glimmered by,
And around them the soft stream did glide
and dance

40

44

With a motion of sweet sound and radiance. 48

And the sinuous paths of lawn and of moss, Which led through the garden, along and across, Some open at once to the sun and the breeze, Some lost among bowers of blossoming trees, 52

Were all paved with daisies and delicate bells
As fair as the fabulous asphodels,
And flowrets which drooping as day drooped too
Fell into pavilions, white, purple, and blue,
To roof the glow-worm from the evening

dew.

And from this undefiled Paradise

The flowers (as an infant's awakening eyes
Smile on its mother, whose singing sweet
Can first lull, and at last must awaken it),

57

61