NEW ENGLAND. BY J. G. WHITTIER. LAND of the forest and the rock Of dark blue lake and mighty river— Of mountains reared aloft to mock The storm's career, the lightning's shock- Land of the beautiful and brave The freeman's home-the martyr's grave— The nursery of giant men, Whose deeds have linked with every glen, And every hill, and every stream, The romance of some warrior-dream! His childhood like a dream of love- NEW ENGLAND. Or mark the stranger's jaguar hand Whose soil with noble blood is red, Nor feel resentment, like a brand, Unsheathing from his fiery heart! Oh! greener hills may catch the sun Like life beneath the day-beam's glance, O'er And pillared fane and ancient grave And over shaft and architrave The green luxuriant ivy climb; The palm may shake its leaves on high, A thousand bright-hued pinions play! 179 180 NEW ENGLAND. Yet unto thee, New England, still Thy wandering sons shall stretch their arms, And thy rude chart of rock and hill Seem dearer than the land of palms; Thy massy oak and mountain pine More welcome than the banyan's shade; A HEALTH. BY E. C. PINKNEY. I FILL this cup to one made up of loveliness alone, A woman, of her gentle sex the seeming paragon; Her every tone is music's own, like those of morning birds, And something more than melody dwells ever in her words; The coinage of her heart are they, and from her lips each flows As one may see the burdened bee forth issue from the rose. Affections are as thoughts to her, the measure of her hours; Her feelings have the fragrance and the freshness of young flowers; And lonely passions changing oft, so fill her, she appears The image of themselves by turns- -the idol of past years. Of her bright face one glance will trace a picture on the brain, And of her voice in echoing hearts a sound must long re main; But memory such as mine of her so very much endears, When death is nigh, my latest sigh will not be life's, but hers. I fill this cup to one made up of loveliness alone, A woman, of her gentle sex the seeming paragon Her health! and would on earth there stood some more of such a frame, That life might be all poetry, and weariness a name. |