Away, away, without a wing, O'er all, through all, its thought shall fly; A nameless and eternal thing, Forgetting what it was to die. VISION OF BELSHAZZAR. I. THE King was on his throne, The Satraps throng'd the hall; A thousand bright lamps shone A thousand cups of gold, In Judah deem'd divine Jehovah's vessels hold The godless Heathen's wine! D II. In that same hour and hall, Came forth against the wall, The fingers of a man;— Along the letters ran, And traced them like a wand. "The wisest of the earth, "And expound the words of fear, "Which mar our royal mirth.” IV. Chaldea's seers are good, But here they have no skill; And the unknown letters stood Untold and awful still. And Babel's men of age Are wise and deep in lore; But now they were not sage, They saw-but knew no more. V. A captive in the land, A stranger and a youth, He read it on that night,— The morrow proved it true. D 2 |