From thy great Sire they come-thy Sire, the Word And all the year dost with thee bring re, Of thousand flow'ry lights thine own nocturnal spring. Thou, Scythian-like, dost round thy lands above The Sun's gilt tent for ever move, And still, as thou in pomp dost go, The shining pageants of the world attend thy show. The dramatic lyrists, Shakspere and Fletcher, have painted some of the characteristics of Morning with rainbow hues : Full many a glorious morning have I seen Flatter the mountain-tops with sovereign eye, SHAKSPERE. Messire de la Borde, my eldest brother, who was in great trouble and perplexity of mind, having been constrained, in order to preserve his life, to go to mass, and being constantly beset by men who called upon him to abjure the reformed faith. Our friends of Paris, learning that I was in his house, and fearing that I might prevail upon him not to make the abjuration, sent to warn him that his ruin was certain if he kept me in his house and I still refused to go to mass. Being thus moved, my brother on the following Sunday led me into his chapel, where a Catholic priest was ready to officiate. As soon as I saw the priest, I turned my back upon him, and went away in great affliction. My brother then regretted what he had done. I took the resolution to stay there no longer. I employed a whole week in seeking out some waggoner that would convey me to Sedan*. Out of fifteen hundred francs that were owing to me at La Borde, I received forty crowns; and during my sojourn there one of my chamber-women and one of my men-servants came and joined me. My brother found my resolution very hazardous. Nevertheless, he assisted me in procuring a waggoner, begging me, however, not to let my mother and our other friends know that he had willingly consented to my dangerous journey. In bidding me farewell, he said that he felt assured that, on account of my zeal and fidelity in serving God, God would bless my journey and protect my person, and this, by the heavenly grace, happened to me. I arrived at Sedan on the day of All Saints, being the first day of November, without having met with any hindrance, disturbance, or trouble on the way. So soon as I arrived I found many friends, who offered me all that they had. I was not one hour at Sedan ere I was properly attired as a lady of rank, everybody hastening to give me whatsoever I wanted. I received also much honour and friendship from the Duke and Duchess of Bouillon. And I resided quietly at Sedan until the time of my marriage with Duplessis-Mornay. * The Lordship of Sedan was, at this time, an independent principality, possessed by the Duke of Bouillon, who, together with all his family, inclined to the reformed faith. The city of Sedan was a stronghold of the French Protestants. 107.-MORNING. [THE poets luxuriate in their descriptions of Morning and Evening. These descriptions belong more especially to the mornings and evenings of Summer, when "the breath of morn" is sweet, and "the coming on of gentle evening" is "mild." First let us hear a quaint and simple old master sing the charms of Morning]: The Sun, when he had spread his rays, The mountains high, and how they stand! Then fall they to their mother's breast, ' And how they serve, and how they do, Cowley's Hymn to Light' is a noble performance, from which we extract a few stanzas:First-born of Chaos, who so fair didst come From the old Negro's darksome womb; Which when it saw the lovely child, The melancholy mass put on kind looks, and smiled, Thou tide of glory which no rest doth know, But ever ebb and ever flow! Thou golden show'r of a true Jove! Who does in thee descend, and heaven to earth make love! active Nature's watchful life and health! Her joy, her ornament, and wealth! Hail to thy husband, Heat, and thee! Thou the world's beauteous bride! the lusty bridegroom he! Say, from what golden quivers of the sky Do all thy winged arrows fly? Swiftness and Power by birth are thine; From thy great Sire they come-thy Sire, the Word Divine. Thou, in the moon's bright chariot, proud and gay Dost thy bright wood of stars survey, And all the year dost with thee bring Of thousand flow'ry lights thine own nocturnal spring. Thou, Scythian-like, dost round thy lands above The Sun's gilt tent for ever move, And still, as thou in pomp dost go, The shining pageants of the world attend thy show. The dramatic lyrists, Shakspere and Fletcher, have painted some of the characteristics of Morning with rainbow hues : See, the day begins to break FLETCHER. Shepherds, rise, and shake off sleep! Gilding all the vales below After these, the modern sonnet sounds somewhat tame:-- Soul-cheering warmth—a spicy air serene— In vapoury clouds, or tints of clearest sheen. In general gladness hail the blessed light- We may fitly conclude with Milton's noble Hymn: So cheer'd he his fair spouse, and she was cheer'd, From either eye, and wiped them with her hair FLETCHER. ANON. Their Maker, in fit strains pronounced or sung Flow'd from their lips, in prose or numerous verse To add more sweetness; and they thus began :- Thus wond'rous fair; thyself how wond'rous then! In these thy lowest works; yet these declare Him first, him last, him midst, and without end. And ye five other wand'ring fires that move And nourish all things; let your ceaseless change Ye mists and exhalations that now rise From hill or streaming lake, dusky or grey, His praise, ye winds, that from four quarters blow, Bear on your wings, and in your notes his praise. |