DÎS ALITER VISUM; OR, LE BYRON DE NOS JOURS. STOP, let me have the truth of that! Is that all true ? I say, the day Ten years ago when both of us Met on a morning, friends — as thus We meet this evening, friends or what? Did you — because I took your arm And sillily smiled, “A mass of brass That sea looks, blazing underneath!” While up the cliff-road edged with heath, We took the turns nor came to harm Did you consider “ Now makes twice That I have seen her, walked and talked With this poor, pretty, thoughtful thing, Whose worth I weigh: she tries to sing ; Draws, hopes in time the eye grows nice; “ Reads verse and thinks she understands ; . Loves all, at any rate, that's great, Good, beautiful ; but much as we Down at the Bath-house love the sea, Who breathe its salt and bruise its sands : 5. . “ While ... do but follow the fishing-gull That flaps and floats from wave to cave ! There's the sea-lover, fair my friend ! What then? Be patient, mark and mend ! Had you the making of your scull ?” 6. And did you, when we faced the church With spire and sad slate roof, aloof From human fellowship so far, Where a few graveyard crosses are, And garlands for the swallows' perch, — Did you determine, as we stepped " O’er the lone stone fence, “ Let me get Her for myself, and what's the earth With all its art, verse, music, worth — Compared with love, found, gained, and kept? 8. “Schumann 's our music-maker now; Has his march-movement youth and mouth ? Ingres 's the modern man that paints ; Which will lean on me, of his saints ? Heine for songs ; for kisses, how ?” 9. And did you, when we entered, reached The votive frigate, soft aloft Riding on air this hundred years, Safe-smiling at old hopes and fears, – Did you draw profit while she preached ? 10. Resolving “Fools we wise men grow! Yes, I could easily blurt out curt Some question that might find reply As prompt in her stopped lips, dropped eye, And rush of red to cheek and brow: 11. “ Thus were a match made, sure and fast, 'Mid the blue weed-flowers round the mound Where, issuing, we shall stand and stay For one more look at Baths and bay, Sands, sea-gulls, and the old church last 12. “ A match 'twixt me, bent, wigged, and lamed, Famous, however, for verse and worse, When gout and glory seat me there, 13. “ And this young beauty, round and sound As a mountain-apple, youth and truth With loves and doves, at all events With money in the Three per Cents; Whose choice of me would seem profound: 14. “She might take me as I take her. Perfect the hour would pass, alas ! Climb high, love high, what matter? Feet, feelings, must descend the hill: An hour's perfection can't recur. Still, |