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CEPHALUS AND AURORA.

DARK were the woods and brightly the stars shone
When Cephalus led forth his eager hounds,

Away in the deep night-time are they gone,

Hunter and pack, while glade and brake resounds;

Through bosky thicket and up open steep

Under the horned moon's beaconing they fare

To win a high crag which the forests deep

Girdle round, dreaming in the limpid air,

There, poised against a branch, the youth must stay To wait the advent of the helpful day.

O throbbing stars, O happy moon, O trees,
O eager boy, expectant hounds, sublime
Pure moments, ere the fond enchantment flees
Pause for us on the horizon of old Time ;
And, Cephalus, rest your bright-cinctured head
On this hand, and with that the leash restrain,
And on them all let softest sheen be shed

That they may sink like song into the brain,
Ere yet is felt the rustling garb of day,

Or blank fact snatch the whole charmed group away.

And you, O wooing wind, pass o'er the heads
Of the deep-mantled veterans of the vale,
And kiss the gentle flowers upon their beds

On the hill-steep; return and with low wail
Say farewell to the South, and with long finger

Touch the faint cheeks of East and Western skies Tarrying far off; then sighing come and linger

Once more over the forest :-so arise Gathering your strength and sweetness amorous To kiss the white feet of still Cephalus.

But ere that long long kiss was fully ended
In the pale East a quiver and a stir

Was felt, and from its dusk doors a form wended
(Light breezes on their wings escorting her),
Over the whispering wondering tree-tops moved
With peering eyes, stretched hands, and smile.
untold,

And fell upon the neck of him she loved,
Her amber locks melting into his gold;—
O Cephalus, in vain before the sun
Did you arise to hunt; your sport is done.

For soon Aurora bids her gladsome train
Speed from the breezy portals of the dawn:
At her bright finger's beck they post amain
With jocund shout, and dance, and piping horn ;
Before the lovers on the dewy green

They dance a lightsome measure, drunk with glee, Also the flowers must dance before their queen,

And westward far the salt waves of the sea Dance in the morning, dance for frolic and joy Because Aurora weds her hunter boy.

High nuptials those, the proud immaculate dawn
Wedding bright eager youth in the earth's prime !
Glad union! and the offspring that was born
Of their chaste bliss lives still in our cold time;
Still lives a scion of the world antique,

Born in her holiest and loveliest day,
Still, still your soul, imperishable Greek,
Dowers the years and cannot pass away,
Despite the clangour of our tuneless words
You live to bless us still, you and the birds.

AMOR.

LOVE came into the world and looked around
With melting eyes on all the wealth he saw ;
Far-swelling meadows to his sight, the sound
Of sleepful winds to his ear pleasure bore;
His lips a smile of tender meaning wore,
So, ever gazing, sank he on the ground

And the all-happy sacrifice up-bore

Of measureless content, praise without bound, To Jove, his generous parent, throned on high Above the rare-wrought arch of marble sky.