Page:Diary of ten years.djvu/35

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thoughts far, far from the present scene to our little study, and boyish days, when we conned over Virgil and Ovid; and, heartily sick of their Pleiades and "Aquosus Orion," wished them at the bottom of the sea. I little thought then, that it would be my subsequent fate to gaze on these beautiful constellations on the wide ocean.

I need not recall to you that exquisite expression of Job, which may challenge comparison with any of the ancient poets, "Canst thou bind the sweet influences of Pleiades or loose the bands of Orion?"—a passage which Milton has borrowed and appropriated:—

            "The Pleiades before him danced,
Shedding sweet influence."

You see I am not totally idle, but make some use of the few books which I have packed up.

18th.—I have had a dream of home, and here you have a poetical version of my visions of the night:—

When gentle slumber seals my eyes,
  And dreamy thoughts are free as air,
Back, back to home my fancy flies,
  And fondly, fondly lingers there.

Methought, that when some years had pass'd,
  I trod again my native shore,
And forward still my looks were cast,
  Till I had reach'd my home once more.

But over all there seemed a change—
  Save over my own mind alone;
And there were many faces strange
  Amidst a few I once had known.

I miss'd the old sequester'd spot,
  The fav'rite walk, the well-known tree;
And, somehow, flowers and shrubs were not
  Where mem'ry said they ought to be.

And faithful unchanged mem'ry sought
  Familiar looks–alas! in vain–
Time had been there, and time had brought
  New scenes, new faces, in his train.