Themes worthy of a worthier song,
Dear Lady of the mountain springs.”
And who is she—the Fairy of the scene?
A bright-eyed, beautiful maiden of eighteen,
Lovely and learnèd, and well “skilled to rule,”
The Lady-Mentor of a village school,
“Teaching young Girls’ ideas how to shoot;”
A tree of knowledge, rich in flowers and fruit,
A model heroine in mien and mind,
An “Admirable Crichton” crinolined,
And author of a charming Book that sings
Delightfully concerning wedding-rings,
Tracing the progress of the lightning-dart
Between the bridal finger and the heart,
And proving the arithmetic untrue
Which teaches us that one and one make two,
Whereas the marriage-ring is worn to prove
That two are one—the Algebra of Love.
Such is the Lady of my song, and now
She gazes on her young Endymion’s brow,
And, fancying—by a sudden thought beguiled,
Herself a mother bending o’er her child,
Unconsciously imprints upon his eyes
A kiss—brimful of all the charities,
Sacredly secret, eloquently mute,
Yet “Musical as is Apollo’s lute,”
