The Artist's Search for Beauty.
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THE ARTIST'S SEARCH FOR BEAUTY.
The artist, young Francesco, had a soul
Athirst for beauty, in what form soe'er
He found it. Born beneath Italian skies
Where countless charms of nature ministered,
And filled his senses keen with rare delight,
He lived in sights and dreams of loveliness,——
In azure skies, and ocean's changing hues,
In lights and shades upon the mountain sides,
In feathery palms and fragrant orange trees
Most sweet at night-fall, and in thousand forms
Of flowers fair, delighting every sense,
Forget-me-nots and blue anemones,
Rosemary, sweet-briar, yellow daffodils,
In these he found communion and delight.
And when he looked for some pursuit in life,
No commonplace or mercenary one
Would please him, but to make some form, some shape
Of beauty, that might be a "joy for aye"
Was his intent: and then to Florence he
Athirst for beauty, in what form soe'er
He found it. Born beneath Italian skies
Where countless charms of nature ministered,
And filled his senses keen with rare delight,
He lived in sights and dreams of loveliness,——
In azure skies, and ocean's changing hues,
In lights and shades upon the mountain sides,
In feathery palms and fragrant orange trees
Most sweet at night-fall, and in thousand forms
Of flowers fair, delighting every sense,
Forget-me-nots and blue anemones,
Rosemary, sweet-briar, yellow daffodils,
In these he found communion and delight.
And when he looked for some pursuit in life,
No commonplace or mercenary one
Would please him, but to make some form, some shape
Of beauty, that might be a "joy for aye"
Was his intent: and then to Florence he
