220
KNICKERBOCKER GALLERY.
No! with the mated songsters of the spring
Thy very lines should couple, shine, and sing!
What! live 'mid birds, without an answering song?
On mountain-heights, nor soar on numbers strong?
Among the flowers, nor twine one lyric wreath
Of grateful tribute for their fragrant breath?
'Mid autumn-woods, nor paint in words the glow?
By streams, nor seek in limpid verse to flow?
By cataracts sit, nor tune the clarion voice
In like harmonious echoes to rejoice?
Canst roam the dells by Dian's mellow blaze,
Nor weave one quiring chaplet in her praise?
Canst mark, unsung, the Pleiades? that fret
Like silver-fishes in a prisoning net?
Nor seek to hum, while choral stars are burning.
The music of their golden axles turning?
Degenerate bard! go sow your fields along
With the light-winged, far-roving seed of song!
Song such as cheered you when an unstained child,
Until fresh idyls echo through your wild!"
Thy very lines should couple, shine, and sing!
What! live 'mid birds, without an answering song?
On mountain-heights, nor soar on numbers strong?
Among the flowers, nor twine one lyric wreath
Of grateful tribute for their fragrant breath?
'Mid autumn-woods, nor paint in words the glow?
By streams, nor seek in limpid verse to flow?
By cataracts sit, nor tune the clarion voice
In like harmonious echoes to rejoice?
Canst roam the dells by Dian's mellow blaze,
Nor weave one quiring chaplet in her praise?
Canst mark, unsung, the Pleiades? that fret
Like silver-fishes in a prisoning net?
Nor seek to hum, while choral stars are burning.
The music of their golden axles turning?
Degenerate bard! go sow your fields along
With the light-winged, far-roving seed of song!
Song such as cheered you when an unstained child,
Until fresh idyls echo through your wild!"
"Call Palmer! hold! saving too little done,
Who sings so well needs no advice. Pass on!
"Stay!" Next following, comes our favorite, Hoffman."
Minerva pleads; "now, sacred from our sway,
He walks Hesperian gardens, plucking fruit;
Or groves Elysian in some flower-pursuit:
There, in rare dreams, on braver wings to soar
Than even his gallant fancy dared before."
The goddess ceased: all read, at once, that heard.
The bard's sad fate in her mysterious word:
Storm-driven, wing-broken, baffled, whirling still
Through the same heaven where he had plied at will;
And all recalled the long, o'ershadowed years
Of his waste-wanderings with unbidden tears!
Who sings so well needs no advice. Pass on!
"Stay!" Next following, comes our favorite, Hoffman."
Minerva pleads; "now, sacred from our sway,
He walks Hesperian gardens, plucking fruit;
Or groves Elysian in some flower-pursuit:
There, in rare dreams, on braver wings to soar
Than even his gallant fancy dared before."
The goddess ceased: all read, at once, that heard.
The bard's sad fate in her mysterious word:
Storm-driven, wing-broken, baffled, whirling still
Through the same heaven where he had plied at will;
And all recalled the long, o'ershadowed years
Of his waste-wanderings with unbidden tears!
"Now summon Paulding from his snug retreat!"
He moves sedately to the judgment-seat.
"What purpose, Sire! subpœnaed from afar,
Juror or witness, bids me to thy bar?"
"No witness thou! thvself defendant art.
He moves sedately to the judgment-seat.
"What purpose, Sire! subpœnaed from afar,
Juror or witness, bids me to thy bar?"
"No witness thou! thvself defendant art.
