The Seaside and the Fireside/Sonnet
For works with similar titles, see Sonnet.
SONNET
On Mrs. Kemble's Readings from Shakspeare.
O precious evenings! all too swiftly sped!Leaving us heirs to amplest heritagesOf all the best thoughts of the greatest sages,And giving tongues unto the silent dead!How our hearts glowed and trembled as she read,Interpreting by tones the wondrous pagesOf the great poet who foreruns the ages,Anticipating all that shall be said!
O happy Reader! having for thy textThe magic book, whose Sibylline leaves have caughtThe rarest essence of all human thought!O happy Poet! by no critic vext!How must thy listening spirit now rejoiceTo be interpreted by such a voice!