II. EVENING.

Yon mountain's side is black with night,

While, broad-orhed, o'er its gleaming crown

The moon, slow-rounding into sight,

On the hushed inland sea looks down.

How start to light the clustering isles,

Each silver-hemmed! How sharply show

The shadows of their rocky piles,

And tree-tops in the wave below!

How far and strange the mountains seem,

Dim-looming through the pale, still light

The vague, vast grouping of a dream,

They stretch into the solemn night.

Beneath, lake, wood, and peopled vale,

Hushed by that presence grand and grave,

Are silent, save the cricket's wail,

And low response of leaf and wave.

Fair scenes! whereto the Day and Night

Make rival love, I leave ye soon,

What time before the eastern light

The pale ghost of the setting moon

Shall hide behind yon rocky spines,

And the young archer, Morn, shall break

His arrows on the mountain pines,

And, golden-sandalled, walk the lake!

Farewell! around this smiling bay

Gay-hearted Health, and Life in bloom,

With lighter steps than mine, may stray

In radiant summers yet to come.

But none shall more regretful leave

These waters and these hills than I

Or, distant, fonder dream how eve

Or dawn is painting wave and sky;

How rising moons shine sad and mild

On wooded isle and silvering bay;

Or setting suns beyond the piled

And purple mountains lead the day;

Nor laughing girl, nor bearding boy,

Nor full-pulsed manhood, lingering here,

Shall add, to life's abounding joy,

The charmed repose to suffering dear.

Still waits kind Nature to impart

Her choicest gifts to such as gain

An entrance to her loving heart

Through the sharp discipline of pain.

Forever from the Hand that takes

One blessing from us others fall;

And, soon or late, our Father makes

His perfect recompense to all!

Oh, watched by Silence and the Night,

And folded in the strong embrace

Of the great mountains, with the light

Of the sweet heavens upon thy face,

Lake of the Northland! keep thy dower

Of beauty still, and while above

Thy solemn mountains speak of power,

Be thou the mirror of God's love.