Purchase of this book includes free trial access to www.million-books.com where you can read more than a million books for free. This is an OCR edition with typos. Excerpt from book: NAHANT. My pleasant Harp ! that through my native wood, While sitting lone beneath the dark green pine, Hast poured thy numbers on the solitude, And made the echoes of the mountains mine ; Oh be again as sweet as once thou wert, And yield one grateful strain to gladden o'er my heart. Oft in the sunlight of departed years, When youthful sorrows their light shadows threw, Thy notes have been the solace of my tears, Mantling my cup with pleasures ever new. Thy thrilling chords have waked my soul's delight, Struck in the shady glen, or on the rocky height. Warm from the heart, in life's extatic glow, Ere dark misfortune has her power essayed, The lays of artless love and friendship flow, And sweet unsullied Virtue lends her aid, To gild the lay that youthful Genius sings, While Hope springs up elate on light exulting wings. No sorrow then its dusky form uprears To mar the melody of life's sweet tune ! Or if a sadness rise, its hue appears Like a slight cloud upon the summer moon, Dimming her ray a momentary space, That then shines out anew, with deep redoubled grace. But when the mirthful hours of youth are past, And in the twilight of life's changing day We pause awhile, as lulls the reckless blast, To trace the footsteps of our morning way, And taste the bliss which Memory can bring, Some bitter in the cup will Sorrow ever fling. Yet not for him whose hope is in the sky, Has thought of vanished pleasure power to wake In his confiding bosom one sad sigh ; Nor can misfortune wound his heart, or shake His constant faith, or add one secret sting Of such as with remorse the secret bosom wring. No—'tis the power of true belief to bless The heart that treasures it with latent strength, Which lends its firm support in all ...