Lights up the dark of sleep,
As yon pale moon lights up the heaven
With beauty clear and deep,
I see thee in the ebbing stars,
I hear quaint voices swell,
And dim and phantom winds that come
And whisper, Isabelle.

Oh, beautiful and bright thou art!
Oh, beautiful and bright!
Thy beauty hangeth o'er my heart,
Like rich star-crowded night.
As moonbeams silver on the wave
Of some night-sadden'd river,
So on my lonesome life thy love
Would lie in light for ever.
Yet wander on--oh, wander on,
Cold river, to the sea,
And, weary life, _thy_ ocean gain--
Undream'd eternity.

In vain the cruel curse of earth
Hath torn our lives apart;
The man-made barriers of gold
Weigh down the humble heart.
Oh, hadst thou been a village maid--
A simple wayside flower--
With nought to boast, save honest worth,
And beauty all thy dower!
Such might have been--such _should_ have been,
But other lot befell;
I am the lowly son of toil,
And thou proud Isabelle.

It ever seems to me that love
Should level all degrees;
Pure honour, and a stainless heart
Are Nature's heraldries.
No scutcheon needs a noble soul
(Alas! how thinks the age?);
He is not poor who freedom hath
For his broad heritage.
Then welcome sternest teacher, Toil;
Vain dreams of youth, farewell;
The future hath its duty's prize--
The past, its Isabelle.

HOUSEHOLD GODS.

Built on Time's uneven sand,
Hope's fair fabric soon is shatter'd;
Bowers adorn'd by Fancy's hand
Torn in wandering leaves are scatter'd.
Perish'd, perish'd, lost and perish'd,
Old affections fondly cherish'd.

All our blossoms wither soon,
While we dream the flower will strengthen,
And across life's summer noon
Death's dark shadow seems to lengthen.
In that mighty shadow perish'd
All we liv'd for, all we cherish'd.

Dear ones loved are lost in night;
O'er the world we wander lonely,
And the heart of all youth's light
Holds one fading sunbeam only.
Old affections vainly cherish'd,
All except the memory perish'd.

POOR COMPANIONS.

Look up, old friend! why hang thy head?
The world is all before us.
Earth's wealth of flowers is at our feet,
Heaven's wealth of w