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: BALLADE OF BEAUTY. Visions of Beauty have haunted our singing Since the old birth of Time and Day— Visions of Glory, a majesty bringing From the empyrean, mingling with clay : Lives come and go but the Glory will stay, Far as a star, as fair to view, Leading a few in its light who stray To dwell with Beauty the only true. Visions of Youth, a glamour flinging Over a world of black and grey, Pass with the small years, mournfully winging Into a dream their flight away : Others as glamouring-bright as they Ever haunt on in the souls of a few,— Haply but ghosts that at visions play, To dwell with Beauty the only true. Beauty haunts on, to the spirit clinging, Knowing no change of death or decay; And e'en when the world hath" heard the ringing Of the trump that shall sound to Time's dismay Still shall remain, immortal Fay, Serving the Throne as Angels do, That love while their homage of bliss they pay To dwell with Beauty the only true. ENVOI. Prince of the friends of my boyhood gay, Thou to thy visions must bid adieu— Yet be it thine with the chosen for aye To dwell with Beauty the only true! chapter{Section 4BEAUTY AND LIFE. Who can say what Beauty is ? Who can tell what place is Beauty's home ?— He dwelleth everywhere I wis, Of Life's old moaning tide the crowning foam. Life is as a flaming shield Of gold, with silver crusted at the edge; Life is as a glowing field Of golden grain, begirt with silver sedge. Beauty is the other part That lendeth unto Life all winsome grace; Beauty is the throbbing heart That sendeth all the rose-blush to the face. Beauty is a white, white leaf, Decked in midst with quaintly fashioned rime, Of brain and heart a subtle thief, Luring them far from dreams of Spa...