Now beheld the little maiden,

Kneeling in a golden beam, Tranced in wondering devotion, Like an angel in a dream.

Now beheld the throng of pilgrims
Gathered in Our Lady's shrine,

Now beheld the sun of summer

Through the western window shine.

Saw a glimmer through the doorway
Of a vaporous azure plain,
Saw the swallows, in the sunlight,
Skimming low before the rain.

Saw a bush of flowering elder,
And dog-daisies in its shade,
Tufted meadow-sweet entangled
In a blushing wild-rose braid.

Saw a distant sheet of water,

Flashing like a fallen sun;

Saw the winking of the ripples

Where the mountain torrents run.

Saw the peaceful arch of heaven,
With a cloudlet on the blue,

Like a white bird winging homeward
With its feathers drenched in dew.

Then old Austin sought to gather

All his thoughts for fervent praise;
But, alas! their chains are shattered,
Every thought in freedom strays.

Austin sought his heart to quicken
For the solemn act of prayer;
But from earth's absorbing beauties
Not a moment can it spare;

And attention is distracted,

Straying here and straying there.

Cried the shepherd, 'O my Saviour ! '— With a sudden grief oppressed—

'Be Thy will, not mine, accomplished; Give me what Thou deemest best.'

Then once more the clouds descended,
And the eyes again waxed dark;
All the splendour of the sunlight

Faded to a dying spark.

But the closed heart expanded,

Like the flower that blooms at night,

Whilst, as Philomel, the spirit

Chanted to the waning light.

Shut my eyes,' the old man whispered; 'Close to earth's distracting sight, Till the spirit breaks its fetters,

Speeding heavenward its flight. Then to open to the glory

Of Thine uncreated light!'

LANCELOT.

SWIFT and dark set in the night,
Yet, in the north, a pallid light,
As a glimmering thread of white,

Lay, blotted with black trees. Lancelot at the church door stood, Holding with his hands to the wood, Muffling his features in his hood,

Aghast, and with quaking knees.

Wherefore aghast, he could not tell. Then rang out the compline bell,

But it sounded like a knell

In that evening hot and still.

A bat came wheeling by,

Dashing out of the dark sky,

And diving in presently.

Far off, on a low hill,

F

Sudden, flashed out a spark ;

A dog began to bark;

The light vanished, and all was dark,

Save that shimmer in the north.

A wild-fowl flight o'erhead,

Northward whistling sped,

By wondrous instinct led,

Whilst Lancelot looked forth.

Up leaped a silvery ray,

Like the dawning of new day,
To the northward far away,

And tremulously danced.

Then another beam arose,
In fitful throbs and throes,

Of the colour of the rose,

As Lancelot gazed entranced.