Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1851-12-19
DAY DREAMS,

DAY DREAMS
We hl hare dny dredms To some they
come like bright sweey beaminy pictures. ha-
loed all over with glory, as if painted by that
spirit, Fancy, with the mellow, glowing tints
borrowed from crimsoned sunrise, or they
spread out before the cnraptured sight in one
vast panorama, among whose eyerchanginp
scenes and glorious harmones the restless soul
may roam az if through fairy land, cat .hinp
here and there glimpse, foretaste of Eysi,,ml
! ! o others, to those whose eyes are dmmed with
tears, and on whose hearts misery has flung her
death-like pal when the mind with magic wish
would call them up they seem all dark and
shadowy, bereft Of sunlight, clouded with sor-
row, deeper shades seem chequercd on them.
ntcrtwined with wilder grefs Or they are like
phantoms wrapped in ulphurous storm clouds.
their great wings tipped with the lurid lightning
pictured by that demon, dread DESPAIR
Some spend their lives in dreaming in paint
ing on the mlsts and clouds that veil the future.
fantastic visions Of goals reached, of golden
crowns. Of tame's laurel chapets. and of a
worlds homage to their well earned greatness:
while others, such as would rather strive to
reach high heaven, by toling up their mountain
pile Of earthly common-places, than to rise th-
ther in Fliahs might chariot, are ever crush
Ing in their cold hearts all the warm aspirations
and lofty longings for something higher, that
their souls may never dream the bright day
dreams Of this life that awaken wishes for BET.
ter
How soothing and how blessed are these dav
dreams How the wearied mind. overcharged
with grieis and disappointmen.s, wlll oftentimes
build up for itself, on some slight foundation.
CLEANS of hopes that gllmmer far away on its
horizon, airy castles, in whose bearteous halls
hung round with memory's pictures it will revel.
tasting of pleasures sweelv flowing nectar.
teastnr on loves precious words And then,
how the bright basis seems to rise expand. like
some volcanic island sprnging up amid old
oceans waste, its dim superstructure nearer to
the skies: and when some touch from that grim
spectre, stern reality, rocks to and fro those
shadowy piles and dIspels the pleasing visions,
how they seem like breaking clouds at morn,
more glorious in their shattered forms and blen-
ded colorings They are to the sckened heart
like moonbeams dancing through the storm,lke
plaintlve music echolng at night through lonely
corridors
And these dreams come round us in all times
and places. Even in the crowded thorough.
fare, some glad word, some light laughter, some
young face bcaming amid that world of sel-
fishness will awaken long trains of mingled
thoughts and by out warm firesides we seem
to see among the burning embers half-forrot-
ten scenes, mingled with the pencings of Gre
atlve fancy. And music too will call them up
Ave, music, that soul-ennoblng art the ONLY
one that spirits ever practice, the only one that
lives in Heaven-that incarnation of the
thoughts ofangels, with It's ever-varying strains
and swelling notcs-wlth its skvward-rushing
peals of halleluahs ana its winged songs of
praise with its wild. gushing melodies ani
It's heart-thrillng magic thrlls-wth its enrap.
turing, ringing tones of gladness-with its low,
mourntul numbers the embodiment of sadness
with its full expression of deep-seated feel
ings, seems to fling spell around US, and to
summon up bright spirit forms that weave those
lingering, qulverlng notes with CLEANS of sun
shine and with moonlight lustre, and form for
the soul fairy car, and borrow seraph's pin.
ions for It, and bear it upward till there are out
stretched beneath all the glories of the earths
extended landscapes S-wlde-spread Savannah
valleys blooming with ten thousand tropic flow
ers lovely dels and tree-crowned peaks -
winding rivers and bright cascades; wooded
isles and murmuring seas old forests with the
Pickering sunlight cleaning through their dim,
twilight shades add ghostly glaciers, wrapping
their snow robes all about them, and in their
icy armour standing as if to defend from desc
Grafton their own haunted realms. Higher vet
the fancled chariot is borne amid dreamy mists
and golden clouds, and bright blue ether.
among the rolling worlds, archangels thrones
TIL fumes far distant temple seems to burst
upon us, with Its white beacon blazing from
out It's Iris dome. and with its lofty columns
formed of heavens own light; and the great
god cSs seated on beaming star, with her
sceptre twined with laurel leaves-and round
her ranged the mighty intelects that she hsd
crowned, pale Dante with his gloomy brow.
and godlike Milton with his solemn harp and
gigantic Angelo, with his lofty aspect, like TO
his own g;elt Moses. Nearer and nearer we
are borne, we almost grasp the crown that she
has profiered-and we wake and find it but Il
dream as fleetlng as the strlins that gave It
birth