Lewisburg chronicle. [volume] (Lewisburg, Pa.) 1850-1859, 1852-04-07
A VISION OF IMMORTALITY.
sr WILLIAM G. BRYANT.

7 who essavei to sing, in earlier days
The Ftan.t ps,s and IN. Hyms 70 Dertt.
Wake now the HYMN 10 Immortality
Yet once again. . man, come firth and Wv
The haunts of Nature: wax the waving Le.ds,
Enter the si'ent gr0ves or pierre" a-ain
The drTths of TIE untrodden wilderness,
And she shall teach thee. Thol hast e'ihsi ne're
One le.snn-ani her Hymn of Death hath faiica
W;th melancholy sweetness on th'ns ear;
Yet she shall tel thee with myriad tongue
That M, j. thert-life in uncount"J 'orin---
z Stealing in silence through the hidden roots.
In every tr ,nch that -wing.-in the green leaves,
Ard waving grain, and the gay summer flowers
That gladden. the lehoder. Listen now.
And she shall teach thee that the dead have slept
But To awaken in more glorious forms
4 nd that the mystery Of the seed decay
/ Is hut the prcmiS- of the coming life.
Each towering oak that lifts its living head
II the road sunli hit. in eternal strength,
tiorie- tn tel thee that the acorn di1-i
The flowers that spring aSve their last years grave
Ar. eoI oIuent with the voice Of Iii and nope
And the green trees clap their rejoicing hands,
Waving IN triumph DER the earths decay!
Yet not alone shall flower and forest raise
The voice Of triumph ant the hymn of life
The insect brood are there !-eHch paiut'd d wing
That flt,ar. in the sunshine, broke but now
From th, ciose c,.rements of worms own shroud,
Is telling. it flies. how life may sIrins
Ia it, glad hraufy from the gloom nt death
" herr. the crushed mould beneath the sunkeD foot
s., ms but the seru!chre Of OLD decay,
Turn thou kcenrr glance. and thou shalt ind
&
The breath Of evening and the sultry morn
Bears on it. wing cloud of witnesses,
That earth from her uncumbercd caves Of death
Sends forth n mghtiar tide Of teeIa ne h!c
iaisr then the Hymn TO lmmo rtsllty!
The broad prceu prsiries aud the wilderness,
And the Old ri,ie, where the dead have slept,
4 -e upon a,r, thousand graves IN one,
Shall vet be crowded with the living forms
OF myriais waking from the silent dust
Kings that lay down in state and earths poor slaves,
hest:ng together in one fond embrace
The !tc haired patriarch and the tender babe,
Grown old together in the fi-ht OF years
they Of immortal iaulr. and they whose praise
Was never sounded III sle ears Of men
sIchon and priest, and the roor common crowd
Al. The vast c0ncourse ia he halls of death.
SHALL ken from the dreams of silent years
To blil tho dawn OF III. immortal day.
ly learn tie lesson. Though the worm shall be
Thy brother in the mystery Of death.
And III shall pas, humble and proud and gay
Together t. esrth's mighty charrcl-hous-,
Yet The immortal i thy heritage!
The grave shall Gather thee: yet thou shat come,
B-r-ar Or prince. not a. thou w"niest t9Ith,
IN rags or Turp'e but a'r1ye' a. those
Wh-s, mortal puts on immortality!
Then rnoaru not vhrn thou marSts Il the decay
Of Nature aud her solemn hymn OF ceath
steals with 81 note 4 n lurss TO thy heart
That other voice, with its rejoicing tones,
Breaks from the mould with every bursting flower,
o grave! thy victory!7 And thou, o, man,
Hardened with sorrow at the woes that crowd
Thy narrow heritage. lift mp Thy herd
Ia the strong hope of the undyns life,
And shout the II ymn TO immortality.
The dear departed that have passed away
TO the still house Of death, leaving thine own,
Tue era, haired sir. that died in blessing thee,
Mother or sxcet-lipp.d bah or she who gave
Thy home the light and bloom of Parable
Thcv shall - thine s+,sin, when thou shalt pass,
4, i;,.Is appointment, through the shadowy vale,
To reach the sunlight Of the IMMORTAL HILLS
A nd thou thSt gloricst to lie down with kings,
Thine rncrowri.d head now lowlier than theirs,
Sc. thou the loftier glory to he known
4 king and priest to t;'.d.-whcn thou shalt pass
Forth .-orn these silent halls 10 take thy plsce
With ratriarrhs and prophets and the best
Gone up from every land 10 people heaven
50 live that , hen the mighty caravan,
which halts nig,it-tmc in the vale OF Death.
Shall strike IL. whte tents for the morning march,
Thou shalt mount onward 10 the Et-ru.l Hllis,
J H. foot unvcsrI.i and thy strength renewed,
Like tne strong eagles for the UPWARD tieht.