The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 1850-1873, 1872-07-26

Dids't ask me who my favorite was
Among the names immortal?
As well ask who with brightest wings
Has entered heavens portal;
As well ask him Of three-score years
To name his happiest hour,
AS well ask May mid all her blooms
To show her fairest flower, sf,-srs,fef'
As well ask dweller on the sea
The day when she was calmest,
or all the breezes e'er did blow,
As well to seek the balmiest,
As well to search mid rainbow hues
The tint that is the brightest, Z.
Or hope TO find 'mong all earth's crew
The heart that is the lightest,
As well to mark what rising sun
The lark most joyful greetest
Or ask the little humming bird -
What flower she found the sweetest,
As well to seek some virtue out
That's matched not by another
Or lind among Ewes family
The fairest, fondest mother.
For know, o! vainly curious man, .
While genius is to many,
No universal gift ween
Was eer given to any.
The mark of Cain Is on us all,
Earth's fairest flowers are biighted,
Our torch Of knowledge Gimly burns
The wisest are benighted,
Nature when found so prodigal
Her hand elsewhere witholdeth,
The seeming Angel ruby-hpped
OTIS termagant and scoldeth,
Zen fortune with her golden smile
Still leaves her love SO stupid
With guineas gingling all the while
She scarce can catch blind Cupid.
Would'st hear the music of the grove?
Come follow Ientreat you,
And listen to the warblings
With which her sOngsters greet you;
o! it's the frame of mind we're in
That makes or mars the singing,
The jangling of a bell that's cracked
Is hardly worth the ringing.
The soul that's sad DrpfprS the song
That's sung by heart that breaking,
While heart that's glad, best loves the sound
That comes of merry-making;
The lark that wOOeS the rising sun
When all is bright and shining,
Would lily greet him yelled in clouds
And in the west declining.
o! rather letthe bird of night
To such q scene more suiting, g.
Help clouds and darkness to alright
With all her dismal hooting.
While Milton is our ISRAELI,
Who sweetly sings of heaven,
Say who save wild and Maynard Poe
Can crOak SO like the raven?
o where for squalid poverty
Save Hoods such song of sympathy?
Whose bridge of signs for rarity
Commends such Christian charity?
Feels't in q misanthrOpic Mood?
Art tired of earthly things?
Ills Byron's Manfred you should read,
A reckleSsness it brings;
Or would you kn9y Of humbleness,
OCT JOY anu STltl Uy tuTUS,
Come read the simple Cotter's life
So sweetly sung by Burns.
To hear him sagely moraliZe,
And plead our frailty with the skies,
To know his care for feeble things,
How sweet of lowliness he sings,
Your heart with kindness il will warm,
The timid hare you could not harm,
You'd pity cen the little mouse,
That builds itself SO frail house,
Nor would you love the daisy less
For Towering in a wilderness. |.tiH
If young and joyful in your years,
And happy in your loves,
A lesson learn from Thomas Moore,
He sings of cooling doves,
Yes little Cupids he can raise
In dimples and in eyes, t
Can make the blushing beauty feel
She's angel from the skies,
Or would you lose yourself awhile,
'MOng visions weird and wild
Go walk Parnassus' heights with him,
Sweet Shakespeare, Fancy's child,
The spirits of the deep he'll call,
Each thing of earth and air,
And to complete the WOndrous group
The dnpels ,ritt be there;
They'll lend their tuneful harps to him
To strike mortal lay,
For cen the brightest cherubim,
Can SympathiZe with clay;
He'll waken all the passions wild
No string untouched he'll leave,
He'll sound the notes of love and hate,
He'll touch the chords that grieve,
Nor will he slight the song of joy
For Shakspeare's self was once a boy,
And memory miser-like keeps still,
The impress of young Pleasures thrill,
a s,ccet nepenthe TITS to pain
10 tipe ones JOyhood Ger again.
Then ask not who my favorite is
For o! the question Is vain;
love each breeze that fragrance bears,
Each flower that decks the plain,
love each bird sings in the grove,
Each little star that shines above, .Fr
love each melody of earth, ...
love whate'er has given it birth,
love the sun that lights the skies '.i l'f
And weaveS the rainbow's gorgeous dyes,
love the fire that brightly brings
A warmer glow to iceberg things,
The torch of wisdom kindly given,
To light the pilgrims path to heaven. itf d
JOSEPH ANDERSON.