Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1882-10-02
rae LEaEHD BEAUTIFUL.

GIiohry Wadsworth Longfellow, born in Portland.
Me-, 9th February, 1857 Died, 1882 The most
popular Of american poets He was educated in
BowdGin College, in which he became Professor Of
Modern Languages in 1896, Nine wears afterwards
he was appointed Professor Of Belles-etters in Har
yard College, and he continued to discharge the dt
ties OF that office until 1854, when be retired
His principal prose works are: "outre- Mer
Pilgrimage Beyond the sea :" - Hyperion
romance, and kayanaugii," tsie. OF his poems
II will be enough 20 mention g svangeline," The
Song OF Eiawatha," :. The Golden Legend a. The
Spanish Student" "Mies Standish, HTales OF a
Wayside lnn,' a" Voices of the Night" ballads"
he Seaside and The Fireside," Birds of Passage,
" Fiower-1e-Luce," " Three Books OF Song" (from
which we quote) a Aftermath" and translation Of
Dante. e. L. Whipple, the American critic
sums up Longfellow's general characteristics thus
he ideaiizes real life he ELECTS meaning from
many OF its rough shows be clothes subtle and del
icate thoughts in familiar imagery he embodies
high mora sentiment in beautiful aad enobling
forms he in eayes the golden threads Of spiritual
being into the texture of common exista nee ; he
dscerns and addresses some of the aest sympathes
OF the heart but be rarely into those regions
OF abstract imagination where the bodily eye cannot
follow, but where that Of the seer is gifted with
'pervadiug yison.'"l
:" Hadst thou stayed, ! must hsge fed %
That is what the Vision said
In his chamber ali Alone
kneeling :ne floor of stone,
Prayed tbs Monk in deep contrition 4
For his sill of indecision-
Prayed fJr greater self denial
In temptation and in trial;
1t WIS monday by the dial,
AID the Monk was all alone
Suddenly as II it lightened
An unwonted spleHdor frightened
All within hnn and without him
In that narrow cell Of stone;
Aud he saw the blessed Vision
OF our Lord, aith light ElysiaH ----=-.-
Like Vesture wrapped about him.
Like garment round him thrown.
Not as crucified and slain,
Not ia agonies OF paiu
Nor with bleeding hands and feet
Did the Monk his Master see
But as in the village street,
In the house or harvest field,
Halt and lame and blind he healed
When he walked in Galilee.
In an attitude imp oriUg
Hands upon his bosom crossed,
Wondering, worsliping adoring,
knelt the Monk in rapture lost
Lord, he thought in heaven that reisnest
Who am l. that thus thou deignest
TO reveal thyself TO ME?
Who am |, that from the center
OF thy glory thou shoudst ent,r
THIS poor cell, my guest to bey
Then amid his exaltation,
Loud the convent bell app ling,
From Its belfry calling, calling
Rang through court and corridor
With persistant iteration
He had never heard before
1t was now the appointed hour
When alike in shine and shower
winters cold or summers heat,
To the convent portals came
All the blind aud halt aud lame
All the beggars of the street,
For their daily dole Of food
Dealt them by the brotherhood;
And their aimoner was he
Who, upon his Bonded knee,
Rapt in silent ecstacy
Ot divinest sefsurrender
San the Vision and and the Spendor.
Deep dis ress and hesitation
Mingled with his alteration;
Should he 20, or should he stay
Should he leave the poor to wait
Hungry at the convent gate
Till the Vision passed awayY
Should he slight his radiant guest
Slight his ysitaut celestial
For 4 crowd Of ragged, bestal
Beggars at the convent gate
Would the Vision there remain
Would the Vision come again
Then voice within his breast
whispered, audible and clear
AS il to the outward ear:
Do thy duty; that is best
Lave unto thy Lord the rest p
Straitway to his feet be started
And with longing look intent
GA the blessed Vision bent
Slowly from his cell departed
Slowly on his errand went
At the gate the poor were waiting.
Looking through the iron grating
With that terror in the eye
That Is only seen in those
N no, amid their wants and woes,
Hear the sound of doors that close
And OF feet that pass them by;
Grown familiar with disfavor,
Crown familiar with the SAVIOR
Oh the bread by which men die
But today, they know not why
Like the gate OF Paradise
Seemed the convent gate to rise,
Like sacrament divine
Seemed 10 them the bread and wine
In his heart the Monk was prayipp
Thinking of the homeless poor
W hat they suff n and endure
What we see not, what We see
And the inward voice was saving
" Whatsoever thing thou doest
10 the least Of mine anu lowest,
That thou doest unto ME ~
Unto me but had the Vision
Come to kim in beggar's clothing
Come mendicant inploring,
Would he then have knet adoring
Or have listened With derision,
And nave turned away with oathing7
Thus his conscience put the quest CD,
Full OF troublesome suggestion
$500 As al length, with hurried pace
Towards his cell he turned his face
And beheid the convent bright
With a supernatural light,
Like luminous cloud expandin"
over floor and wall and ceiling
But he paused with awe struck feeling
At the threshold of his door,
For the Vision still was standing
as he left it there before,
When the convent bel appalling,
From its beifry calling, calling,
Summoned him to feed the poor
Through the long hour intervening
1t had waited his return,
Aud he felt his tosom burn
Comprehendng all the meaning
When the blessed Vision said,
- Hadst thou stay ed, must have fed :"