And give to no fond wish a scope,

Save those which heaven may bless.

7.

No wish hadst thou, but such as sprung From heaven! To its blest mansions clung

All hopes which thee did rule:

If vain those hopes, like hopes beneath,
Then thou of every child of Eve

Wert most indeed a fool!

8.

But since in the dread human plan,
No other instinct's given to man

With purpose to confound,

No end that cheers its appetence :—
We may, with faith, infer from hence,

Thou soughtedst, and hast found.

9.

Say is it not a startling fact,
Thousands are drawn the part to act
Of dying, so to live!

Or we must deem our life a lie,
Or in such fact as this we spy

A pledge that heaven will give.

10.

From Heaven, a pledge, immortal life

To give to those who to the strife

Of duty nobly press :

For as in other instincts, we,

An end, by intuition, see,

So faith can own no less.

11.

But little, little can the world,

Little those sons of men who're hurled

In passion's ceaseless maze;

Tell what the conflict is to those

Who feel the food from heaven that flows

Alone their want allays.

12.

Oh, say ye, who have once drunk deep
Of living waters; who must reap
Immortally, or die,

From sensuous joys how many fasts,

How much toil your's long as life lasts,
And inward agony !

How many a pang, how many a groan
Which no one seems to hear!

How many longings that your breast

Might be like others, blessing, blest,
Unfolded to no ear!

14.

How many times, when nigh to faint,
Ye fain would have the hard restraint,

The austere interdict,

Which severs you from things of sense, Repealed; and mockings which from hence Men of the world inflict.

15.

How many times, when ye're gainsaid, When ye are scoffed, when all upbraid,

Ye live in solitude!

A solitude which few can tell;

A solitude which those know well

Whom heaven hath here renewed!

16.

But bear ye up courageously!

A day will come, a time will be
When you in your turn shall,

That you've been willing to be poor
On earth, heaven's interest to secure,
Triumphantly recall.

17.

Not that we mean that what is done,
So that thereby a prize be won,

Can ever win that prize!
No! we to all of self must die,

Or ere supreme reality

Is opened to our eyes.

18.

We speak of consequence, not cause,

Heaven comes from faith in heavenly laws,

But comes alone to those

Who, by a heavenly instinct led,

Feel bound, though living, to be dead,

To all the world bestows!

19.

These drawn by love, and deemed as fools, Expedience calculating rules

Will loyally disdain.

They know that God doth love that mind,

Acting in passive meekness, blind,

Which love's pure laws constrain.

20.

Oh Mary, thou, by such as these,

Might'st well amid degenerate days

Be as a pattern held!

Thou said'st not much; professedst less ; But thy whole life did best express

What aim that life impelled!