THE CONGRESS OF WOMEN.

Down tangled heights The crystal waters fell o’er mossy cliffs,

From broken urns of sea nymphs who had lost Their way and fled from sight. A hoary limb Midway the lucid pool, and, tendril twined,

Let fairies cross to wayward paths in joy;

And od’rous breadths of land kiss’d tuneful lips Of flowery waves. Arcadian vales were fed By pearly streams and purple winds, and clouds That held no gloomy thoughts of cold or storms.

Thro’ spicy groves came lissome dusky forms, Night-phantoms fleet, with wonder-sparkling eyes; Dusky sons, whom beauty in shadow veil’d And stealthy, to view the pale-faced men,

Borne on white pinions of the clouds, they thought.

In awe Columbus mused: “Alas for her,

My loved one lost! the cruel waves that claimed Gives now me this for bride, my fair world-bride!

Ah, would that she, our queen, they two might smile On me this hour, as doth th’ morn and heav’n.” List’ning, he turned to note strange, lovely birds,

And heed his New World’s song from scented groves An’ cooler depths of green, where sunbeams slept Or held lost moon-rays of fair evenings gone.

The air was balmy soft, enticing life,

As though of roses made, or lover’s sighs, low breath’d In moonlight yester eve. Silent he gazed,

Like one of old on Patmos Isle,

Seeing hid realms not lawful earth could see.

“Now doth there pass before my prophet soul,

Some vision swift, prefigured as a dream,

Soft glowing on the rose-gray mists of sleep.

Of this New World’s fair future! blest of peace,

Blest of all nations’ praise—of Liberty,

Whose flag shall take the azure dome and stars;

Whose mighty mountains, streams and forests grand Shall move to PTeedom’s hymn, and ope new gates To larger life, to highest truth for men? ”

Saw he the mighty ships? Heard he the roar Of vasty cities,, labor’s thunders loud;

As Toil and Art wore garments radiant In Time’s fresh loom for this fair virgin world That, like a star, should light the voyageur From stormy Wrong to God’s wide seas of Peace?

He dwelt on spirit truths that dome this life;

Of ancient lore, of inspiration new,

For he had delved in wisdom old, once hid By seers Iberian, the Greek, and Egypt’s wise,

Who called the stars and grouped the Zodiac,

And with the Hebrew learn’d the steps of God In solitudes of space, afire with worlds.

What means that fable old of Orpheus,

Of Amphion sweet, if not to symbol forth,

This fair world shall to heavenly place be built