A HIDDEN LIFE And Other Poems GEORGE MAC DONALD Author of "Within and Without, a Dramatic Poem;" "David Elginbrod;" "Phantasies;" etc. Ma poi ch' i' fui appiè d' un colle giunto, Là ove terminava quella valle, Che m' avea di paura il cuor compunto; Guarda' in alto, e vidi le sue spalle Vestite già de' raggi del pianeta, Che mena dritto altrui per ogni calle. DELL' INFERNO, Cant. I. 1864. To My Father. I. Take of the first fruits, Father, of thy care, Wrapped in the fresh leaves of my gratitude Late waked for early gifts ill understood; Claiming in all my harvests rightful share, Whether with song that mounts the joyful air I praise my God; or, in yet deeper mood, Sit dumb because I know a speechless good, Needing no voice, but all the soul for prayer. Thou hast been faithful to my highest need; And I, thy debtor, ever, evermore, Shall never feel the grateful burden sore. Yet most I thank thee, not for any deed, But for the sense thy living self did breed That fatherhood is at the great world's core. II. All childhood, reverence clothed thee, undefined, As for some being of another race; Ah! not with it departing--grown apace As years have brought me manhood's loftier mind Able to see thy human life behind-- The same hid heart, the same revealing face-- My own dim contest settling into grace Of sorrow, strife, and victory combined. So I beheld my God, in childhood's morn, A mist, a darkness, great, and far apart, Moveless and dim--I scarce could say _Thou art_: My manhood came, of joy and sadness born-- Full soon the misty dark, asunder torn, Revealed man's glory, God's great human heart. G.M.D. Jr. Algiers, April, 1857. CONTENTS. A HIDDEN LIFE THE HOMELESS GHOST ABU MIDJAN AN OLD STORY A BOOK OP DREAMS TO AURELIO SAFFI SONNET A MEMORIAL OF AFRICA A GIFT THE MAN OF SONGS BETTER THINGS THE JOURNEY PRAYER REST TO A.J. SCOTT LIGHT TO A.J. SCOTT WERE I A SKILFUL PAINTER IF I WERE A MONK, AND THOU WERT A NUN BLESSED ARE THE MEEK, FOR THEY SHALL INHERIT THE EARTH THE HILLS I KNOW WHAT BEAUTY IS I WOULD I WERE A CHILD THE LOST SOUL A DREAM WITHIN A DREAM AFTER AN OLD LEGEND THE TREE'S PRAYER A STORY OF THE SEA SHORE MY HEART O DO NOT LEAVE ME THE HOLY SNOWDROPS TO MY SISTER O THOU OF LITTLE FAITH LONGING A BOY'S GRIEF THE CHILD-MOTHER LOVE'S ORDEAL A PRAYER FOR THE PAST FAR AND NEAR MY ROOM SYMPATHY LITTLE ELFIE THE THANK OFFERING THE BURNT OFFERING FOUR SONNETS SONNET EIGHTEEN SONNETS DEATH AND BIRTH EARLY POEMS. LONGING MY EYES MAKE PICTURES DEATH LESSONS FOR A CHILD HOPE DEFERRED THE DEATH OF THE OLD YEAR A SONG IN A DREAM A THANKSGIVING THE GOSPEL WOMEN.