"Strange, that ephemeral creatures who By my own ordering are, Should see the shortness of my view, Use ethic tests I never knew, Or made provision for!" He sank to raptness as of yore, And opening New Year's Day Wove it by rote as theretofore, And went on working evermore In his unweeting way. DOMINUS ILLUMINATIO MEA BY RICHARD DODDRIDGE BLACKMORE 1 In the hour of death, after this life's whim, When the heart beats low, and the eyes grow dim, And pain has exhausted every limb-- The lover of the Lord shall trust in Him. 2 When the will has forgotten the life-long aim, And the mind can only disgrace its fame, And a man is uncertain of his own name, The power of the Lord shall fill this frame. 3 When the last sigh is heaved and the last tear shed, And the coffin is waiting beside the bed, And the widow and the child forsake the dead, The angel of the Lord shall lift this head. 4 For even the purest delight may pall, The power must fail, and the pride must fall, And the love of the dearest friends grow small-- But the glory of the Lord is all in all. This poem, with the signature "R. D. B. in memoriam M. F. G." first appeared in the _University Magazine_ in 1879. Although it has been included in some anthologies, the author's name was kept an absolute secret until July, 1909. In the _Athenæum_ for 3 July, 1909, was printed an interesting letter from Agnes E. Cook, by which we learn that the late Mr. Blackmore actually _dreamed_ this poem, in its exact language and metre. The letter from the author which was published in the same _Athenæum_ article, gives the facts connected with this extraordinary dream. Teddn Jany 5th 1879. My Dear Sir. Having lately been at the funeral of a most dear relation I was there again (in a dream) last night, and heard the mourners sing the lines enclosed, which impressed me so that I was able to write them without change of a word this morning. I never heard or read them before to my knowledge. They do not look so well on paper as they sounded; but if you like to print them, here they are. Only please not to put my name beyond initials or send me money for them. With all good wishes to Mrs. Cook and yourself Very truly yours R. D. Blackmore. K Cook Esqre L.L.D. LIST OF PUBLICATIONS BY ANDREW KEOGH [The twelve authors are in alphabetical order. The books of each are in chronological order, the assigned dates being those of the publishers' trade journals in which the fact of publication was first recorded. Novels originally issued as serials have a note giving the name and date of the original magazine.] BJÖRNSTJERNE BJÖRNSON 8 December 1832-- [Including only works that have been translated into English.]