As long as the sun’s chariot Yet keeps its azure track, And but one human visage Gives answering glances back; As long as skies shall nourish The thunderbolt and gale, And, frightened at their fury, One throbbing heart shall quail; As long as after tempests Shall spring one showery bow, One breast with peaceful promise And reconcilement glow; As long as night the concave Sows with its starry seed, And but one man those letters Of golden writ can read; Long as a moonbeam glimmers, Or bosom sighs a vow; Long as the wood-leaves rustle To cool a weary brow; As long as roses blossom, And earth is green in May; As long as eyes shall sparkle, And smile in pleasure’s ray; As long as cypress shadows The graves more mournful make, Or one cheek’s wet with weeping, Or one poor heart can break;— So long on earth shall wander The goddess Poesy, And with her, one exulting Her votarist to be. And singing on, triumphing, The old earth-mansion through, Out marches the last minstrel;— He is the last man too. The Lord holds the creation Forth in his hand meanwhile, Like a fresh flower just opened, And views it with a smile. When once this Flower Giant Begins to show decay, And earths and suns are flying Like blossom-dust away. Then ask,—if of the question Not weary yet,—“How long, Ere it is sung and ended, The old, eternal song?” * * * * * OPTICAL PHENOMENA. BY THOMAS MILNER, M. A. [Illustration]