"That, fly I to noonday or fly I to night, To shroud me in darkness, or bathe me in light, The light and the darkness to thee are the same, And still in thy presence of wonder I am! Should I with the dove to the desert repair, Or dwell with the eagle in cleugh of the air; In the desert afar--on the mountain's wild brink-- From the eye of Omnipotence still must I shrink! "Or mount I, on wings of the morning, away, To caves of the ocean, unseen by the day, And hide in the uttermost parts of the sea, Even there to be living and moving in thee! Nay, scale I the clouds, in the heaven to dwell, Or make I my bed in the shadows of hell, Can science expound, or humanity frame, That still thou art present, and all are the same? "Yes, present forever! Almighty! Alone! Great Spirit of Nature! unbounded! unknown! What mind can embody thy presence divine? I know not my own being, how can I thine? Then humbly and low in the dust let me bend, And adore what on earth I can ne'er comprehend: The mountains may melt, and the elements flee, Yet a universe still be rejoicing in thee!" The last that we will select is one which was written for an anniversary celebration of our great dramatist; yet is distinguished by a felicity of thought and imagery that seem to have sprung spontaneously in the soul of the shepherd poet, as he mused on the airy brow of some Ettrick mountain. TO THE GENIUS OF SHAKSPEARE. "Spirit all-limitless, Where is thy dwelling-place? Spirit of him whose high name we revere! Come on thy seraph wings, Come from thy wanderings, And smile on thy votaries who sigh for thee here! "Come, O thou spark divine! Rise from thy hallowed shrine! Here in the windings of Forth thou shalt see Hearts true to nature's call, Spirits congenial, Proud of their country, yet bowing to thee! "Here with rapt heart and tongue, While our fond minds were young, Oft thy bold numbers we poured in our mirth; Now in our hall for aye This shall be holyday, Bard of all nature! to honor thy birth. "Whether thou tremblest o'er Green grave of Elsinore, Stayest o'er the hill of Dunsinnan to hover, Bosworth, or Shrewsbury, Egypt, or Philippi; Come from thy roamings the universe over. "Whether thou journeyest far, On by the morning star, Dreamest on the shadowy brows of the moon, Or lingerest in Fairyland, Mid lovely elves to stand, Singing thy carols unearthly and boon: "Here thou art called upon, Come, thou, to Caledon! Come to the land of the ardent and free! The land of the lone recess, Mountain and wilderness, This is the land, thou wild meteor, for thee!