The ocean eagle soared From his nest by the white wave's foam, And the rocking pines of the forest roared;-- This was their welcome home! There were men with hoary hair Amidst that Pilgrim band; Why have they come to wither there, Away from their childhood's land? There was woman's fearless eye, Lit by her deep love's truth; There was manhood's brow, serenely high, And the fiery heart of youth. What sought they thus, afar? Bright jewels of the mine? The wealth of seas, the spoils of war? --They sought a faith's pure shrine! Ay, call it holy ground, The soil where first they trod! They have left unstained what there they found-- Freedom to worship God! Mrs. Hemans. CLXXIV BERNARDO DEL CARPIO. The warrior bowed his crested head, and tamed his heart of fire, And sued the haughty king to free his long-imprisoned sire;-- "I bring thee here my fortress-keys, I bring my captive train, I pledge thee faith, my liege, my lord!--O! break my father's chain!" --"Rise, rise! even now thy father comes, a ransomed man this day! Mount thy good horse; and thou and I will meet him on his way." Then lightly rose that loyal son, and bounded on his steed, And urged, as if with lance in rest, the charger's foamy speed. And lo! from far, as on they pressed, there came a glittering band, With one that 'midst them stately rode, as leader in the land: "Now haste, Bernardo, haste! for there, in very truth, is he, The father whom thy faithful heart hath yearned so long to see." His dark eye flashed, his proud breast heaved, his cheek's hue came and went; He reached that gray-haired chieftain's side, and there, dismounting, bent; A lowly knee to earth he bent, his father's hand he took-- What was there in its touch that all his fiery spirit shook? That hand was cold--a frozen thing--it dropped from his like lead! He looked up to the face above,--the face was of the dead! A plume waved o'er the noble brow,--the brow was fixed and white: He met at last, his father's eyes,--but in them was no light!