“Fear not, O maid! nor doubt lest wedded life Thy childhood’s heavenward yearnings blot or blur; There needs the vestal heart to make the wife; The best that once it hoped survives in her. “All love is Sacrifice—a flame that still Illumes, yet cleanses as with fire, the breast: It frees and lifts the holier heart and will; A heap of ashes pale it leaves the rest.” Thus spake the hermit from his stony chair; Then long time watched her speeding towards her home, As when a dove through sunset’s roseate air Sails to her nest o’er crag and ocean’s foam. VIII. “We knew thee from thy childhood, princely maid; We watched thy growing greatness hour by hour: Palm‐like thy Faith uprose: beneath its shade Successive every virtue came to flower. “Good‐will was thine, like fount that overflows Its marge, and clothes with green the thirsty sod: Good thoughts, like angels, from thy bosom rose, And winged through golden airs their way to God. “To Goodness, Reverence, Honor, from the first Thy soul was vowed. It was that spiritual troth That fitted maid for wife, and in her nursed The woman’s heart—not years nor outward growth. “Walk with the holy women praised of old Who served their God and sons heroic bore:—” Thus sang the minstrels, touching harps of gold While maidens wreathed with flowers the bridal door. IX. “Holy was love at first, all true, all fair, Virtue’s bright crown, and Honor’s mystic feast, Purer than snows, more sweet than morning air, More rich than roses in the kindling east. “Then were the hearts of lovers blithe and glad, And steeped in freshness like a dew‐drenched fleece: Then glittered marriage like a cloud sun‐clad Or flood that feeds the vale with boon increase “Then in its innocence great love was strong— Love that with innocence renews the earth: Then Faith was sovran, Right supreme o’er wrong: Then sacred as the altar was the hearth. “With hope’s clear anthem then the valleys rang; With songs celestial thrilled the household bowers:—” Thus to the newly wed the minstrels sang As home they paced, while children scattered flowers. X. Circling in upper airs we met, Singing God’s praise, and spring‐tide new:— On two glad spirits fell one net Inwoven of sunbeams and of dew. One song we sang; at first I thought Thy voice the echo of mine own; We looked for nought; we met unsought: We met, ascending toward the Throne. XI. Life of my better life! this day with thee I stand on earthly life’s supremest tower; Heavenward across the far infinity With thee I gaze in awe, yet gaze in power. Love first, then Fame, illumed that bygone night: How little knew I then of God or man! Now breaks the morn eternal, broad and bright; My spirit, franchised, bursts its narrow span. Sweet, we must suffer! Joys, thou said’st, like these Make way for holy suffering. Let it come. Shall that be suffering named which crowns and frees? The happiest death man dies is martyrdom.