In all the struggles of his soul, And all the strifes his soul abhorred, She shone before him like a goal-- A shady power of fresh reward-- A shallop riding in the mole, That waited with obedient helm To bear him over sparkling seas, Into a new and fragrant realm, Before the vigor of a breeze That drove, but would not overwhelm. IX. The river of their life was one; The shores, down which they passed were two; One mirrored mountains, huge and dun, The other crimped the green and blue, And sparkled in the kindly sun! Twin barks, with answering flags, they moved With even canvas down the stream, In smooth or ruffled waters grooved, And found such islands in their dream As rest and loving speech behooved. Ah fair the goodly gardens smiled On Philip at his rougher strand! And grandly loomed the summits, isled In seas of cloud, to her who scanned From her far shore the lofty wild. Two lives, two loves--both self-forgot In loving homage to their oath; Two lives, two loves, but living not By ministry that reached them both In service of a common lot, They sailed the stream, and every mile Broadened with beauty as they passed; And fruitful shore and trysting-isle, And all love's intercourse were glassed And blessed in Heaven's benignant smile. X. To symmetry the oak is grown Which all winds visit on the lea, While that which lists the monotone Of the long blast that sweeps the sea, And answers to its breath alone, Turns with aversion from the breeze, And stretches all its stunted limbs Landward and heavenward, toward the trees That listen to a thousand hymns, And grow to grander destinies. Man may not live on whitest loaves, With all of coarser good dismissed; He pines and starves who never roves Beyond the holy eucharist, To gather of the fields and groves. And he who seeks to fill his heart With solace of a single friend, Will find refreshment but in part, Or, sadder still, will find the end Of all his reach of thought and art. They who love best need friendship most; Hearts only thrive on varied good; And he who gathers from a host Of friendly hearts his daily food, Is the best friend that we can boast. She left her husband with his friends; She called them round him at her board; And found their culture made amends For all the time that, from her hoard, She spared him for these nobler ends. He was her lover; that sufficed: His home was in the Holy Place With that of the Beloved Christ; And friendship had no subtle grace By which his love could be enticed. Of all his friends, she was but one: She held with them a common field. Exclusive right, with love begun, Ended with love, and stood repealed, Leaving his friendship free to run