[from Island Minstrelsy, 1839]

DREAMS.

" How lovely is the world of dreams ! "

BEAUTIFUL dreams! beautiful dreams!
Come to my soul -with your exquisite gleams;.
Gleams of the land of the shadowless hours,
Gleams of the regions of fadeless flowers,
Gleams of enchanted bowers, moonlighted streams;
Beautiful dreams! beautiful dreams!

Come to my weary heart, come to my slumbers;
Breathe to my bosom your fairy-like numbers;
Come to my waking hours, come to my sleeping,
Every sense in your anodyne steeping;
With your sweet whisperings ever be near me,
Let the light breath of your spirit-wings cheer me.

Ever flit round me, ever flit o'er me,
All the beloved-the departed, restore me;
Bring me the memories colour'd by gladness,
Bring me the feelings untainted by sadness,
Bring me the eyes with your own bright beams,
Beautiful dreams! beautiful dreams!

Bear to my bosom the light hearts of childhood,
The birds and young flowers of my own far wild wood,-
The hills and the glen where the clear brook is stealing,
Youth's sunny visions, hope's gay revealing,
All with which earth a pure paradise seems,-
Beautiful dreams! beautiful dreams!

Whence do ye come, dear mysterious things,
With the rich hues of your magical wings
Where is your airy home? where have ye birth?
Oh! ye have might and power over the earth!
Beautiful, shadowy, exquisite things,
What is the spell which your potency flings ?

Come to me, tell me earth gloweth with light;
Tell me its destinies ever are bright;
Tell me no wearying care preys on the heart-
Tell me its sweetest hopes never depart;-
Tell-till reality dull fancy seems,
Beautiful dreams! beautiful dreams!

Ay, let me dream-still let me dream
Chasing a rainbow, or wooing a beam,
So it beguileth the wearisome way ;
Sad hearts do journey to shadowless day.-
Beautiful dreams! with your rosiest smiles

Banish earth's weariness, sorrow, and wiles.
Give to the memory-give to the breast
Iris-tinged visionings, places of rest,
Smiles all sincerity, words that are truth,
Pleasures that make them not wings with gay youth;
Oh ! let me hope there is joy in your gleams,
Beautiful dreams! beautiful dreams!