Unto a day of delight, while at his altar I kneel.



All her locks I find on my bosom, her head is reposing,

Pressing with softness the arm, which round her neck is entwin'd;



Oh! what a joyous awak'ning, ye hours so peaceful, succeeded,

Monument sweet of the bliss which had first rock'd us to sleep



In her slumber she moves, and sinks, while her face is averted,

Far on the breadth of the couch, leaving her hand still in mine



Heartfelt love unites us for ever, and yearnings unsullied,

And our cravings alone claim for themselves the exchange.



One faint touch of the hand, and her eyes so heavenly see I

Once more open. Ah, no! let me still look on that form!



Closed still remain! Ye make me confused and drunken, ye rob me

Far too soon of the bliss pure contemplation affords.



Mighty, indeed, are these figures! these limbs, how gracefully rounded!

Theseus, could'st thou e'er fly, whilst Ariadne thus slept?



Only one single kiss on these lips! Oh, Theseus, now leave us!

Gaze on her eyes! she awakes--Firmly she holds thee embrac'd



-----

PART II.



ALEXIS AND DORA.

[This beautiful poem was first published in Schiller's Horen.]



FARTHER and farther away, alas! at each moment the vessel

Hastens, as onward it glides, cleaving the foam-cover'd flood!



Long is the track plough'd up by the keel where dolphins are sporting,

Following fast in its rear, while it seems flying pursuit.



All forebodes a prosperousvoyage; the sailor with calmness

Leans 'gainst the sail, which alone all that is needed performs.



Forward presses the heart of each seamen, like colours and streamers;

Backward one only is seen, mournfully fix'd near the mast,



While on the blue tinged mountains, which fast are receding, he gazeth,

And as they sink in the sea, joy from his bosom departs.



Vanish'd from thee, too, oh Dora, is now the vessel that robs thee

Of thine Alexis, thy friend,--ah, thy betrothed as well!



Thou, too, art after me gazing in vain. Our hearts are still throbbing,

Though, for each other, yet ah! 'gainst one another no more.



Oh, thou single moment, wherein I found life! thou outweighest

Every day which had else coldly from memory fled.



'Twas in that moment alone, the last, that upon me descended

Life, such as deities grant, though thou perceived'st it not.



Phoebus, in vain with thy rays dost thou clothe the ether in glory:

Thine all-brightening day hateful alone is to me.



Into myself I retreat for shelter, and there, in the silence,

Strive to recover the time when she appear'd with each day.



Was it possible beauty like this to see, and not feel it?

Work'd not those heavenly charms e'en on a mind dull as thine?



Blame not thyself, unhappy one! Oft doth the bard an enigma

Thus propose to the throng, skillfully hidden in words.



Each one enjoys the strange commingling of images graceful,

Yet still is wanting the word which will discover the sense.



When at length it is found, the heart of each hearer is gladden'd,

And in the poem he sees meaning of twofold delight.



Wherefore so late didst thou remove the bandage, oh Amor,

Which thou hadst placed o'er mine eyes,--wherefore remove it so late?



Long did the vessel, when laden, lie waiting for favouring breezes,

'Till in kindness the wind blew from the land o'er the sea.



Vacant times of youth! and vacant dreams of the future!

Ye all vanish, and nought, saving the moment, remains.



Yes! it remains,--my joy still remains! I hold thee; my Dora,

And thine image alone, Dora, by hope is disclos'd.



Oft have I seen thee go, with modesty clad, to the temple,

While thy mother so dear solemnly went by thy side.



Eager and nimble thou wert, in bearing thy fruit to the market,

Boldly the pail from the well didst thou sustain on thy head.



Then was reveal'd thy neck, then seen thy shoulders so beauteous,

Then, before all things, the grace filling thy motions was seen.



Oft have I fear'd that the pitcherperchance was in danger of falling,

Yet it ever remain'd firm on the circular cloth.



Thus, fair neighbour, yes, thus I oft was wont to observe thee,

As on the stars I might gaze, as I might gaze on the moon,



Glad indeed at the sight, yet feeling within my calm bosom

• goddess [´gɔdis] n.女神 (初中英语单词)


• twilight [´twailait] n.黎明；黄昏 (初中英语单词)


• salute [sə´lu:t] n.&v.招呼；行礼；敬礼 (初中英语单词)


• backward [´bækwəd] ad.向后 a.向后的 (初中英语单词)


• maiden [´meidn] n.少女 a.未婚的 (初中英语单词)


• genius [´dʒi:niəs] n.天才(人物)；天赋 (初中英语单词)


• sacred [´seikrid] a.神圣的；庄严的 (初中英语单词)


• eternal [i´tə:nəl] a.永远的；永恒的 (初中英语单词)


• whisper [´wispə] v.耳语 n.低语；沙沙声 (初中英语单词)


• temple [´tempəl] n.庙宇；寺院；太阳穴 (初中英语单词)


• poison [´pɔizən] n.毒物 v.毒害 a.有毒的 (初中英语单词)


• princess [,prin´ses] n.公主；王妃；亲王夫人 (初中英语单词)


• bestow [bi´stəu] vt.(把…)赠给；使用 (初中英语单词)


• rejoice [ri´dʒɔis] v.(使)高兴；欢庆 (初中英语单词)


• marble [´mɑ:bəl] n.大理石 a.大理石的 (初中英语单词)


• glorious [´glɔ:riəs] a.光荣的；辉煌的 (初中英语单词)


• grateful [´greitful] a.感谢的；令人愉快的 (初中英语单词)


• worship [´wə:ʃip] n.&v.崇拜；敬仰 (初中英语单词)


• thither [´ðiðə] ad.到那里 a.那边的 (初中英语单词)


• worthy [´wə:ði] a.有价值的；值得的 (初中英语单词)


• confess [kən´fes] vt.供认；坦白；承认 (初中英语单词)


• resist [ri´zist] v.抵抗；对抗；抵制 (初中英语单词)


• pressure [´preʃə] n.压榨 vt.对…施压力 (初中英语单词)


• peaceful [´pi:sfəl] a.和平的；平静的 (初中英语单词)


• slumber [´slʌmbə] v.&n.睡眠；沉睡状态 (初中英语单词)


• drunken [´drʌŋkən] a.喝醉的；常醉的 (初中英语单词)


• prosperous [´prɔspərəs] a.繁荣的；顺利的 (初中英语单词)


• voyage [´vɔi-idʒ] n.&vi.航海；航程；旅行 (初中英语单词)


• vessel [´vesəl] n.容器；船；脉管 (初中英语单词)


• coldly [´kəuldli] ad.冷淡地 (初中英语单词)


• retreat [ri´tri:t] v.&n.退却；撤退；放弃 (初中英语单词)


• unhappy [ʌn´hæpi] a.不幸的；不快乐的 (初中英语单词)


• hidden [´hid(ə)n] hide 的过去分词 (初中英语单词)


• waiting [´weitiŋ] n.等候；伺候 (初中英语单词)


• vacant [´veikənt] a.空虚的，无表情的 (初中英语单词)


• vanish [´væniʃ] vi.消失；消散；消灭 (初中英语单词)


• sustain [sə´stein] vt.支撑；蒙受；确认 (初中英语单词)


• pitcher [´pitʃə] n.大水罐；投掷者 (初中英语单词)


• circular [´sə:kjulə] a.圆形的 n.通知 (初中英语单词)


• herald [´herəld] n.先驱；预兆 vt.预示 (高中英语单词)


• heavenly [´hevənli] a.天的，天空的 (高中英语单词)


• homewards [´həumwədz] ad.&a.回家(的) (高中英语单词)


• gardener [´gɑ:dnə] n.园艺家；园林工人 (高中英语单词)


• discern [di´sə:n] v.辩认出 (高中英语单词)


• repent [ri´pent] v.后悔；悔改；悔悟 (高中英语单词)


• reverence [´revərəns] n.尊敬；敬畏；尊严 (高中英语单词)


• kindle [´kindl] v.点燃；(使)激动 (高中英语单词)


• virgin [´və:dʒin] a.处女(般)的 n.处女 (高中英语单词)


• caesar [´si:zə] n.凯撒；暴君；独裁者 (高中英语单词)


• gladly [´glædli] ad.愉快地，高兴地 (高中英语单词)


• sternly [´stə:nli] ad.严厉地；坚定地 (高中英语单词)


• fugitive [´fju:dʒitiv] n.逃亡者，亡命者 (高中英语单词)


• longing [´lɔŋiŋ] n.&a.渴望(的) (高中英语单词)


• discourse [´diskɔ:s] n.论文；演说；说教 (高中英语单词)


• mortal [´mɔ:tl] a.致命的 n.凡人 (高中英语单词)


• joyous [´dʒɔiəs] a.充满快乐的 (高中英语单词)


• breadth [bredθ] n.宽度，幅面，广度 (高中英语单词)


• whilst [wailst] conj.当…时候；虽然 (高中英语单词)


• onward [´ɔnwəd] ad.&a.向前(的) (高中英语单词)


• wherein [weər´in] ad.那里面 (高中英语单词)


• throng [θrɔŋ] n.群众 v.拥挤；群集 (高中英语单词)


• bandage [´bændidʒ] n.绷带 vt.用绷带包扎 (高中英语单词)


• solemnly [´sɔləmli] ad.严肃地，庄严地 (高中英语单词)


• bearing [´beəriŋ] n.举止；忍耐；关系 (高中英语单词)


• sorrowful [´sɔrəuful] a.悲伤的，使人伤心的 (英语四级单词)


• eloquent [´eləkwənt] a.流利的；雄辩的 (英语四级单词)


• impatience [im´peiʃəns] n.不耐烦，急躁 (英语四级单词)


• evermore [,evə´mɔ:] ad.永远，始终 (英语四级单词)


• languishing [´læŋgwiʃiŋ] a.衰弱下去的 (英语四级单词)


• magnet [´mægnit] n.磁体；磁石；磁铁 (英语四级单词)


• antique [æn´ti:k] a.古代的 n.古物(董) (英语四级单词)


• contemplation [,kɔntem´pleiʃən] n.注视；冥想；打算 (英语四级单词)


• gracefully [´greisfuli] ad.优美地，斯文地 (英语四级单词)


• hateful [´heitfəl] a.可恨的，可憎的 (英语四级单词)


• nought [nɔ:t] n.=naught (英语四级单词)


• modesty [´mɔdisti] n.谨慎；端庄；羞怯 (英语四级单词)


• nimble [´nimbəl] a.敏捷的；聪明的 (英语四级单词)


• perchance [pə´tʃɑ:ns] ad.偶然；可能 (英语四级单词)


• aurora [ɔ:´rɔ:rə] n.曙光，朝霞 (英语六级单词)


• beauteous [´bju:tiəs] a.美的，美丽的 (英语六级单词)


• potentate [´pəutənteit] n.统治者；君主 (英语六级单词)


• initiate [i´niʃieit] vt.开始；引进；启蒙 (英语六级单词)


• godlike [´gɔdlaik] a.神似的 (英语六级单词)


• hypocrite [´hipəkrit] n.伪善者；伪君子 (英语六级单词)


• softness [´sɔftnis] n.柔软；柔和；温柔 (英语六级单词)


• wanting [´wɔntiŋ, wɑ:n-] a.短缺的；不足的 (英语六级单词)


• hearer [´hiərə] n.听者 (英语六级单词)