For, lo! a third was there;
A fourth, fifth, sixth appear'd,
And sat around our board;
And now the plants we've rear'd
High o'er our heads have soar'd!
How fair and pleasant looks,
On yonder
beauteous spot,
Embraced by poplar-brooks,
The newly-finish'd cot!
Who is it there that sits
In that glad home above?
Is't not our
darling Fritz
With his own
darling love?
Beside yon precipice,
Whence pent-up waters steal,
And leaving the abyss,
Fall foaming through the wheel,
Though people often tell
Of millers' wives so fair,
Yet none can e'er excel
Our dearest daughter there!
Yet where the thick-set green
Stands round yon church and sad,
Where the old fir-tree's seen
Alone tow'rd heaven to nod,--
'Tis there the ashes lie
Of our
untimely dead;
From earth our gaze on high
By their blest memory's led.
See how yon hill is bright
With
billowy-waving arms!
The force returns, whose might
Has vanquished war's alarms.
Who
proudly hastens here
With wreath-en
circled brow?
'Tis like our child so dear
Thus Charles comes
homeward now.
That dearest honour'd guest
Is welcom'd by the bride;
She makes the true one blest,
At the glad festal tide.
And ev'ry one makes haste
To join the dance with glee;
While thou with wreaths hast graced
The youngest children three.
To sound of flute and horn
The time appears renew'd,
When we, in love's young morn,
In the glad dance upstood;
And perfect bliss I know
Ere the year's course is run,
For to the font we go
With
grandson and with son!
1803.*
-----
SONG OF FELLOWSHIP.
[Written and sung in honour of the birthday of the Pastor Ewald
at the time of Goethe's happy
connection with Lily.]
IN ev'ry hour of joy
That love and wine prolong,
The moments we'll employ
To carol forth this song!
We're gathered in His name,
Whose power hath brought us here;
He kindled first our flame,
He bids it burn more clear.
Then
gladly glow to-night,
And let our hearts combine!
Up! quaff with fresh delight
This glass of sparkling wine!
Up! hail the
joyous hour,
And let your kiss be true;
With each new bond of power
The old becomes the new!
Who in our
circle lives,
And is not happy there?
True liberty it gives,
And brother's love so fair.
Thus heart and heart through life
With
mutual love are fill'd;
And by no causeless strife
Our union e'er is chill'd.
Our hopes a God has crown'd
With life-discernment free,
And all we view around,
Renews our ecstasy.
Ne'er by caprice oppress'd,
Our bliss is ne'er destroy'd;
More
freely throbs our breast,
By fancies ne'er alloy'd.
Where'er our foot we set,
The more life's path extends,
And brighter, brighter yet
Our gaze on high ascends.
We know no grief or pain,
Though all things fall and rise;
Long may we thus remain!
Eternal be our ties!
1775.
-----
CONSTANCY IN CHANGE.
COULD this early bliss but rest
Constant for one single hour!
But e'en now the humid West
Scatters many a vernal shower.
Should the verdure give me joy?
'Tis to it I owe the shade;
Soon will storms its bloom destroy,
Soon will Autumn bid it fade.
Eagerly thy
portion seize,
If thou wouldst possess the fruit!
Fast begin to ripen these,
And the rest already shoot.
With each heavy storm of rain
Change comes o'er thy
valley fair;
Once, alas! but not again
Can the same
stream hold thee e'er.
And thyself, what erst at least
Firm as rocks appear'd to rise,
Walls and palaces thou seest
But with ever-changing eyes.
Fled for ever now the lip
That with kisses used to glow,
And the foot, that used to skip
O'er the mountain, like the roe.
And the hand, so true and warm,
Ever raised in charity,
And the cunning-fashion'd form,--
All are now changed utterly.
And what used to bear thy name,
When upon yon spot it stood,
Like a rolling
billow came,
Hast'ning on to join the flood.
Be then the
beginning found
With the end in unison,
Swifter than the forms around
Are themselves now
fleeting on!
Thank the merit in thy breast,
Thank the mould within thy heart,
That the Muses' favour blest
Ne'er will
perish, ne'er depart.
1803.*
-----
TABLE SONG.
[Composed for the merry party already mentioned, on the occasion
of the
departure for France of the
hereditaryprince, who was one
of the number, and who is especially alluded to in the 3rd
verse.]
O'ER me--how I cannot say,--
Heav'nly rapture's growing.
Will it help to guide my way
To yon stars all-glowing?
Yet that here I'd sooner be,
To
assert I'm able,
Where, with wine and harmony,
I may thump the table.
Wonder not, my dearest friends,
What 'tis gives me pleasure;
For of all that earth e'er lends,
'Tis the sweetest treasure.
Therefore
solemnly I swear,
With no reservation,
That maliciously I'll ne'er
Leave my present station.
Now that here we're gather'd round,
Chasing cares and slumbers,
Let,
methought, the
goblet sound
To the bard's glad numbers!
Many a hundred mile away,
Go those we love dearly;
Therefore let us here to-day
Make the glass ring clearly!
Here's His health, through Whom we live!
I that faith inherit.
To our king the next toast give,
Honour is his merit,
'Gainst each in-- and
outward foe
He's our rock and tower.
Of his
maintenance thinks he though,
More that grows his power.
Next to her good health I drink,
Who has stirr'd my passion;
Of his
mistress let each think,
Think in
knightly fashion.
If the
beauteous maid but see
Whom 'tis I now call so,
Let her smiling nod to me:
"Here's my love's health also!"
To those friends,--the two or three,--
Be our next toast given,
In whose presence revel we,
In the silent even,--
Who the
gloomy mist so cold
Scatter
gently, lightly;
To those friends, then, new or old,
Let the toast ring brightly.
Broader now the
stream rolls on,
With its waves more swelling,
While in higher, nobler tone,
Comrades, we are dwelling,--
We who with collected might,