Never

[Spoken at the Coramencement of the University of Michigan, Juna 28th, 1865.] Suft are tlie words of Italia's sons, Sinoothly the speech of the Frenchman runs; Bold are the accënts the Germán hatli rung,- But belter than all ia my own nalive tongue. 1 loved it íd childhood - the angels may teil How gently its tones from a mot hei 's ïips feil , As alie tenderly banished each trivial care, .Or taught me the words of au evening proyer. I loved it in böyhood, wheü a father's dear i voice Directed my steps and decided each choice; And I lové it in jöutli, when its power may lènd Expression sincere to the love of a friend. A wonderful charm hatli its sound formy ear, And bringeth it sorrow or bringeth it cheer ; Still falee is the poet that saith he hath sung In langiiage more sweet than my own native tongue I There's a' WttéherJ deep in its jubiiant strain, ïhere's a burden of gloom in its sadder refrain, And whetlier we Biiiile or whether we groan, A wealth of live meaning resides in eacli tone. And is there no word in its numbers possessed Of meaning more th rilling by far than the rest, No word whose rich echoea resistlessly roll In a ruightier wave o'er the tremblihg i-oul 1 Methinks to my tearing there couieth one word , Aye, comes in its might, anjbjpiy being is stirred With a feeling of awe that will linger forever, O, how doth it move me, that solemu word Kever ! Full oft hath it chilled me, yes, pierced to my heart, Llke the tinted point' of a poisoned dart ! I owesaw a mother íd anguish bend low O'er a fjce that was white as the driven snow And Aaced by beautiful ringlets of gold, A child of 'ihree summers- dead and so cold ! And I hearé from the poor watcher's breast a deep sigh, And in pity I itèy as a comforler nigh, 'Grieve jnot strickén ne, o'er ttiy cherub asleep, - Sweet hope shall return when thou easest to weep, The answer she gave, it will haunt me forever, - "Hope come to this heart again 1 Never.no, Never ! " And is tliis the token then must we believp, Oí those and those only, who hopelesbly grieve 1 Not so, ior I happened one evening to roam To the filth and the woe of adrunkard's poor home And the woman I eaw was a heart broken one, For the children were niany and bread there was none. But hark! tliere's a step at the dingy old door, 'Tis steady, 'lis firm, as in days gons before; And a holy joy beams in ihe wife's sunken eyes, As the husband diaws uear and exulÜDgly cries, "From the death-giving bowl I amfreear.d forever ! And vill drink no more! " List to the soulcherring Necer! Ág; in, and I stood by the blue water -side, Where a barque lay at rest on the niirror-like tide. And there came an old man with aboldtailor lad- 'Twas the only boy that the old man had - And bow he was bound o'er the dangerous sea - "Alas, who wili eare," said the old man, "for me "! " "Fear not, my dear father, for I shall come back, And riches and comfort shall followmy track, And tben tliou Bhall have a most beautiful home, Ard I will be witil thee no longor to roam." "And shall none then be aUle our lives to dissever 1 " And the old man thankcd God for tho answer " Ko, Never ! ■' O, loud, snrging ocean ! O, treadhereus wave! The brave sailor lad found a watery grave, ■For the snip íhát be sailed in went down in a gle0, the cries for relief ! O. the piiiful wail 1 And the old man sat waiting, sat waiting ali'Be, For th. boy whom the waters had claitaed for their own, And he &trained bis dim eyes o'er the vast expanse, But no bound sail, mst his lingering glance. "Where, where have ye taken him, wild billows, say 1 Tis manj a year since ye bore him away." Ah, wretched old man I - though thou watch there forever, Thy boy can return to tboe, Never, No, Never! Sad enough is the partiug with friends, or with kin, When the hope of reunión is flowing within ; But sadder, far sadder, to Snd the hope vain, And to pine for the looks one can " ne'er see again. Ah, boys, can it be c'er our future there lowers Such a terrible cloud 1 Hust this sorrow be OUl'3 1 Must we, close companions for four happy years, 4Say a final good-bye to each otherin tears 1 'Neath different skies may our fortunes be cast. And our circle be brokea and scattered at last- Fond memory shall live in our bosoms forever, - Yet on earth we inay meet again Never, No, Never ! But, boys, on the beautiful mountains I see An angel fonn beckoning to you and to me, And a pathway leads thither through rugged deti les, "4'i Besot by the Foe and ais deviliSB wüos, And the stream to becrossed "floweth darkly and cold, And the boatman that waiteth is hideous and old; But if we shall choose it, that God given way, We who have been boys, so sadly antray. We'll come safe by and by to the opposite shore, And loved Sixty-flve shall be gathered once more ! And O, ie that land, that brigbt land o'er the river, Farewell shall be spoken, boys, Never, No, Never !