The Mists of the Morning [pp. 425]

The Mists (~f the Morning 425
plicity, with a hazard at the economy of the wine and walnuts of his literary feast.
vital force. lle does not read books con- It may be permitted to the writer of this
secutively, but collectively. A dozen vol- sketch to express the belief that London's
umes are selected on divers subjects- genius will long continue to present the
science, philosophy, fiction, et cetera-and world with literary products that must dearranged with regard to their relative pro- light and edify a constantly growing circle
fundity. Then he begins with the weight- of readers. llis youth, his robust health,
~est matter, reads it until his brain is a his assiduous application, his indomitable
trifle wearied when he lays the work aside purpose, l~is rare discrimination in th~
for one requiring less effort, and so on all choice of literary materials, and the facildown the graded list, until at one sitting ity and felicity of his style-these all give
he has delved into each, always bringing promise and prophecy of exceptional
np finally with the novel or poetry as achievement.
THE MISTS OF THE MORNING
ElIN through the mists of the morning,
The world is vague as a dream:
Pillar and dome and steeple
Of fairy structiire seem;
The sea is of gems in chaos
Just sparkling into birth,
And a spell of sweet enchantment
Softly enfolds the earth.
Seen ~n youth's hopeful morning,
Life is as fair as a dream;
The years, as they loom before us,
Loden with blessings seem;
`Fhe mists of coming sorrow
Seem but the hazy light
That marks the place in the heavens
N\There the sun shall burst in sight.
O kindly mists, that deceive us
Till knowledge comes, full-grown!
O gracious spell, that to music
T~rns the worid's weary moan!
Sad, ah, sad must all lives be, Then revel while ye may
Inthe soft mists of the morning
That veil the tedious day.
Elizabeth Tharman.