. . .I should touch On things thou canst not know of.—After thou First cam'st into the world—as oft befalls340 To new-born infants—thou didst sleep away Two days, and blessings from thy Father's tongue Then fell upon thee. Day by day passed on, And still I loved thee with increasing love. Never to living ear came sweeter sounds345 Then when I heard thee by our own fireside First uttering, without words, a natural tune; While thou, a feeding babe, didst in thy joy Sing at thy mother's breast. Month followed month And in the open fields my life was passed350 And on the mountains; else I think that thou Hadst been brought up upon thy Father's knees. [Pg 32] But we were playmates, Luke: among these hills, As well thou knowest, in us the old and young Have played together, nor with me didst thou355 Lack any pleasure which a boy can know." Luke had a manly heart; but at these words He sobbed aloud. The old Man grasped his hand, And said, "Nay, do not take i. . . Read More