Felicia Hemans in The New Monthly Magazine Volume 43 1835/Thoughts During Sickness I. Intellectual Powers

by Felicia Hemans

The New Monthly Magazine, Volume 43, Page 328

THOUGHTS DURING SICKNESS.

BY MRS. HEMANS.

I.
Intellectual Powers.

O Thought! O Memory! gems for ever heaping
High in the illumined chambers of the mind;
And thou, divine Imagination! keeping
Thy lamp's lone star mid shadowy hosts enshrined;
How, in one moment, rent and disentwined
At fever's fiery touch apart they fall.
Your glorious combinations!—broken all.
As the sand-pillars by the desert's wind
Scattered to whirling dust!—O soon uncrown'd!
Well may your parting swift, your strange return,
Subdue the soul to lowliness profound,
Guiding its chastened vision to discern
How by meek faith heaven's portals must be past

Ere it can hold your gifts inalienably fast.