Part X

At last the city was in distance lost.
He stood there in the boundless space and felt
The first time that he had his freedom won.
"At last I'm free! he cried. "Thank God! F'm free!"
That's all he then could say, his flowing tears
However were more eloquent than speech
Expressed by human tongue could ever be.
What sentiments sublime, inspiring thoughts
Dwell in men's souls who are the first time free!—
The boy went on to where fair scenery
Invited him. He revelled in the sight
Of things most beautiful, of hill and vale,
Of flowery field through which the brooklet ran',
Of forest green in which the song bird sang,
And all that he beheld was new to him.
The first time in his life he saw revealed
Before him natures glorious radiance.
There is the mighty mountain wilderness
Where thunder, lightning, where the raving storm
The roaring fall of waters indicate
The uproar of the judgment-day: below
Down in the plain where silent flows the brook,
Where insects' humming is the greatest noise:
There he stood still, piously looked around,
And when his eyes had feasted on the scene,
A holy sentiment took hold of him
He fell upon his knees and prayed aloud:
"I pray to Thee my God, I know Thee now,
I uttered oft, heard oft Thy Holy Name
But until now I knew not what it meant.
Fair nature, taught me who Thou art, taught me
To know Thy might, Thy boundless goodness too!
Praise be to Thee my God, I pray to Thee
Because, at last, I know now who Thou art!"
And wherever he went, found everywhere
All nature to be sweet and fair always.
The men in it alone unhappy were,
Foul misery and vileness ruled supreme.
His own, he found, was not the greatest ill.
That others more wretched were than himself
Gave him great pain. He found that there lived men
Deserving more of pity than himself.
This caused him his own woe to disregard,
The others' woe he felt though all the more.
He put his forehead on an icy stone
And found in burning, bitter tears relief.