Big-boned,  with  the  look  of  unformed

power ;
In  body  and  brain  and  passion  strong :
Over  his  square  brow  fell  a  shower
Of  black  hair,  waving  and  thick  and

long.
It  was  a  great  brown  hand  that  gripp'd
The    pliant    quill    o'er    the    blotted

sheet, —
No  soft  and  clerkly  finger  slipt
Over  the  pages,  glib  and  fleet ;
More  like  that  of  a  man  with  sword

equipt,
Grasping  the  hilt  his  foe  to  meet.
An  eager,  strenuous  spirit,  meaning
To  do  with  might  what  he  had  to  do


And  rarely  trusting,  never  leaning,
But  self-reliant  and  bold  and  true ;
A  nature  rugged  and  hard  and  strong  ;
Yet,  as  among  the  rocks  and  fells,
Where  most  the  storms  rage  loud  and

long,
The  deepest  silence  also  dwells.
And  there  are  brightest  mossy  wells
Among  the  nodding  heather  bells  :
So  in  his  stormy  spirit  dwelt
The  hush  of  that  religious  sense.
The  silence  of  that  great  reverence
Which    the   strong   and    brave    have

always  felt ;
Nor  less  the  tender  beauty  wrought
By  fresh  well-springs  of  feeling  deep
And  Love,  that  whether  we  wake  or

sleep,
Brightens  and  sweetens  every  lot.
In  the  room  overhead  a  clamour  rang.
But  hushed  for  a  moment,  as  some  one

sang
Cheery  and  clearly,  each  note  like  a

bell
Floating  the  words  off,  round  and  well.
PARTY    OF    STUDENTS    IN    THE    UPPER
ROOM

First  Student. — Look,  how  Darrel

is  moping  ;  ask  him  to  sing  ;
They  are  dull  fellows  poets,  unless  they

can  get
All  the  say  to  themselves :  there  he

stands  in  a  pet,
Like  a  hen  on  one  leg  with  her  head

'neath  her  wing.
