“Then let us pledge each other, Since thy passion is too deep, With comrades tried and trusty, Its sacredness to keep.
“What maiden like thy vision In all our fatherland?” “Ah! said I not,” cried Ludwig, “Ye would not understand?”
“Come, let us pledge each other,” Said Otto, glass in hand-- “A right good draught of friendship That all may understand.”
Then their glasses clashed together, “Firm may our fealty be!” And Ludwig’s voice of music Rang loudest of the three.
Seven times hath autumn gathered The vintage of the Rhine, Since the students pledged each other In draughts of golden wine.
In a grand and lofty castle, The Danube’s stream beside, Count Otto dwells in splendor, The lord of acres wide.
He has won the proudest maiden In all that German-land, And countless hosts of yeomen Obey his high command.
But the haughty brow is clouded, And his eye is full of care, For the trace of many a heart-storm Hath left its impress there.
Love had sought Adelbert, Young Beauty’s flow’ret blown, And the tendrils of its blossoms About his heart had grown.
And joy had wrapped them softly In robes of radiant sheen, Till Death bent down, relentless, And sapped their living green.
Hush! a mourner sits in silence Within a darkened room, Where the fairest flower of summer Lies withered in her bloom.
While those who move about him With footsteps sad and slow, Whisper to each other, But leave him to his woe.
And down in the quiet churchyard, Where nodding grasses wave, The children gather, silent, And the sexton digs a grave.
Solemnly tolls the church-bell, It counteth twenty-five-- O God! the flowers wither, And the old, old branches thrive.
Solemnly tolls the church-bell, Slowly winds the train Adown the rocky hillside, Along the grassy plain;
Sadly pass the bearers Into the churchyard old, Brightly falls the sunlight In glittering lines of gold;
Tearfully pause the mourners Above the broken sod, And Ludwig waits beside it, A humble priest of God.
These essays are here reprinted from the original editions of each, with only the addition of a few bracketed notes, and with some slight emendation of the wording of a few sentences of the text of a merely literary character. For many years, Dr. Newman has been a public man in the English theological world, so much so that, as he himself expressed it, “he is obliged to think aloud.” His writings have passed into the domain of English literature, and are public property. It is not now in his power to withdraw any portion of them, much as he might desire to do so. Under existing circumstances, he has judged it the better course--or, at least, the lesser evil--that they should be republished under his own eye, with such corrections in bracketed notes as will indicate what he would now correct or retract.