Page:The Excursion, Wordsworth, 1814.djvu/40

14 His animal being; in them did he live,

And by them did he live; they were his life.

In such access of mind, in such high hour

Of visitation from the living God,

Thought was not; in enjoyment it expired.

No thanks he breathed, he proffered no request;

Rapt into still communion that transcends

The imperfect offices of prayer and praise,

His mind was a thanksgiving to the power

That made him; it was blessedness and love!

A Herdsman on the lonely mountain tops,

Such intercourse was his, and in this sort

Was his existence oftentimes possessed.

Oh then how beautiful, how bright appeared

The written Promise! He had early learned

To reverence the Volume which displays

The mystery, the life which cannot die:

But in the mountains did he feel his faith;

There did he see the writing;—all things there

Breathed immortality, revolving life

And greatness still revolving; infinite;

There littleness was not; the least of things