Mild Splendor of the various-vested Night! br Mother of wildly-working visions! hail! br I watch thy gliding, while with watery light br Thy weak eye glimmers through a fleecy veil; br And when thou lovest thy pale orb to shroud br Behind the gather'd blackness lost on high; br And when thou dartest from the wind-rent cloud br Thy placid lightning o'er th' awakened sky. br Ah, such is Hope! As changeful and as fair! br Now dimly peering on the wistful sight; br Now hid behind the dragon-wing'd Despair: br But soon emerging in her radiant might br She o'er the sorrow-clouded breast of Care br Sails, like a meteor kindling in its flight.