The room looks common; but the fact is
’Tis a cell of magic practice,
So disguised by common daylight,
By its disenchanting grey light,
Only spirit-eyes, mesmeric,
See its glories esoteric. 
There, that case against the wall,
Glowingly purpureal! 
A piano to the prosy—­
Not to us in twilight rosy: 
’Tis a cave where Nereids lie. 
Naiads, Dryads, Oreads sigh,
Dreaming of the time when they
Danced in forest and in bay. 
In that chest before your eyes,
Nature’s self enchanted lies;
Awful hills and midnight woods;
Sunny rains in solitudes;
Deserts of unbounded longing;
Blessed visions, gladness thronging;

All this globe of life unfoldeth
In phantom forms that coffer holdeth. 
True, unseen; for ’tis enchanted—­
What is that but kept till wanted? 
Do you hear that voice of singing? 
’Tis the enchantress that is flinging
Spells around her baby’s riot,
Music’s oil the waves to quiet: 
She at once can disenchant them,
To a lover’s wish to grant them;
She can make the treasure casket
Yield its riches, as that basket
Yielded up the gathered flowers;
Yet its mines, and fields, and bowers,
Full remain, as mother Earth
Never tired of giving birth.

Do you doubt me?  Wait till night
Brings black hours and white delight;
Then, as now, your limbs outstretching,
Yield yourself to her bewitching. 
She will bring a book of spells
Writ like crabbed oracles;
Wherewith necromantic fingers
Raise the ghosts of parted singers: 
Straight your senses will be bound
In a net of torrent sound. 
For it is a silent fountain,
Fed by springs from unseen mountain.

Till with gestures cabalistic,
Crossing, lining figures mystic,
(Diagram most mathematic,
Simple to these signs erratic,)
O’er the seals her quick hands going
Loose the rills and set them flowing: 
Pent up music rushing out
Bathes thy spirit all about;
Spell-bound nature, freed again,
Joyous revels in thy brain.

On a mountain-top you stand,
Looking o’er a sunny land;
Giant forces marching slow,
Rank on rank, the great hills go,
On and on without a stay,
Melting in the blue away. 
Wondrous light, more wondrous shading;
High relief in faintness fading;
Branching streams, like silver veins,
Meet and part in dells and plains. 
There a woody hollow lies,
Dumb with love, and bright with eyes;
Moorland tracks of broken ground
Rising o’er, it all around: 
Traveller climbing from the grove
Needs the tender heavens above. 
“Ah, my pictured life,” you cry,
“Fading into sea and sky!”

Lost in thought that gently grieves you,
All the fairy landscape leaves you;
Sinks the sadness into rest,
Ripple-like on water’s breast;
Mother’s bosom rests the daughter,—­
Grief the ripple, Love the water. 
All the past is strangely blended
In a mist of colours splendid,
But chaotic as to form,
An unfeatured beauty-storm.