LINES ON A DAGUERREOTYPE.
Delicate pencillings of imprisoned light!
Tracings imprinted with the finest care,
Revealing to the eye an image bright
Of that which seems to it most pure and fair.
The softened graces of the lines that speak
The gentle beauty of the rounded cheek;
The faithful transcript of the thoughts that rise
From the life's motion of deep-shaded eyes;
A copy taken with a hand as slight
As the smooth coloring of a floweret's light;—
Yet true and real, as when the flowerets look
Down the smooth margin to the crystal brook.
That this should be, and no trained flexile finger
Guide the soft lines where Beauty's grace is placed;
And the fair traits where mind and soul do linger
Shine pencilled not by genius or by taste:—
'Tis strange, indeed, that human art and skill
Can bind the sunbeam to perform their will! P.
(End of text. Please refer to our textnote regarding this text.)
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