“’Tis strange to think”, p. 17

And Silence, Solitude and rest
Now welcome to the weary breast

Were all unprized uncourted then
And all the joy one spirit showed
The other warmly deeply felt again
And friendship like a river flowed
Constant and strong its silent course
For nought withstood its gentle force

When night the holy time of peace
Was dreaded as the parting hour
When friendly intercourse must cease
And Silence must resume her power
Though ever free from pains and woes
She only brought us calm repose

And when the blessed dawn of day again
Brought daylight to the blushing skies
We woke but and not reluctant then
To joyless labour did we rise

Text as published in Poems (1846)

And silence, solitude, and rest,
Now welcome to the weary breast—

Were all unprized, uncourted then—
And all the joy one spirit showed,
The other deeply felt again;
And friendship like a river flowed,
Constant and strong its silent course,
For nought withstood its gentle force:

When night, the holy time of peace,
Was dreaded as the parting hour;
When speech and mirth at once must cease,
And Silence must resume her power;
Though ever free from pains and woes,
She only brought us calm repose.

And when the blessed dawn again
Brought daylight to the blushing skies,
We woke, and not reluctant then,
To joyless labour did we rise;