Can so foul and mean a thing Reign a spiritual King ? Art thou not-yea thou, myself, In hope a slave to pride and pelf? Art thou not,--yea, thou, my mind, Weak and naked, poor and blind ? Yea, be humble; yea, be still; Meekly bow that rebel Will; Seek not selfishly for praise ; Go more softly all thy days; For to thee belongs no power, Wretched insect of an hour, And if God in bounteous dole, Hath grafted life upon thy soul, Know thou, there is out of Him Nor light in mind, nor might in limb; And, but for One, who from the grave Of sin and death stood forth to save, Thy mind, that royal mind of thine, So great, ambitious and divine, Would but a root of anguish be, A madness and a misery, A bitter fear, a hideous care All too terrible to bear, Kingly,-but king of pains and woes, The sceptred slave to throbs and throes ! Justly then, my God, to thee, TARRING CHURCH. MOTHER,---beneath fair Tarring's heavenward spire, Where in old years thy youthful vows were paid, When God had granted thee thy heart's desire, And she went forth a wife, who came a maid, With mindful steps thus wisely have we stray'd, Full of deep thoughts : for where that sacred fire Of Love was kindled, in the self-same spot, Thou, with the dear companion of thy lot, Thy helpmate all those years, mine honour'd sire, To-day have found fulfilled before your eyes Thy children's children! lo, these babes arise, SONNET; ON A BIRTH. At length,--a dreary length of many years, God's favour hath shone forth! and blest thee well, O handmaid of the Lord, for all thy tears, For all thy prayers, and hope, and faith—and fears, With that best treasure of consummate joy A childless wife alone can fully tell How sorely long withheld-her first-born boy : Another Hannah with her Samuel, A heart to yearn upon its fellow-men, DUTY. In very humbleness, and not in pride, To rest with man’s neglect well satisfied, Despised or unregarded : woe betide Thy talents to be lent, thy lamp to shine: Heed only this,—not whether those be swine, But whether these be pearls, precious and pure ; That so, whatever fate the world make thine, With God for Judge, thy guerdon be secure. LET byegones be byegones,"—they foolishly say, And bid me be wise and forget them; But old recollections are active to-day, And I can do nought but regret them ; Though the present be pleasant, all joyous and gay, And promising well for the morrow, I love to look back on the years past away, Embalming my byegones in sorrow. If the morning of life has a mantle of gray, Its noon will be blither and brighter, If March has its storm, there is sunshine in May, And light out of darkness is lighter : With a wiser, a soberer gladness, Of a yesterday's sunset of sadness. A STIRRING SONG FOR PATRIOTS, IN THE YEAR 1860. To the tune of “Wha wouldna fight for Charlie ?" RISE! ye gallant youth of Britain, Gather to your country's call, Rise to help her, one and all! each feud and faction, For we love our country still, Raise that thrilling shout once more ; Conqueror over sea and shore ! France is coming, full of bluster, Hot to wipe away her stain, Just to give it her again! Dare to cross our ocean-gulf, Shoot them as you would a wolf! |