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In its unobtrusive sweetness,

In its purity, and meetness
For contented minds,
And the beautiful completeness

Man in Nature finds.

Yes, it is no fault of Nature's,
If the vice of fallen creatures
Spots her with a curse;

Man in towns hath viler features,
And his guilt is worse.
Troubles, cares, and self-denials,
These are no such special vials

Pour'd on fields and flowers;
But there always must be trials
In this world of ours.

Country life,-let us confess it,—
Man will little help to bless it,
Yet, for gladness there,

We may readily possess it

In its native air.

Rides and rambles, sports and farming,

Home, the heart for ever warming,

Books, and friends, and ease,—

Life must after all be charming,
Full of joys like these.

Yes, however little gaily,
And-for man, however frailly

Check'd with sin and strife,

Wisdom rests contented daily

With a country life.

American Lyrics.

TO THE UNION; FROM A UNIT.

Giant aggregate of nations,
Glorious Whole of glorious Parts,
Unto endless generations

Live United, hands and hearts!
Be it storm, or summer-weather,
Peaceful calm, or battle-jar,
Stand in beauteous strength together,
Sister States, as Now ye are!

Every petty class-dissension,
Heal it up, as quick as thought;
Every paltry place-pretension,
Crush it, as a thing of nought:
Let no narrow private treason
Your great onward progress bar,
But remain, in right and reason,
Sister States, as Now ye are !

Fling away absurd ambition!
People, leave that toy to kings:
Envy, jealousy, suspicion,

Be above such grovelling things! In each other's joys delighted,

All your hate be-joys of war, And by all means keep United Sister States, as Now ye are!

Were I but some scornful stranger,
Still my counsel would be just;
Break the band, and all is danger,
Mutual fear and dark distrust:
But, you know me for a brother
And a friend who speak from far,
Be at one then with each other,
Sister States, as Now ye are !

If it seems a thing unholy

Freedom's soil by slaves to till,
Yet, be just and sagely, slowly,
Nobly, cure that ancient ill:
Slowly,-haste is fatal ever;
Nobly,-lest good faith ye mar;
Sagely, not in wrath to sever
Sister States, as Now ye are!

Charm'd with your commingled beauty England sends the signal round, "Every man must do his duty"

To redeem from bonds the bound! Then indeed your banner's brightness Shining clear from every star Shall proclaim your joint uprightness, Sister States, as Now ye are !

So, a peerless constellation

May those stars for ever blaze! Three-and-ten-times-threefold nation, Go a-head in power and praise!

Like the many-breasted goddess
Throned on her Ephesian car,
Be-one heart in many bodies!
Sister States, as Now ye are.

Our Errand.

AN INTERNATIONAL PEACE-OFFERING FOR THE NEW YEAR, (1852.)

Britain! America! Mother and Child,
Heartily, happily reconciled,

Look to the world around;

Stricken by guilt, with frenzy defiled,
A storm-tost ship on the surges wild,
Soon to be wreck'd and drown'd!

Look! for the Nations seethe and boil,
With wrath and fear and peril and toil,
A caldron bubbling up

Geyserlike, with loud turmoil

Scattering scum upon every soil

From Judgment's crimson cup!

Look! for the People are hot with hate,
Man against man, and state against state,
Watching with wolfish eyes

Europe's despots, wise too late,
Helplessly forced in fear to await

The tempest on the skies.

Britain! America! staunch and stout,
Stand together, and rule this rout,
Stern and strong and still,-

Teaching the brawlers round about
Man's true liberty, well search'd out,
Is to obey God's will!

Is to obey!- —as bond, yet free ?

Lifting the head, while bending the knee,ORDER's imperial race,—

Fearlessly faithful found to be,

Tho' the mountains choke the churning sea, And earth be moved out of her place!

Britain! America! hand in hand,

Like twin angels, lovingly stand,

Fresh from the fields above,

Link'd together in brotherhood's band,
And sworn to sow upon every land
Liberty, light, and love!

Mother and Daughter against the World!
Under your peaceful flags unfurl'd
Rights will rally at length;

While earth's hurricane, inwardly curl'd,
Spent with the ruin of wrongs down-hurl'd,
Weakens and wastes its strength.

Yea, stand still;-but in ready array:
Mingling nought in the Nations' fray,

Till they have fought to their fall:
Then, as Wisdom leads in the way,
Win we together the prize of the day,

Conquering Peace for them All!

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