As when with his glory the morning sun
Floods on a sudden the tropical sky,
And startled twilight, dim and dun,

Flies from the fear of his conquering eye, So flash'd across the lighten'd breast

Of Christabel, no more to moan,

A dawn of love, the happiest

Her maiden heart had ever known;

For yea, it was only through powers of hell, And evil eye, and potent spell,

That Amador to Christabel

Could faithless prove,―

And when she saw him kneeling near,
Contrite, yet more in hope than fear,
Oh then she felt him doubly dear,
Her rescued love.

Ave, Maria! unto thee

All the thanks and glory be,
For thy gracious arm and aid
Saved the youth, and blest the maid.
So falls it out, that vanquish'd ill
Breeds only good to good men still,
And while its poison seethes and works
It yields a healing antidote,

Which, whether mortals use or not,
Like a friend in ambush, lurks
Deepest in the deadliest plot.

Not swift, though soon, next day at noon,Just at the wedding-hour

As hand-in-hand betroth'd they stand Beneath the chapel tower, A holy light, a vision bright,— 'Twas twelve o'clock at noon, A spirit good before them stood, Her garments fair and flowing hair Shone brighter than the moon. And thus in musical voice most sweet,“Daughter, this hour to grace and greet, To bless this day, as is most meet,

Thy mother stoops from heaven:

And, ancient men, who all so late
Have stopp'd at Death's half-open'd gate,
In tears of love to drown your hate,
Forgiving and forgiven,

Hear, noble spirits reconciled,

Hear, gracious souls, now meek and mild

Albeit with guilt so long defiled,

Love's lingering boon receive;

Roland de Vaux,-thy long-lost child,
Whom border-troopers, fierce and wild,
An infant from his home beguiled,

Thy soul to gall and grieve,

In Amador-behold! "

The spirit said, and all in light
Melted away that vision bright:
My tale is told.

Arm!

AN INVASION BALLAD.

(January, 1852.)

Englishmen, up; make ready your rifles!

Who can tell now what a day may bring forth? Patch up all quarrels, and stick at no trifles,— Let the world see what your loyalty's worth! Loyalty?-selfishness, cowardice, terror Stoutly will multiply loyalty's sum, When to astonish presumption and error, Soon the shout rises,—the brigands are come!

Cannot we see them ?-impatiently waiting,
Hundreds of thousands, all hungry for spoil,
Breathing out slaughter, and bitterly hating
Britain and all that is born of her soil!
Jesuit priests and prætorian legions

Clamour like hounds to be loosed on the prey,

Eager to devastate Protestant regions,

And to take vengeance for Waterloo day!

If the Kite wants to be counted an Eagle,
What can he better be scheming than this,—
While a false peace our minds may inveigle,
And we are sold to a Judas's kiss?
Suddenly, secretly, boldly, he'll do it!

And the sharp sword, that will ravage the coasts,
Then shall run into the land, and go through it,
If Britain sleeps at her sentinel-posts!

1

Marksmen ashore! make ready, make ready!
Honest men slumber, but thieves are astir;
Steamers afloat,-be stirring and steady!
All will be lost, if your vigilance err :
Every one, sporting or spinning or farming,
Wisely defend what you have while you can,
Steadily drilling, and sturdily arming,

That you may fight for the right like a man!

Think of the rapine, the flames, and the slaughter, If the fierce Algerine-Frenchman here stood! Think, if you dare, of your wife and your daughter,

Think of your little ones choked in their blood! What ?-is the wolf so squeamish and tender As to be stopp'd by a peacemonger's tear? No!-if it finds not a stalwarth defender Every man's home is a Golgotha here!

Up then, and ARM! it is wisdom and duty;
We are too tempting a prize to be weak:
Lo, what a pillage of riches and beauty,

Glories to gain, and revenges to wreak!
Run for your rifles, and stand to your drilling;
Let not the wolf have his will, as he might
If, in the midst of their trading and tilling,

Englishmen cannot-or care not to-fight!

Reply

To SUNDRY WHO OBJECT TO "ARM."

What? will they tell us that timely precaution
Causes the peril it strives to avoid?

Or that true safety is found in proportion
With the true danger of being destroy'd?
What! with the wolf looking over the hurdles
Mustn't the shepherd be loading his gun?
Or, while his liver with cowardice curdles,
Should he cry Welcome,-and prudently run?

Further, they hint, because England is waking,
This is a challenge, an insult, a threat,—
That we affront them and taunt them, by taking
Rational means for security yet:

Ha! they would rather still see us all sleeping,
Then, as on Corinth and Carthage of old
Secretly creeping, and suddenly leaping,

Teach us-how kind is the wolf to the fold!

No! let us all,-as erst we were bowmen
When a first Richard or Edward was King,
Now be found ready to scare away foemen,
True with the trigger, as once with the string!
Not as your fuglemen dressers and drillers

Tailor'd and truss'd, and made useless the while, But as stern resolute rifle Guerillas

Able to pick off a man at a mile!