The promise of old time; — look round and see
Thy children's children! lo, these babes arise,
And call thee blessed : Blessed both be ye!
And in your blessing bless ye these, and
Sonnet; on a Birth.
At length, a dreary length of many years,
God's favor 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
This blessing is from heav'n; to heav'n once more, Another Hannah with her Samuel,
Render thou back the talent yielding ten,
A spirit, trained right early to adore,
A heart to yearn upon its fellow-men,
A being, meant and made for endless heaven,
This give to God: this, God to thee hath given.
Pearls before swine: this is an old complaint;
In every humbleness, and not in pride,
The spirit feels it true; yet makes a feint
To rest with man's neglect well satisfied,
And have its wealth in words, its stores of thought
Despised or unregarded: woe betide
The heart that lives on praise! considering nought
Of Duty's royal edicts, that command
Thy talents to be lent, thy lamp to shine: Soul, be not faint; nor, body, stay thy hand; 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,
There is a time for praising,
And a better time for pray'r,-
The heart its anthem raising,
Or uttering its care:
One minute is for smiling,
And another for the tear,-
Hope, by turns, beguiling,
Or her haggard brother, Fear.
But, if in joy thou praisest
The generous Hand that gave,
And if in woe thon raisest
The prayer that He may save ;
Thy griefs shall seem all pleasure,
As the chidings of a Friend,
And thy joys ecstatic measure
A beginning without end!
NEVER left the place that knew me,
And may never know me more,
Where the chords of kindness drew me,
And have gladdened me of yore,
But my secret soul has smarted
With a feeling full of gloom
For the days that are departed,
And the place I call'd my Home.
I am not of those who wander
Unaffectioned here and there,
But my heart must still be fonder
Of my sites of joy or care;
And I point sad memory's finger
(Though my faithless foot may roam)
Where I've most been made to linger
In the place I call'd my Home.
"Let byegones be byegones,"
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 storms, there is sunshine in May,
And light out of darkness is lighter :
Thus the present is pleasant, a cheerful to-day
With a wiser, a soberer gladness,
Because it is tinged with the mellowing ray
Of a yesterday's sunset of sadness.
Rale, Britannia.
A STIRRING SONG FOR PATRIOTS, IN THE YEAR 1860.
The tune of "Wha wouldna fight for Charle ?"
Rise! ye gallant youth of Britain,
Gather to your country's call,
On your hearts her name is written,
Rise to help her, one and all!
Cast away each feud and faction,
Brood not over wrong nor ill, -
Rouse your virtues into action,
For we love our country still,
Hail, Britannia! hail Britannia!
Raise that thrilling shout once more;
Rule, Britannia! Rule, Britannia !
Conquer over sea and shore!
France is coming, full of bluster,
Hot to wipe away her stain,
Therefore, brothers, here we muster
Just to give it her again!
And if feman, blind with fury,
Dare to cross our ocean-gulf,
Wait not then for judge nor jury,
Shoot them as you would a wolf1
For Britannia, just Britannia,
Claims our chorus as before;
Rule, Britannia! Rule, Britannia!
Conqueror over sea and shore.
They may writhe, for we have galled them
With our guns in every clime,
They may hate us, for we called them
Serfs and subjects in old time!
Boasting Gaul, we calmly scorn you
As old Esop's bull the frogs
Come and welcome! for, we warn you,
We shall fling you to our dogs!
For Britannia, our Britannia,
Thunders with a lion's roar;
Rule Britannia! Rule, Britannia!
Conqueror over sea and shore.
See, uprear'd our holy standard !
Crowd around it, gallant hearts!
What should Britain's fame be slandered
As by f ult on our parts?
Let the rabid Frenchman threaten,
Let the mad invader come,
We will hunt them out of Britain,
Or can die for hearth and home!
For Britannia, dear Britannia,
Wakes our chorus evermore-
Rule, Britannia! Rule, Britannia !
Conqueror over sea and shore.
Rise then, patriots! name endearing,
Flock from Scotland's moors and dales,
From the green, glad fields of Erin,
From th mountain homes of Wales,
RISE! for sister England calls you,
RISE! our common weal to serve,
RISE! while now the song enthralls you,
Thrilling every vein and nerve,
Hail, Britannia! hail Britannia !
Conquer, as thou didst of yore!
Rule, Britannia! Rule, Britannia!
Over every sea and shore.
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