My little ones, my darling ones, my precious things of earth
How gladly do I triumph in the blessing of your birth;
How heartily for praises, and how earnestly for prayers,
I yearn upon your loveliness, my dear delightta! cares!

children, happy word of peace, my jewels and my god, My truest friends till now, and still my truest friends when oid will be every thing to you, your playmate and your guide, Both Mentor and Telemachus for ever at your side!

I will be everything to you, your sympathizing friend,

To teach, and help, and lead, and bless, and comfort, and defend;
O come to me and tell me all, and ye shall find me true,
A brother in adversity to fight it out for you!

Yea, sins or follies, griefs or cares, or young affection's thrall,
Fear not, for I am one with you, and I have felt them all;
I will be tender, just, and kind, unwilling to reprove,

I will do all to bless you all by wisdom and by love.

O blessed boon and gain to me, O mercy, praise, and pride!
Ye lack none other heritage your father's name beside:
When I am dead, your little ones shall read my words with glee;
When they are dead, their little ones will still remember me.

My tender babes, delighted I review you as ye stand,
A pretty troop of fairies and young cherubs hand in hand,
And tell out all your names to be a dear familiar sound
Wherever English hearths and hearts about the world abound.

My eldest, of the sparkling eyes, my Ellin, nine years old,
Thou thoughtful good example of the loving little fold,
My Ellin, they shall hear of thee, fair spirit, holy child,
The truthful and the well-resolved, the liberal and the mild.

And thee, my Mary, what of thee? the beauty of thy face? The coyly-pretty whims and ways that ray thee round with grace? - O more than these; a dear warm heart that still must thrill and glow

With pure affection's sunshine, and with feeling's overflow!

Thou too, my gentle five-year-old, fair Margaret the pearl,
A quiet, sick, and suffering child, sweet patient little girl,—
Yet gay withal and frolicsome at times wilt thou appear,
And like a bell thy merry voice rings musical and clear.

And next my Selwyn, precious boy, a glorious young mind,
The sensitive, the passionate, the noble, and the kind,

Whose light-brown locks bedropt with gold, and large eyes full

of love,

And generous nature mingle well the lion and the dove.

The last, an infant toothless one, now prattling on my knee,
Whose bland, benevolent, soft face is shining upon me;
Another silver star upon our calm domestic sky,
Another seed of happy hope, dropt kindly from on high.

This sealeth up the sum to us, my loved and loving wife,
Be these to us the pleasure and the business of life:

And thou to me, what art thou not? through infancy and youth,
And manhood's prime, as now, my all of constancy and truth'

A happy man, be this my praise,

A happy man, with means enough,

--

not riches, rank, or fame, no other lot or name:

A happy man, with you for friends, my children and my wife,

- Ambition is o'ervaulted here in all that gladdens life!

Yes! leave me to my happy thoughts, and these about me still,
In ancient woods of Albury, or on my fresh Furze Hill;
And, children, teach your children, too, by righteousness to stand,
For so they shall inherit peace and blessings in the land.

POSTSCRIPT.

HENRY DE B. T.

HAIL then a sixth! my doubly triple joy,
Another blessing in a third-born boy,

Another soul by generous Favor sent

To teach and train for heaven through content,
Another second-self with hopes like mine
in better worlds beyond the stars to shine,
Another little hostage from above

The pledge and promise of our Father's love!
God guard the babe; and cherish the young child;
And bless the boy with nurture wise and mild;
And lead the lad, and yearn upon the youth;
And make the man a man of trust and truth;
Through life and death uphold him all his days,
And then translate him to Thyself with praise!

ERRATA.

AN AUTHOR'S COMPLAINT.

O FRIENDS and brothers, judge me not unheard,
Make not a man offender for a word:

For often have I noted seeming fault

That harm'd my rhymes, and made my reasons halt,
Whilst all that error was some printer's sloth,
Who, scorning rhyme and reason, slew them both:
Be ye then liberal to your far-off friend,

Where garbled, guess him; and where maim'd, amend
Trust him for wit, when types have marr'd the word,
And wisdom, too, where only blockheads err'd.

IMPROMPTU.

TO ONE WHO SAID THAT SHE DISLIKED POETRY.

LADY, thou lovest high and holy Thought,

And noble deeds, and hopes sublime or beauteous, Thou lovest charities in secret wrought,

And all things pure and generous and duteous;

What then if these be drest in robes of power,
Triumphant wORDS, that thrill the heart of man,
Conquering for good beyond the flitting hour,
With stately march, and music in the van?

VENUS:

A REPIT TO LONGFELLOW'S POEM ON MARS, IN "6 VOICES OF THE NIGHT."

THOU lover of the blaze of Mars,
Come out with me to-night,
For I have found among the stars
A name of nobler light:

Thy boast is of the unconquered Mind,
The strong, the stern, the still;
Mine of the happier Heart, resign'd
To Wisdom's holy will.

They call my star by Beauty's name,
The gentle Queen of Love;

And look! how fair its tender flame
Is flickering above:

O star of peace, O torch of hope,
I hail thy precious ray,

A diamond on the ebon cope
To shine the dark away.

Within my heart there is no light
But cometh from above,

I give the first watch of the night
To the sweet planet, Love: