s: allegorical schemes of the Poem see Nettleship's "Essays


s: antidote to these, The Critic, May 8, 1886; an orthodox


s: view, Poet-lore, Nov. 1890: for interpretations touching


s: on the ballad sources, London Browning Society Papers,


s: John Keble, two years older than his friend Dr. Arnold of Rugby,


s: three years older than Thomas Carlyle, and nine years older than


s: arranged to bring in due order before the minds of Christian


s: Keble in that pious care for which his father had drawn him away


s: from a great University career, and he then went to a curacy at


s: Hursley, four or five miles from Winchester.


s: though not in power, Keble was joined to the Church in fullest


s: Professorship at Oxford.  Two years after he had been appointed


s: Poetry Professor, he preached the Assize Sermon, and took for his


s: Christian Year," and was twenty-six years old when it appeared,


s: received from it a strong impulse towards the endeavour to revive


s: produced another volume of poems, "Lyra Innocentium," which


s: consecration of man's life with love and faith.  There is no rare


s: expression another George Herbert, or another Henry Vaughan.  But


s: Go--thou art nought to us, nor we to thee--away!"


s: Plying their daily task with busier feet,


s: Because their secret souls a holy strain repeat."


s: I sought a strain not all unworthy Thee,


s: My heart, still ringing with wild worldly talk,


s: Gave forth no note of holier minstrelsy.


s: Strong supplication must call down the charm,


s: And thus with untuned heart I feebly prayed,


s: Knocking at Heaven's gate with earth-palsied arm.


s: Fountain of Harmony!  Thou Spirit blest,


s: By whom the troubled waves of earthly sound


s: Some high-souled bard in his enchanted round


s: May compass, Power divine!  Oh, spread Thy wing,


s: Thy dovelike wing that makes confusion fly,


s: New worlds of music, strains that may not die.


s: Oh, happiest who before thine altar wait,


s: The guiding Star of all who seek Thy gate,


s: Too weak, too wavering, for such holy task


s: Is my frail arm, O Lord; but I would fain


s: Track to its source the brightness, I would bask


s: In the clear ray that makes Thy pathway plain.


s: I dare not hope with David's harp to chase


s: The evil spirit from the troubled breast;


s: To listen to the strain, and be at rest.


s: His compassions fail not.  They are new every morning.  Lament.


s: Through sleep and darkness safely brought,


s: Restored to life, and power, and thought.


s: New thoughts of God, new hopes of Heaven.


s: New treasures still, of countless price,


s: Old friends, old scenes will lovelier be,


s: When they have sworn, and stedfast mean,


s: Abide with us:  for it is toward evening, and the day is far


s: The last faint pulse of quivering light.


s: When with dear friends sweet talk I hold,


s: Steer through the tempest Thine own ark:


s: Guide Thou their course, O Lord, aright,


s: Teach Thou Thy Priests their daily cross


s: With blessings from Thy boundless store:


s: Now it is high time to awake out of sleep:  for now is our


s: salvation nearer than when we believed.--Romans xiii 11.


s: Awake--again the Gospel-trump is blown -


s: From year to year it swells with louder tone,


s: Strange words fulfilled, and mighty works achieved,


s: And truth in all the world both hated and believed.


s: Sworn liegemen of the Cross and thorny crown?


s: Nor wonder, should ye find your King in tears,


s: E'en with the loud Hosanna ringing in His ears.


s: They are gone forth to swell Messiah's show:


s: With glittering robes and garlands sweet


s: All but your hearts are there--O doomed to prove


s: The arrows winged in Heaven for Faith that will not love!


s: Meanwhile He passes through th' adoring crowd,


s: Calm as the march of some majestic cloud,


s: E'en so, heart-searching Lord, as years roll on,


s: Thou keepest silent watch from Thy triumphal throne:


s: E'en so, the world is thronging round to gaze


s: The changeful burden still of their rude lawless cry.


s: Yet in that throng of selfish hearts untrue


s: Thy sad eye rests upon Thy faithful few,


s: And Lazarus wakened from his four days' sleep,


s: Enduring life again, that Passover to keep.


s: Stands the blessed home where Jesus deigned to stay,


s: Where Martha loved to wait with reverence meet,


s: And wiser Mary lingered at Thy sacred feet.


s: Still through decaying ages as they glide,


s: Thou lov'st Thy chosen remnant to divide;


s: Pause where we may upon the desert road,


s: Some shelter is in sight, some sacred safe abode.


s: When withering blasts of error swept the sky,


s: And Love's last flower seemed fain to droop and die,


s: And cheered his sickening heart with his own native air.


s: Years roll away:  again the tide of crime


s: Has swept Thy footsteps from the favoured clime


s: Like some bright angel o'er the darkling scene,


s: Through court and camp he holds his heavenward course serene.


s: Light without love, glares on the aching sight:


s: When wearied with the tale thy times disclose,


s: The eye first finds thee out in thy secure repose?


s: Thus bad and good their several warnings give


s: Of His approach, whom none may see and live:


s: Keeping the heart awake till dawn of morn,


s: While to her funeral pile this aged world is borne.


s: But what are Heaven's alarms to hearts that cower


s: In wilful slumber, deepening every hour,


s: Lord, ere our trembling lamps sink down and die,


s: Touch us with chastening hand, and make us feel Thee nigh.


s: Her heavens all dark with doubt and crime,


s: But, oh, frail hearts, and spirits dark!


s: Your Lord is listening:  peace, be still.


s: Think not of rest; though dreams be sweet,


s: What went ye out into the wilderness to see?  A reed shaken with


s: Where stately Jordan flows by many a palm,


s: That o'er her western slope breathe airs of balm.


s: Spread their soft breasts, unheeding, to the breeze,


s: Where erst our Saviour watched upon His knees.


s: Left shining in the world with Christ alone;


s: Of mountains terrac'd high with mossy stone.


s: Till to our soul the former days return;


s: To count the reeds that tremble in the wind,


s: Who on God's works no seal of Godhead find.


s: Pass Babel quick, and seek the holy land -


s: To Bethlehem's glade, or Carmel's haunted strand.


s: Beside the springs of Love, that never die;


s: And watch the Moon that saw thy Master's agony.


s: Where rested once the Temple's stately shade,


s: To th' other holy garden, where the Lord was laid.


s: Their heart untravell'd still adores the King of kings.


s: In spirit journeying through the glorious land,


s: Nor gifted Prophet's lore, nor Science' wondrous wand.


s: With face unveiled, is He they go to seek:


s: To homeliest hearts of pilgrims pure and meek.


s: The eyes of them that see shall not be dim, and the ears of them


s: Soft shades and gleaming lights are there -


s: Strains that outring Earth's drowsy chime,


s: Though scarcely now their laggard glance


s: And suddenly there was with the Angel a multitude of the heavenly


s: "Glory to God!" from yonder central fire


s: Flows out the echoing lay beyond the starry choir;


s: "Glory to God on high, on earth be peace,


s: And love towards men of love--salvation and release."


s: 'Tis not, "the Saviour born in David's home,


s: To Whom for power and health obedient worlds should come:" -


s: But when they heard the sign where Christ should be,


s: In sudden light they shone and heavenly harmony.


s: No peaceful home upon his cradle smiled,


s: Guests rudely went and came, where slept the royal Child.


s: Bethlehem must lose Thee soon, but Thou wilt grace


s: The single heart to be Thy sure abiding-place.


s: They, who have bowed untaught to Nature's sway,


s: And they, who follow Truth along her star-paved way.


s: Sooner than they should miss where Thou dost dwell,


s: Angela from Heaven will stoop to guide them to Thy cell.


s: All through the wintry heaven and chill night air,


s: In music and in light Thou dawnest on their prayer.


s: Still greets you with glad tidings of immortal joy.


s: So shall ye tread untired His pastoral ways,


s: And in the darkness sing your carol of high praise.


s: He, being full of the Holy Ghost, looked up steadfastly into


s: heaven, and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing on the right


s: Which, like a fading lamp, flash'd high,


s: He sees them all; and earth's dull bounds


s: Could stamp the Saviour's likeness true,


s: He who would learn that prayer must live


s: In Bethlehem, round the Saviour's palace gate,


s: That hover o'er the new-born King of kings,


s: That they are of the glorious martyr-train,


s: His Name, and brighten as on Him they gaze?


s: But where their spoils and trophies? where


s: The glorious dint a martyr's shield should bear?


s: The deep-worn trace of penitential tears,


s: As if, fresh-borne from Eden's happy grove,


s: Nor ever had been heirs of dark mortality?


s: "These, like yourselves, were born to sin and die,


s: God set His seal, and marked them for His own.


s: Now underneath the Cross their bed they make,


s: By frightened mother's shriek, or warrior's waving crest."


s: Borne by this suffering Church her Lord to greet;


s: The "innocent brightness" of an infant's face.


s: He blessed them from the world and all its harms:


s: Heirs though they were of sin and shame,


s: He blessed them in his own and in his Father's Name.


s: On the everlasting Parent sweetly smiled


s: That tremble not at Ocean's boundless roar),


s: All souls, that in their cradles Thou hast bought?


s: That Thou might'st live for them a sadder death to see.


s: Their treasured hopes, just born, baptised, and gone.


s: She and her babes shall meet no more to part;


s: To trust them in His arms for ever safe embraced.


s: She dares not grudge to leave them there,


s: Where to behold them was her heart's first prayer;


s: She dares not grieve--but she must weep,


s: As her pale placid martyr sinks to sleep,


s: How at the shepherd's call the lamb should die:


s: Of souls that infant-like beneath their burthen bend.


s: Seven guilty realms at once on earth's defiled breast.


s: Should change your mystic dance, ye wanderers of the sky?


s: Help us to pause and mourn to Thee our tale of crime.


s: Bright hopes, that erst the bosom warmed,


s: And prayers blown wide by gales of care; -


s: These, and such faint half-waking dreams,


s: Wavering and broken all, athwart the conscience glare.


s: How shall we 'scape the o'erwhelming Past?


s: The bitterness of death to soften and beguile?


s: Thy showers would pierce the hardened ground


s: And win it to give out its brightness and perfume.


s: The tears that bathe our offered hearts,


s: All glowing with the light accepted love imparts.


s: Through shades of setting life can see Heaven's work begun.


s: Care and remorse are lost, like motes in light divine;


s: In His unerring sight, who measures Life by Love.


s: Kings, Prophets, Patriarchs--all have part


s: When the poor and needy seek water, and there is none, and their


s: That He, by whom our bright hours shone,


s: And lo, the star, which they saw in the east, went before them,


s: till it came and stood over where the young Child was.  When they


s: From these our proud yet grovelling hearts


s: With gold and myrrh she sought Thy face;


s: Had watched thee gleaming faint and far -


s: They shall spring up as among the grass, as willows by the water


s: There they plunge, the light declining -


s: Which whispers, "Take thy fill ere death,


s: Till the seared taste from foulest wells


s: Why should we fear, youth's draught of joy


s: Still whispering glorious things unseen? -


s: The world would kill her soon:  but Faith


s: Who, through the world's sad day of strife,


s: But there sight fails:  no heart may know


s: From his dark veil at noon looked forth,


s: Over the dusky heaven and bleak hill-side.


s: When all seems faithless round and drear,


s: To regions farthest from the fount of day.


s: It shames the weary heart to feel itself alone.


s: To think, where'er he looks, such gleam may have a part;


s: Break out, and Faith be shamed by the believer's sin.


s: With more than royal pomp, and pierce the skies.


s: That solemn style, "Thy nation and Thy friends."


s: A home for prayer and love, and full harmonious praise,


s: To waft us ever on, soaring in blissful dreams.


s: And where Love is, that offering evermore is blest.


s: With all a Painter's art, and all a Minstrel's flame.


s: Who welcomes here a child's as there an angel's love.


s: When they saw Him, they besought Him that He would depart out of


s: Who, wakened by the rushing midnight shower,


s: To howl and chafe amid the bending trees,


s: To bathe the landscape in a fiery stream,


s: Touching the tremulous eye with sense of light


s: Too rapid and too pure for all but angel sight.


s: Who, when the whirlwinds rock the topmost grove,


s: Curbed by some power unseen, they die away,


s: Like a bold steed that owns his rider's arm,


s: Proud to be checked and soothed by that o'er-mastering chains.


s: That heave the struggling heart with wilder din,


s: Clothed and in calmness, at his Savour's feet,


s: Is not the power as strange, the love as blest,


s: As when He said, "Be still," and ocean sank to rest?


s: That gladlier turns to eye the shuddering start


s: Than marks the silent growth of grace and light; -


s: To linger, while the morning rays illume


s: Green lake, and cedar tuft, and spicy glade,


s: Shaking their dewy tresses now the storm is laid.


s: In His meek power He climbs the mountain's brow,


s: And lashed the vexed fiends to their yawning deep.


s: Who watch His eye, and hold His guiding hand!


s: Not half so fixed, amid her vassal hills,


s: Rises the holy pile that Kedron's valley fills.


s: Thy howling waste, thy charnel-house and chain,


s: Rather than clasp thine own Deliverer's knee?


s: That bids thee from His healing touch withdraw;


s: The world and He are struggling in thine heart,


s: And in thy reckless mood thou bidd'st thy Lord depart.


s: As erst, beholding, loves His wayward child;


s: Waste their impassioned might on dreams of earth,


s: And on His glorious Gospel bids them look,


s: Till, by such chords as rule the choirs above,


s: Their lawless cries are tuned to hymns of perfect love.


s: Behold, the Lord's hand is not shortened, that it cannot save;


s: neither His ear heavy, that it cannot hear; but your iniquities


s: have separated between you and your God.  Isaiah lix. 1, 2.


s: And, round the Cross, makes night of day.


s: Era they have died the Apostate's death.


s: Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear


s: "And if our fate be death, give light and let us die."


s: Glide in the narrow wake of Thy beloved ark.


s: But win her fearless way against the chafing tide.


s: Though pledged her own and sure to abide:


s: That twilight gleam to her, though faint and far away.


s: And trust it from our sight, not needing our caress.


s: Our frail immortal souls, His work and Satan's thrall.


s: Than close with aught beside, to last eternally.


s: The warrior's pride, the hunter's mirth,


s: A soul that once had tasted of immortal Truth.


s: To the unapproached Lord, once made for them so low.


s: The breath of God shall wake them into odorous bloom.


s: The fount of sweetness, they shall rest,


s: Daily to lose themselves in hope to find their God.


s: The invisible things of Him from the creation of the world are


s: Like tress they stand whom God has given,


s: But where it lights, this favoured place


s: Thine own dire work thou surely wilt confound:


s: And lo! at eventide the world is drowned.


s: Of Passion dwelling on forbidden sweets:


s: Are all that now the wildering fancy meets.


s: From thoughts like these among the bowers I hide,


s: "Where art thou, fallen man? come forth, and be thou tried."


s: The sentence is gone forth, the ground is cursed:


s: Steal down like April dews, that softest fall and first.


s: This was the way Thou cam'st to save the world forlorn.


s: To dash her cup of joy, since Eden lost,


s: And o'er the tenderer sex usurping ever most;


s: But a sweet help and pattern of true love,


s: How He should rule, and she with full desire approve.


s: Lavish of thorns and worthless weeds alone,


s: And show our lagging souls how glory must be won.


s: And e'en our bodies shrink at touch of light,


s: Are to Faith's eye a pledge of God's forgiving might.


s: Tremble upon the string--a sinner's death -


s: To close the weary eye and hush the parting breath?


s: The fiery sword that guarded, showed it too;


s: Still in its place the tree of life and glory grew.


s: I do set My bow in the cloud, and it shall be for a token of a


s: covenant between Me and the earth.  Genesis ix. 13.


s: Sweet Dove! the softest, steadiest plume,


s: Sweet Leaf! the pledge of peace and mirth,


s: Wondering frail man Thy light should see


s: Where is our love, and where our hearts,


s: Close as the air that wraps thee round -


s: Hast thou not seen, in night hours drear,


s: Toward thee stream with kindlier glance,


s: His Father's light was poured from Heaven,


s: High thoughts were with Him in that hour,


s: Louder and louder swells? and canst thou spare,


s: Thus, with stern voice, unsparing Justice pleads:


s: His eye is following where sweet Mercy leads,


s: And till she give the sign, his fury stays.


s: With hurried footsteps from the accursed abode


s: Angels, or more, on either hand are nigh,


s: Lingering in heart, and with frail sidelong eye


s: Seeking how near they may unharmed remain.


s: "Ah! wherefore gleam those upland slopes so fair?


s: Swells yon bright vale, as Eden rich and rare,


s: Surely not yet the avenging shower will fall,


s: Though to my home for one last look I turn."


s: "Haste, for thy life escape, nor look behind" -


s: They check the wandering eye, severely kind,


s: Nor let the sinner lose his soul at ease.


s: And when, o'erwearied with the steep ascent,


s: One little spot of ground in mercy lent,


s: And where we fondly cling, forbears to wreak


s: Full vengeance, till our hearts are weaned entire.


s: Thus, by the merits of one righteous man,


s: Till she abuse, so sore, her lengthened span,


s: Then, onward yet a step, thou hard-won soul;


s: Though in the Church thou know thy place,


s: The mountain farther lies--there seek thy goal,


s: There breathe at large, o'erpast thy dangerous race.


s: Sweet is the smile of home; the mutual look


s: Sweet all the joys that crowd the household nook,


s: Yet in the world e'en these abide, and we


s: Once gain the mountain-top, and thou art free:


s: Till then, who rest, presume; who turn to look, are lost.


s: "And is there in God's world so drear a place


s: Where the loud bitter cry is raised in vain?


s: Where tears of penance come too late for grace,


s: As on the uprooted flower the genial rain?"


s: 'Tis even so:  the sovereign Lord of souls


s: Stores in the dungeon of His boundless realm


s: Each bolt that o'er the sinner vainly rolls,


s: With gathered wrath the reprobate to whelm.


s: Will the storm hear the sailor's piteous cry,


s: Taught so mistrust, too late, the tempting wave,


s: When all around he sees but sea and sky,


s: Or will the thorns, that strew intemperance' bed,


s: Turn with a wish to down? will late remorse


s: Recall the shaft the murderer's hand has sped,


s: Or from the guiltless bosom turn its course?


s: Then may the unbodied soul in safety fleet


s: Through the dark curtains of the world above,


s: Fresh from the stain of crime; nor fear to meet


s: The God whom here she would not learn to love;


s: Then is there hope for such as die unblest,


s: That angel wings may waft them to the shore,


s: Nor need the unready virgin strike her breast,


s: Nor wait desponding round the bridegroom's door.


s: But where is then the stay of contrite hearts?


s: But with the sinner's fear their hope departs,


s: Fast linked as Thy great Name to Thee, O Lord:


s: That Name, by which Thy faithful oath is past,


s: That we should endless be, for joy or woe:-


s: And if the treasures of Thy wrath could waste,


s: Thy lovers must their promised Heaven forego.


s: But ask of elder days, earth's vernal hour,


s: When in familiar talk God's voice was heard,


s: When at the Patriarch's call the fiery shower


s: Propitious o'er the turf-built shrine appeared.


s: Watch by our father Isaac's pastoral door -


s: The birthright sold, the blessing lost and won;


s: Tell, Heaven has wrath that can relent no more;


s: The Grave, dark deeds that cannot be undone.


s: We barter life for pottage; sell true bliss


s: For wealth or power, for pleasure or renown;


s: Thus, Esau-like, our Father's blessing miss,


s: Then wash with fruitless tears our faded crown.


s: Our faded crown, despised and flung aside,


s: Shall on some brother's brow immortal bloom;


s: No partial hand the blessing may misguide,


s: No flattering fancy change our Monarch's doom:


s: His righteous doom, that meek true-hearted


s: The everlasting birthright should receive,


s: The softest dews drop on her from above,


s: The richest green her mountain garland weave:


s: Her brethren, mightiest, wisest, eldest-born,


s: Bow to her sway, and move at her behest;


s: Isaac's fond blessing may not fall on scorn,


s: Nor Balaam's curse on Love, which God hath blest.


s: This world of Thine, by him usurped too long,


s: Now opening all her stores to heal Thy servants' wrong.


s: The orphaned realm threw wide her gates, and told


s: A land that drinks the rain of Heaven at will,


s: Whose waters kiss the feet of many a vine-clad hill; -


s: Just as the lingering Sun had touched with gold,


s: Far o'er the cedar shade, some tower of giants old;


s: The household stores untouched, the roses bright


s: Wreathed o'er the cottage walls in garlands of delight.


s: Immortal Greece, dear land of glorious lays,


s: Lo! here the "unknown God" of thy unconscious praise.


s: As little children lisp, and tell of Heaven,


s: So thoughts beyond their thought to those high Bards were given.


s: What seemed an idol hymn, now breathes of Thee,


s: Tuned by Faith's ear to some celestial melody.


s: O Lord, our Lord, and spoiler of our foes,


s: There is no light but Thine:  with Thee all beauty glows.


s: Joseph made haste; for his bowels did yearn upon his brother; and


s: There stood no man with him, while Joseph made himself known unto


s: 'Tis Love, the last best gift of Heaven;


s: The gracious Dove, that brought from Heaven


s: And Moses said, I will now turn aside, and see this great sight,


s: why the bush is not burnt.  Exodus iii. 3.


s: Through many a waste heart-sickening page


s: Ye too, who tend Christ's wildering flock,


s: God will not quench nor slay them quite,


s: Long as this glittering world shall last,


s: His people's cries have pierced the cloud,


s: And He answered and said unto them, I tell you that, if these


s: Till we, like Heaven's star-sprinkled floor,


s: Doubtless Thou art our Father, though Abraham be ignorant of us,


s: and Israel acknowledge us not.  Isaiah lxiii. 16.


s: And brother too, kind husband of my heart -


s: Ere from her last embrace her hero part -


s: Strange to our ears the church-bells of our home,


s: This fragrance of our old paternal fields


s: When the babe's kiss no sense of pleasure yields


s: E'en to the doting mother:  but Thine own


s: Thou never canst forget, nor leave alone.


s: There are who sigh that no fond heart is theirs,


s: None loves them best--O vain and selfish sigh!


s: Out of the bosom of His love He spares -


s: The Father spares the Son, for thee to die:


s: For thee He died--for thee He lives again:


s: O'er thee He watches in His boundless reign.


s: Nor man nor angel lived in Heaven or earth:


s: Thus sunbeams pour alike their glorious tide


s: To light up worlds, or wake an insect's mirth:


s: They shine and shine with unexhausted store -


s: Thou art thy Saviour's darling--seek no more.


s: On thee and thine, thy warfare and thine end,


s: When, ere the final pang His soul should rend,


s: The ransomed spirits one by one were brought


s: To His mind's eye--two silent nights and days


s: In calmness for His far-seen hour He stays.


s: Ye vaulted cells, where martyred seers of old


s: Green terraces and arched fountains cold,


s: Where lies the cypress shade so still and deep,


s: Help us, one hour, to trace His musings high and low:


s: One heart-ennobling hour!  It may not be:


s: The unearthly thoughts have passed from earth away,


s: And fast as evening sunbeams from the sea


s: Were blotted from the holy ground:  yet dear


s: Is every stone of hers; for Thou want surely here.


s: That felt Thee kneeling--touched Thy prostrate brow:


s: One Angel knows it.  O might prayer avail


s: To win that knowledge! sure each holy vow


s: Less quickly from the unstable soul would fade,


s: Might tear of ours once mingle with the blood


s: That from His aching brow by moonlight fell,


s: Over the mournful joy our thoughts would brood,


s: Till they had framed within a guardian spell


s: To chase repining fancies, as they rise,


s: Like birds of evil wing, to mar our sacrifice.


s: So dreams the heart self-flattering, fondly dreams; -


s: Else wherefore, when the bitter waves o'erflow,


s: Miss we the light, Gethsemane, that streams


s: From thy dear name, where in His page of woe


s: It shines, a pale kind star in winter's sky?


s: Who vainly reads it there, in vain had seen Him die.


s: "Fill high the bowl, and spice it well, and pour


s: The dews oblivious:  for the Cross is sharp,


s: "He wept by Lazarus' grave--how will He bear


s: This bed of anguish? and His pale weak form


s: "His sweat last night was as great drops of blood,


s: And the sad burthen pressed Him so to earth,


s: "Fill high the bowl, benumb His aching sense


s: With medicined sleep."--O awful in Thy woe!


s: The slumb'rous potion bland, and wilt not drink:


s: Not sullen, nor in scorn, like haughty man


s: But as at first Thine all-pervading look


s: Saw from Thy Father's bosom to the abyss


s: So to the end, though now of mortal pangs


s: Made heir, and emptied of Thy glory, awhile,


s: Thou wilt feel all, that Thou mayst pity all;


s: And rather wouldst Thou wreathe with strong pain,


s: Or lose one glimpse of Heaven before the time


s: Told the long hours of death, as, one by one,


s: The life-strings of that tender heart gave way;


s: By false kind solaces, and spells of earth:-


s: As the deep calm that breathed, "Father, forgive,"


s: Love masters Agony; the soul that seemed


s: Saying, Father, if Thou be willing, remove this cup from Me;


s: nevertheless not My will, but Thine, be done.  St. Luke xxii. 42.


s: I will not stir, lest I forsake Thine arm,


s: Which lulls me, clinging to my Father's breast,


s: Wild fancy, peace! thou must not me beguile


s: I know thy flatteries and thy cheating ways;


s: Blind guide with siren voice, and blinding all


s: Though dearest hopes are faithless found,


s: Their hearts from sense, and learn to love


s: Must win their way through blood and fire.


s: Floats round their steps, where'er they move,


s: Such, if on high their thoughts are set,


s: Thus everywhere we find our suffering God,


s: May set our steps:  the Cross on Calvary


s: Beams on the martyr host, a beacon light


s: To the still wrestlings of the lonely heart


s: Mortal! if life smile on thee, and thou find


s: Think, who did once from Heaven to Hell descend,


s: So shalt thou dare forego, at His dear call,


s: "O Father! not My will, but Thine be done" -


s: Be this our charm, mellowing Earth's ruder noise


s: That we may cling for ever to Thy breast


s: As the beginning of thy supplications the commandment came forth,


s: therefore understand the matter, and consider the vision.  Daniel


s: His lattice open toward his darling west,


s: Mourning the ruined home he still must love the best.


s: With kings her nursing-fathers, throned high,


s: And compassed with the world's too tempting blazonry.


s: To thine Almighty Author and His steadfast sway.


s: Should cluster round thine healthiest shoot!


s: Yet dares not open farewell of Thee take,


s: For very pride, and her high-boasted Reason's sake.


s: Yet rage with passion, swell with pride,


s: The prayer that waits for him; and trembling strive


s: To keep the lingering flame in thine own breast alive.


s: Else had it bruised too sore his tender heart


s: To see GOD'S ransomed world in wrath and flame depart


s: And Death's deep trance for ever broken,


s: In mercy thou mayst feel the heavenly hand,


s: And in thy lot unharmed before thy Savour stand.


s: He is despised and rejected of men.  Isaiah liii. 3.


s: Should touch the heart with softer power


s: That to the Cross the mourner's eye should turn


s: Sooner than where the stars of Christmas burn?


s: Sooner than where upon the Saviour's friends


s: The very Comforter in light and love descends?


s: They turn to sweetness, and drop holy balm,


s: Soft as imprisoned martyr's deathbed calm.


s: Or Love, the flower that closes up for fear


s: When rude and selfish spirits breathe too near.


s: As in all lowly hearts he suffers still,


s: While we triumphant ride and have the world at will.


s: He who with one rough word, some early day,


s: Their idol world and them shall sweep for aye away.


s: Where gentlest breezes whisper souls distressed,


s: That Love yet lives, and Patience shall find rest.


s: That souls in refuge, holding by the Cross,


s: Should wince and fret at this world's little loss.


s: Wait like the parched earth on April skies.


s: 'Tis Thine by vows, and hopes, and fears.


s: To that dear home, safe in Thy wounded side,


s: Where only broken hearts their sin and shame may hide.


s: As for thee also, by the blood of thy covenant I have sent forth


s: thy prisoners out of the pit wherein is no water.  Zechariah ix.


s: At length the worst is o'er, and Thou art laid


s: All still and cold beneath yon dreary stone


s: Around those lips where power and mercy hung,


s: The dull earth o'er Thee, and Thy foes around,


s: Thou sleep'st a silent corse, in funeral fetters wound.


s: Sleep'st Thou indeed? or is Thy spirit fled,


s: Whether in Eden bowers Thy welcome voice


s: Or in some drearier scene Thine eye controls


s: That, as Thy blood won earth, Thine agony


s: Might set the shadowy realm from sin and sorrow free.


s: Where'er Thou roam'st, one happy soul, we know,


s: Waits on Thy triumphs--even as all the blest


s: Each on his cross; by Thee we hang a while,


s: Till we have learned to say, "'Tis justly done,


s: Only in glory, LORD, Thy sinful servant own."


s: Soon wilt Thou take us to Thy tranquil bower


s: Till Thine elect are numbered, and the grave


s: Then on Thy bosom borne shall we descend


s: Earth all refined with bright supernal fires,


s: Tinctured with holy blood, and winged with pure desires.


s: Meanwhile with every son and saint of Thine


s: Sitting by turns beneath Thy sacred feet


s: Know them by look and voice, and thank them all


s: For words of hope, and bright examples given


s: To show through moonless skies that there is light in Heaven.


s: O come that day, when in this restless heart


s: When in the grave with Thee my limbs shall rest,


s: But stay, presumptuous--CHRIST with Thee abides


s: He from this stone will wring Celestial dew


s: If but this prisoner's heart he faithful found and true.


s: When tears are spent, and then art left alone


s: Think thou art taken from the cross, and laid


s: Take Moses' rod, the rod of prayer, and call


s: The fount of holy blood; and lift on high


s: Thy grovelling soul that feels so desolate and dry.


s: Prisoner of Hope thou art--look up and sing


s: And knew not how, but knew his GOD would save


s: So, buried with our LORD, we'll chose our eyes


s: To the decaying world, till Angels bid us rise.


s: And as they were afraid, and bowed down their faces to the earth,


s: Thou shedd'st thy light on all the year;


s: And week days, following in their train,


s: "Where is your Lord?" she scornful asks:


s: And the base world, now Christ hath died,


s: When roused from weeping o'er His shroud,


s: E'en so, the course of prayer who knows?


s: And they departed quickly from the sepulchre with fear and great


s: And when they say, "Turn, wandering heart,


s: For oft, when summer leaves were bright,


s: That nearest Heaven has bade thee stand,


s: Why should we crave the worldling's wreath,


s: If chance some heedless heart should roam,


s: Sure, thought of these will lure it home


s: Thy wild hair floating on the eastern breeze,


s: As one who deep in heaven some airy pageant sees.


s: This giant forms of empires on their way


s: Yet in the Prophet's soul the dreams of avarice stay.


s: That they should draw to Heaven his downward eye:


s: Yet low upon the earth his heart and treasure lie.


s: One gentle Star glides down, on earth to dwell.


s: And as it mounts again, may track its brightness well.


s: The banner of his Lord's victorious wrath:


s: Around our home's green walls, and on our church-way path.


s: Like goodly cedars by the waters spread,


s: Where on the mount he watched his sorceries dark and dread.


s: And willow-shaded streams that silent sweep


s: The desert-wearied tribes in sight of Canaan sleep.


s: Not of those magic fires at random caught:


s: Flashed once, and died away, and left his darkened thought.


s: That when he fain would curse, his powerless tongue


s: Too close around his heart her tangling veil hath flung.


s: Hash made us worshippers, O claim Thine own;


s: Up to Thy heavenly light, and reap what Thou hast sown.


s: A woman when she is in travail hath sorrow, because her hour is


s: The languid sweetness seems to choke my breath,


s: And sigh, and half could wish my weariness were death.


s: Shame on the heart that dreams of blessings gone,


s: Or wakes the spectral forms of woe and crime,


s: When nature sings of joy and hope alone,


s: Reading her cheerful lesson in her own sweet time.


s: To us long since the glorious Child is born


s: Our throes should be forgot, or only seem


s: For joy that we have waked and found it but a dream.


s: Which dawns that moment on her tender gaze,


s: Her darling's hope and hers, for love and joy and praise.


s: They mourned to trust their treasure on the main,


s: Sure of the storm, unknowing of their guide:


s: For well she knows the bonus where they may safely hide.


s: So have I seen, in Spring's bewitching hour,


s: When the glad Earth is offering all her best,


s: Some gentle maid bend o'er a cherished flower,


s: And wish it worthier on a Parent's heart to rest.


s: Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I


s: you; but if I depart, I will send Him unto you.  St. John xvi 7.


s: Though sleep have closed her infant's eye;


s: Thy saints have proved the faithful word,


s: Still lessening, brightening on their sight,


s: They tracked Thee up th' abyss of light.


s: Thou bidd'st rejoice; they dare not mourn,


s: Their home and God's, that favoured place,


s: Where still He shines on Abraham's race,


s: Like suppliants at their Monarch's gate,


s: What course the genial stream may choose,


s: But ne'er so soft fell noon-tide shower,


s: Swiftly and straight each tongue of flame


s: Through cloud and breeze unwavering came,


s: And still those lambent lightnings stream;


s: The Church's prayer finds wings to soar,


s: Shouldst thou not need some mighty charm


s: Though He had deigned with thee to bide?


s: With Christ in sight, turning our gain to loss.


s: Now is there solemn pause in earth and heaven;


s: A gracious rain, freshening the weary bower -


s: And pierce, O Lord, Thy justly-sealed ear,


s: Teach her to know and love her hour of prayer,


s: Unlock her heart, and offer all its store


s: Till Thy dear love to blot the sad account


s: But chiefly (for she knows Thee angered worst


s: Chiefly for Aaron's seed she spreads her wings,


s: For what shall heal, when holy water banes!


s: Thy loved yet sinful people wandering wide,


s: Therefore her tears are bitter, and as deep


s: Sad-hearted mothers heave, that wakeful lie,


s: Therefore on fearful dreams her inward sight


s: Shall the last darkness of the world dispel,


s: Yet, yet awhile, offended Saviour, pause,


s: O spare Thy rebels for Thine own dear sake;


s: 'Tis forfeit like the first--we own it all -


s: But at Thy touch let veiled hearts awake,


s: Teacher of teachers!  Priest of priests! from Thee


s: First Levi, then all Israel, from the snare.


s: Soft cloud, that while the breeze of May


s: Chants her glad matins in the leafy arch,


s: Draw'st thy bright veil across the heavenly way


s: Meet pavement for an angel's glorious march:


s: That it should soar and glide with thee so fast,


s: The while my grovelling thoughts half buried lie,


s: Or lawless roam around this earthly waste.


s: I will arise, and in the strength of love


s: Pursue the bright track ere it fade away,


s: Sure, when I reach the point where earth


s: Melts into nothing from th' uncumbered sight,


s: Heaven will o'ercome th' attraction of my birth.


s: And I shall sink in yonder sea of light:


s: Once bleeding, now triumphant for my sake,


s: He to earth's lowest cares is still awake.


s: All space, beyond the soar of angel wings,


s: Wait on His word:  and yet He stays His car


s: For every sigh a contrite suppliant brings.


s: For all the anthems of the boundless sky -


s: And shall our dreams of music bar our ear


s: To His soul-piercing voice for ever nigh?


s: Our thoughts have traced Thee to Thy glory-throne


s: Where human sorrow breathes her lowly moan.


s: Though on unfolding Heaven our gaze we bend


s: Where lost behind the bright angelic throng


s: We see CHRIST'S entering triumph slow ascend.


s: Faster than now it fades, that gleam revive,


s: When issuing from his cloud of fiery gold


s: Our wasted frames feel the true sun, and live.


s: But such as lifts the new-created heart,


s: Age after age, in worthier love and praise.


s: As when th' unclouded heavens were rent.


s: Open they stand, that prayers in throngs


s: But these, like tongues, o'er all the earth


s: Conscience gives back th' appalling tone;


s: And wild-flower wreaths from side to side


s: With Christ His Father's throne, and wear


s: When He putteth forth His own sheep, He goeth before them.  St.


s: Like sailors shipwrecked in their dreams,


s: Scared with this smooth unbloody strife?


s: Hear thine own King, the King of Saints;


s: "What, hath the Christ forgot His task?"


s: How bright, in Heaven, the marks will glow


s: She swells her high heart-cheering tone.


s: Lose in arched glades their tangled sight; -


s: Through her grey veil the leafless grove


s: Tones that with seraphs hymns might blend.


s: Three solemn aisles approach the shrine:


s: Within these walls each fluttering guest


s: (Since Thou art ours, and we are Thine,)


s: By all the grace Thy heavens still hide,


s: Where is the land with milk and honey flowing,


s: The promise of our God, our fancy's theme?


s: Here over shattered walls dank weeds are growing,


s: And blood and fire have run in mingled stream;


s: And haughty Jericho's cloud-piercing wall


s: Lies where it sank at Joshua's trumpet call.


s: These are not scenes for pastoral dance at even,


s: For moonlight rovings in the fragrant glades,


s: Soft slumbers in the open eye of Heaven,


s: And all the listless joy of summer shades.


s: Nor may our household vine or fig-tree hide


s: The broken arches of old Canaan's pride.


s: Where is the sweet repose of hearts repenting,


s: The deep calm sky, the sunshine of the soul,


s: Now Heaven and earth are to our bliss consenting,


s: And all the Godhead joins to make us whole.


s: And from behind the cloud held out by Jesus' hand.


s: "Now, Christians, hold your own--the land before ye


s: Is open--win your way, and take your rest."


s: So sounds our war-note; but our path of glory


s: By many a cloud is darkened and unblest:


s: Shows at each turn some mouldering hope or joy,


s: The Man seems following still the funeral of the Boy.


s: Open our eyes, Thou Sun of life and gladness,


s: That we may see that glorious world of Thine!


s: It shines for us in vain, while drooping sadness


s: Enfolds us here like mist:  come Power benign,


s: Touch our chilled hearts with vernal smile,


s: Who have th' eternal towers for our appointed bourne.


s: Marvel not, my brethren, if the world hate you.  We know that we


s: When Autumn's softest gleams are ending,


s: Seem they the breath of life to breathe?


s: Cheap forms, and common hues, 'tis true,


s: Through the bright shower-drop' meet his view;


s: Though worn and soiled with sinful clay,


s: Christ's mark outwears the rankest blot.


s: There is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner


s: O hateful spell of Sin! when friends are nigh,


s: To make stern Memory tell her tale unsought,


s: And raise accusing shades of hours gone by,


s: To come between us and all kindly thought!


s: Chilled at her touch, the self-reproaching soul


s: Flies from the heart and home she dearest loves,


s: To where lone mountains tower, or billows roll,


s: Or to your endless depth, ye solemn groves.


s: In vain:  the averted cheek in loneliest dell


s: The leaves that rustle near us seem to tell


s: Our heart's sad secret to the silent air.


s: The heavens are watching with their thousand eyes,


s: We cannot pass our guardian angel's bound,


s: Resigned or sullen, he will hear our sighs.


s: Is near, and mourns to see our thankless glance


s: Dwell coldly, where the fresh green earth is strewed


s: With the first flowers that lead the vernal dance.


s: In wasteful bounty showered, they smile unseen,


s: Unseen by man--but what if purer sprights


s: By moonlight o'er their dewy bosoms lean


s: To adore the Father of all gentle lights?


s: If such there be, O grief and shame to think


s: That sight of thee should overcloud their joy,


s: A new-born soul, just waiting on the brink


s: Of endless life, yet wrapt in earth's annoy!


s: O turn, and be thou turned! the selfish tear,


s: In bitter thoughts of low-born care begun,


s: Let it flow on, but flow refined and clear,


s: The turbid waters brightening as they run.


s: Let it flow on, till all thine earthly heart


s: Then fearless turn where Heaven hath set thy part,


s: Nor shudder at the Eye that saw thee stray.


s: O lost and found! all gentle souls below


s: Their dearest welcome shall prepare, and prove


s: Such joy o'er thee, as raptured seraphs know,


s: Who learn their lesson at the Throne of Love.


s: For the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the


s: manifestation of the sons of God.  For the creature was made


s: liberty of the children of God.  For we know that the whole


s: creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now.


s: In whispering leaves, these solemn words -


s: At which high spirits of old would start


s: Just guessing, through their murky blind


s: "Rise, shine, and sing, thou captive thrall;


s: And Simon answering said unto Him, Master, we have toiled all the


s: "The livelong night we've toiled in vain,


s: Or whispering palm-leaves from the shore


s: Sweet thoughts of peace, ye may not last:


s: When bitter thoughts, of conscience born,


s: Where is the spell to charm those mists away,


s: And make new morning in that darksome day?


s: One steadfast thought, that GOD is there.


s: Mounts o'er a cloudy ridge, and all is bright,


s: Would'st thou the pangs of guilt assuage?


s: Flushed into green the dry and leafless bower,


s: "The Lord forgives; thou shalt not die:"


s: And all the band of angels, used to sing


s: In heaven, accordant to his raptured string,


s: Now spread their wings, and throng around


s: The rock is smitten, and to future years


s: Springs ever fresh the tide of holy tears


s: If ever, floating from faint earthly lyre,


s: Was wafted to your soul one high desire,


s: That his own heart may hear his melodies,


s: From whence can a man satisfy these men with bread here in the


s: Here on Bethsaida's cold and darksome height,


s: And Tabor's lonely peak, 'twixt thee and noonday light.


s: (Though all seem gathered in one eager bound,)


s: Where five proud cities lie, by one dire sentence drowned.


s: Nor fainting turn to seek thy distant home:


s: For healing and for balm e'en now thine hour is come.


s: But one poor fisher's rude and scanty store


s: And stills the wailing sea-bird on the hungry shore.


s: The breeze of eve sweeps wildly as of old -


s: The heart's sweet moonlight softly gleams


s: Upon life's varied view, so joyless erst and cold.


s: Pause listening on the silent heath, and hear


s: Conscious the more of One, ne'er seen, yet ever near:


s: The lonely world seems lifted nearer heaven;


s: Earth's common paths are strewn all o'er


s: With flowers of pensive hope, the wreath of man forgiven.


s: Sweet roses one by one, nor autumn leaves decay.


s: But feeds with solace kind the willing soul -


s: The curse of lawless hearts, the joy of self-control.


s: Nor fear to seek Him farther in the wild,


s: Whose love can turn earth's worst and least


s: Thou wilt not be untrue, thou shalt not be beguiled.


s: It is the man of God, who was disobedient unto the word of the


s: Enthralls:  the smooth stones of the flood,


s: In troublous days of anguish and rebuke,


s: While sadly round them Israel's children look,


s: And their eyes fail for waiting on their Lord:


s: While underneath each awful arch of green,


s: On every mountain-top, God's chosen scene,


s: 'Tis well, true hearts should for a time retire


s: Towards promised regions of serener grace;


s: Where all around on mountain, sand, and sky,


s: God's chariot wheels have left distinctest trace;


s: There, if in jealousy and strong disdain


s: Untimely seeking here the peace of Heaven -


s: That I should stand where they have vainly striven?" -


s: Perhaps our God may of our conscience ask,


s: "What doest thou here frail wanderer from thy task?


s: Where hast thou left those few sheep in the wild?"


s: Then should we plead our heart's consuming pain,


s: At sight of ruined altars, prophets slain,


s: And God's own ark with blood of souls defiled;


s: He on the rock may bid us stand, and see


s: His endless warfare with man's wilful heart;


s: First, His great Power He to the sinner shows


s: Lo! at His angry blast the rocks unclose,


s: And to their base the trembling mountains part


s: Yet the Lord is not here:  'Tis not by Power


s: He will be known--but darker tempests lower;


s: Still, sullen heavings vex the labouring ground:


s: Perhaps His Presence thro' all depth and height,


s: Best of all gems that deck His crown of light,


s: The haughty eye may dazzle and confound.


s: God is not in the earthquake; but behold


s: From Sinai's caves are bursting, as of old,


s: The flames of His consuming jealous ire.


s: Woe to the sinner should stern Justice prove


s: Hastes to proclaim, "God is not in the fire."


s: The storm is o'er--and hark! a still small voice


s: Steals on the ear, to say, Jehovah's choice


s: Is ever with the soft, meek, tender soul;


s: By soft, meek, tender ways He loves to draw


s: The sinner, startled by His ways of awe:


s: Here is our Lord, and not where thunders roll.


s: Back, then, complainer; loath thy life no more,


s: Because the rocks the nearer prospect close.


s: Yet in fallen Israel are there hearts and eyes


s: That day by day in prayer like thine arise;


s: Thou know'st them not, but their Creator knows.


s: Go, to the world return, nor fear to cast


s: The work be thine, the fruit thy children's part:


s: Choose to believe, not see:  sight tempts the heart


s: And when He was come near, He beheld the city, and wept over it.


s: In thought how soon at death's dark goal


s: The pain, the shame, the scorn, the loss?


s: Is it a time to receive money, and to receive garments, and


s: oliveyards, and vineyards, and sheep, and oxen, and menservants,


s: And winds have rent thy sheltering bowers,


s: And will the saints in Heaven dare weep?


s: The towers His hand had deigned to raise;


s: On thoughts that bitterest seemed erewhile,


s: The fettered tongue its chain may break;


s: Sure His meek heart would break and die,


s: When Thou didst look to Heaven and sigh:


s: As Thou hast touched our ears, and taught


s: Quell Thou each thankless godless thought


s: From worldly strife, from mirth unblest,


s: From foul reproach, from thrilling fears,


s: Preserve, good Lord, Thy servants' ears.


s: And haunt our hearts when we would pray,


s: From Pride's false chime, and jarring wrong,


s: And He turned Him onto His disciples, and said privately, Blessed


s: 'Tis Thee," he cries, "not Thine, I seek."


s: Caught by earth's shadows as they fleet;


s: In their own land, earth's pride and grace:


s: Blessed eyes, which see the things we see!


s: And Jesus answering said, Were there not ten cleansed? but where


s: are the nine?  There are not found that returned to give glory to


s: Who would have thought our nature's stain


s: Watched, noting down each prayer he made,


s: Christ's blessing at your heart is warm,


s: I desire that ye faint not at my tribulations for you, which is


s: That haunt and vex thee, heart and brain,


s: More pangs than tongue or heart can frame


s: Every man of the house of Israel that setteth up his idols in his


s: cometh according to the multitude of his idols.  Ezekiel xiv. 4.


s: Stately thy walls, and holy are the prayers


s: Which day and night before thine altars rise:


s: Not statelier, towering o'er her marble stairs,


s: Flashed Sion's gilded dome to summer skies,


s: Not holier, while around him angels bowed,


s: From Aaron's censer steamed the spicy cloud,


s: Wilt thou forgive thy son one boding sigh?


s: Forgive, if round thy towers he walk in fear,


s: Mindful of that sad vision, which in thought


s: From Chebar's plains the captive prophet brought.


s: To see lost Sion's shame.  'Twas morning prime,


s: And like a Queen new seated on her throne,


s: GOD'S crowned mountain, as in happier time,


s: Seemed to rejoice in sunshine all her own:


s: So bright, while all in shade around her lay,


s: Her northern pinnacles had caught th' emerging ray.


s: Crossed with as free a span the vault of heaven,


s: As when twelve tribes knelt silently aloof


s: Ere GOD His answer to their king had given,


s: The glory of the LORD, the Lord of Israel.


s: All seems the same:  but enter in and see


s: What idol shapes are on the wall portrayed:


s: And watch their shameless and unholy glee,


s: Who worship there in Aaron's robes arrayed:


s: Hear Judah's maids the dirge to Thammuz pour,


s: And mark her chiefs yon orient sun adore.


s: Yet turn thee, son of man--for worse than these


s: Thou must behold:  thy loathing were but lost


s: Come, learn to tell aright thine own sins' cost, -


s: And sure their sin as far from equals thine,


s: As earthly hopes abused are less than hopes divine.


s: What if within His world, His Church, our LORD


s: Have entered thee, as in some temple gate,


s: Where, looking round, each glance might thee afford


s: Some glorious earnest of thine high estate,


s: And thou, false heart and frail, hast turned from all


s: To worship pleasure's shadow on the wall?


s: If, when the LORD of Glory was in sight,


s: Thou turn thy back upon that fountain clear,


s: To bow before the "little drop of light,"


s: Which dim-eyed men call praise and glory here;


s: What dost thou, but adore the sun, and scorn


s: Him at whose only word both sun and stars were born?


s: If, while around thee gales from Eden breathe,


s: Thou hide thine eyes, to make thy peevish moan


s: Some darling of blind fancy dead and gone,


s: As wisely might'st thou in JEHOVAH'S fane


s: Offer thy love and tears to Thammuz slain.


s: Turn thee from these, or dare not to inquire


s: Of Him whose name is Jealous, lest in wrath


s: He hear and answer thine unblest desire:


s: Far better we should cross His lightning's path


s: And God should take us at our own vain word.


s: Thou who hast deigned the Christian's heart to call


s: Thy Church and Shrine; whene'er our rebel will


s: Would in that chosen home of Thine instal


s: Whate'er Thou knowest our weakness would abuse.


s: Or rather help us, LORD, to choose the good,


s: To pray for nought, to seek to none, but Thee,


s: Nor by "our daily bread" mean common food,


s: Nor say, "From this world's evil set us free;"


s: Teach us to love, with CHRIST, our sole true bliss,


s: Else, though in CHRIST'S own words, we surely pray amiss.


s: Our ears have heard the Almighty's call,


s: "Long loved, long tried, long spared as they,


s: That, by Thy grace, our hearts shall stay


s: Which turns their sufferings all to bliss?


s: To screen them from the scorching blast?


s: Three were they--who hath made them four?


s: Yet cheered and cheering all, the while,


s: By the sad couch whence hope hath flown,


s: These know:  on these look long and well,


s: Cleansing thy sight by prayer and faith,


s: Through sevenfold flames thine eye shall see


s: The Saviour walking with His faithful Three.


s: Hear ye, O mountains, the Lord's controversy, and ye strong


s: Where is Thy favoured haunt, eternal Voice,


s: Where, undisturbed by sin and earth, the soul


s: 'Tis on the mountain's summit dark and high,


s: 'Tis 'mid the strong foundations of the earth,


s: No sounds of worldly toil ascending there,


s: Lone Nature feels that she may freely breathe,


s: Are heard her sacred tones:  the fitful sweep


s: Through withered bents--romantic note and clear,


s: The dashing waters when the air is still


s: That winds unseen beneath the shaggy fell,


s: Such sounds as make deep silence in the heart


s: 'Tis then we hear the voice of GOD within,


s: "Child of My love! how have I wearied thee?


s: Have I not brought thee from the house of slaves,


s: And set My saints before thee in the way,


s: "What! was the promise made to thee alone?


s: There lies thy cross; beneath it meekly bow;


s: "Raise thy repining eyes, and take true measure


s: The Father of thy Lord can grudge thee nought,


s: And as this landscape broad--earth, sea, and sky, -


s: The vision is yet for an appointed time, but at the end it shall


s: Nor yet this autumnal breeze has stirred the grove,


s: The red-breast warbles round this leafy cove.


s: As one still bent to find or make the best,


s: Rather in all to be resigned than blest.


s: As homeward from some grave beloved we turn,


s: Of her whom Heaven is teaching how to mourn.


s: Singing so thankful to the dreary blast,


s: 'Mid withered hues and sere, its lot be cast:


s: Th' appalling Future as it nearer draws:


s: And tracing through the cloud th' eternal Cause.


s: As o'er the Church the gathering twilight falls


s: By youthful Hope seen beaming round her walls.


s: His thoughts to Heaven the steadier rise:


s: There seek his answer when the world reproves:


s: When from the east the eternal morning moves.


s: Lord, how oft shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him?


s: The thwarting cliffs that bound his sight,


s: While from His pard'ning Cross He calls,


s: When thou hast told those isles of light,


s: Red o'er the forest peers the setting sun,


s: That crowned the eastern copse:  and chill and dun


s: Falls on the moor the brief November day.


s: Now the tired hunter winds a parting note,


s: And Echo hide good-night from every glade;


s: Yet wait awhile, and see the calm heaves float


s: Each to his rest beneath their parent shade.


s: How like decaying life they seem to glide!


s: And yet no second spring have they in store,


s: Is all their portion, and they ask no more.


s: Soon o'er their heads blithe April airs shall sing,


s: A thousand wild-flowers round them shall unfold,


s: The green buds glisten in the dews of Spring,


s: No thought of them; in all the bounteous sky,


s: No drop, for them, of kindly influence found.


s: Man's portion is to die and rise again -


s: Yet he complains, while these unmurmuring part


s: With their sweet lives, as pure from sin and stain,


s: And haply half unblamed his murmuring voice


s: Might sound in Heaven, were all his second life


s: Only the first renewed--the heathen's choice,


s: A round of listless joy and weary strife.


s: For dreary were this earth, if earth were all,


s: Tho' brightened oft by dear Affection's kiss; -


s: Who for the spangles wears the funeral pall?


s: But catch a gleam beyond it, and 'tis bliss.


s: Heavy and dull this frame of limbs and heart,


s: Whether slow creeping on cold earth, or borne


s: On lofty steed, or loftier prow, we dart


s: O'er wave or field:  yet breezes laugh to scorn


s: Our puny speed, and birds, and clouds in heaven,


s: And fish, living shafts that pierce the main,


s: And stars that shoot through freezing air at even -


s: Who but would follow, might he break his chain?


s: And thou shalt break it soon; the grovelling worm


s: Shall find his wings, and soar as fast and free


s: As his transfigured Lord with lightning form


s: And snowy vest--such grace He won for thee,


s: When from the grave He sprang at dawn of morn,


s: And led through boundless air thy conquering road,


s: Leaving a glorious track, where saints, new-born,


s: Might fearless follow to their blest abode.


s: But first, by many a stern and fiery blast


s: The world's rude furnace must thy blood refine,


s: And many a gale of keenest woe be passed,


s: Till every pulse beat true to airs divine,


s: The mounting soul, the call by Jesus given.


s: The laggard body soon will waft to Heaven.


s: The heart knoweth his own bitterness:  and a stranger doth not


s: intermeddle with his joy.  Proverbs xiv. 10.


s: Why should we faint and fear to live alone,


s: Since all alone, so Heaven has willed, we die,


s: Nor e'en the tenderest heart, and next our own,


s: Knows half the reasons why we smile and sigh?


s: Our hermit spirits dwell, and range apart,


s: Our eyes see all around in gloom or glow -


s: Hues of their own, fresh borrowed from the heart.


s: And well it is for us our GOD should feel


s: Alone our secret throbbings:  so our prayer


s: May readier spring to Heaven, nor spend its zeal


s: Beat with another, answering love for love,


s: Weak mortals, all entranced, on earth would lie,


s: Nor listen for those purer strains above.


s: Or what if Heaven for once its searching light


s: Lent to some partial eye, disclosing all


s: The rude bad thoughts, that in our bosom's night


s: Wander at large, nor heed Love's gentle thrall?


s: Who would not shun the dreary uncouth place?


s: As if, fond leaning where her infant slept,


s: A mother's arm a serpent should embrace:


s: So might we friendless live, and die unwept.


s: Then keep the softening veil in mercy drawn,


s: Thou who canst love us, thro' Thou read us true;


s: Melts in dim haze each coarse ungentle hue.


s: So too may soothing Hope Thy heave enjoy


s: Sweet visions of long-severed hearts to frame:


s: Though absence may impair, or cares annoy,


s: Some constant mind may draw us still the same.


s: We in dark dreams are tossing to and fro,


s: Pine with regret, or sicken with despair,


s: The while she bathes us in her own chaste glow,


s: And with our memory wings her own fond prayer.


s: O bliss of child-like innocence, and love


s: Tried to old age! creative power to win,


s: And raise new worlds, where happy fancies rove,


s: Forgetting quite this grosser world of sin.


s: Bright are their dreams, because their thoughts are clear,


s: Their memory cheering:  but th' earth-stained spright,


s: Whose wakeful musings are of guilt and fear,


s: Must hover nearer earth, and less in light.


s: Farewell, for her, th' ideal scenes so fair -


s: Yet not farewell her hope, since thou hast deigned,


s: The woe of what Thou mad'st, and we have stained.


s: Thou knowst our bitterness--our joys are Thine -


s: No stranger Thou to all our wanderings wild:


s: Nor could we bear to think, how every line


s: Of us, Thy darkened likeness and defiled,


s: Stands in full sunshine of Thy piercing eye,


s: But that Thou call'st us Brethren:  sweet repose


s: Is in that word--the LORD who dwells on high


s: Knows all, yet loves us better than He knows.


s: The hoary head is a crown of glory, if it be found in the way of


s: That soonest thrills at touch of praise -


s: Gather up the fragments that remain, that nothing be lost.  St.


s: When down th' o'erwhelming current tossed


s: In agonizing prayer, will Ocean cease her strife?


s: The Church our annual steps has brought,


s: Back on the gaudy world our wilful eyes were bent.


s: Profaned by worldly mirth, or scared by worldly fear.


s: But faster than she soars, our earth-bound Fancy tires.


s: To the Redeemer's feet their new-found treasures bear:-


s: Stretched out to bless--a Christian charm


s: Are called to sit and eat, while angels prostrate fall:-


s: Have our frail spirits found their ease.


s: Had taught the innocent air their sadly thrilling parts.


s: Earths gems the fire of Heaven have caught;


s: May keep th' ethereal warmth our new Creator brought.


s: These we have scorned, O false and frail!


s: And all our work to do with palsied hands and cold?


s: 'Twixt thee and death the veil is drawn.


s: Breathes sweeter than whole years of sacrifice below.


s: Who art thou, that wouldst grave thy name


s: Till thou have scanned His features well,


s: Ere the whole widowed Church had seen her risen Lord.


s: And saw Thine open grave, and knew that thou wert gone.


s: "Here lay His limbs, and here His sacred head,


s: And who was by, to make His new-forsaken bed?"


s: Her witness first the Church must hear -


s: With her at earliest call of His dear gracious voice.


s: Though with sealed eyes awhile they walk,


s: His glory on their souls, made known in breaking bread.


s: Till passed th' enquiring day-light hour,


s: As one who for redemption still had long to wait.


s: Then, gliding through th' unopening door,


s: "Peace to your souls," He said--no more -


s: Successive made His witnesses that hour,


s: Cease not in all the world to show His saving power.


s: Scarce daring, through the twilight pale,


s: That drew thy likeness here so true in every line.


s: Though vexing thoughts may seem to last,


s: Soon will He show thee all His wounds, and say,


s: "Long have I known Thy name--know thou My face alway."


s: And the Lord said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest.  Acts ix. 4,


s: "Who art Thou, Lord?" he falters forth:-


s: And though heaven's gate long since have closed,


s: Know, though at God's right hand I live,


s: (Like pulses that round harp-strings float


s: Blessed are the pure in heart:  for they shall see God.  St.


s: This, this is He:  your Priest by grace,


s: That throne, if aught beneath the skies,


s: Whose prayers are struggling with his tears?


s: Now sees, unlooked for, Heaven on earth,


s: Him child-like sires, meek maidens find,


s: Wherefore of these men which have companied with us all the time


s: that the Lord Jesus went in and out among us, beginning from the


s: baptism of John, unto the same day that He was taken up from us,


s: must one be ordained to be a witness with us of His resurrection.


s: He, who on Christ stands waiting day and night,


s: Who traceth His holy steps, nor ever ceased,


s: From his Lord's cradle, patience from His Cross;


s: Whom poor men's eyes and hearts consent to bless;


s: Owned Him divine, and yielded, nothing loth,


s: In humble following of his Saviour dear:


s: This is the man to wield th' unearthly sword,


s: What mortal--for this more than angels' task,


s: Winning or losing souls, Thy life-blood's price?


s: By Thy dear promise to thy Church and Bride,


s: That Thou, on earth, wouldst aye with her endure,


s: Whose arm supports her, on Whose faithful breast


s: Stayest her fainting steps along the wild;


s: Thy merit is on the bowers of lust and pride,


s: Dare touch Thy spouse, Thy very self below?


s: Or who dare count him summoned worthily,


s: But on thou chosen seed, from age to age


s: Yet full of trembling, Messengers of God:


s: Our warrant sure, but doubting of our worth,


s: Thou who didst seal by Thy descending Dove


s: Thy servant's choice, O help us in our parts,


s: Else helpless found, to learn and teach Thy love.


s: And the Angel came in unto her, and said, Hail, thou that art


s: highly favoured, the Lord is with thee:  blessed art thou among


s: Wouldst Thou Thine aching forehead rest,


s: Blessed is the womb that bare Him--blessed


s: The living homes where Christ shall dwell,


s: And the contention was so sharp between them, that they departed


s: asunder one from the other.  Acts xv. 30.


s: But they shall change and variance prove.


s: When saints beneath their Saviour's eye,


s: Let the brother of low degree rejoice in that he is exalted:  but


s: The sea of consolation, a Levite.  Acts iv. 36.


s: The world's a room of sickness, where each heart


s: The truest wisdom there, and noblest art,


s: Whom by the softest step and gentlest tone


s: When, like an angel's wing, they feel him fleeting by:-


s: FEEL only--for in silence gently gliding


s: 'Twixt Prayer and watchful Love his heart dividing,


s: Such were the tender arms, where cradled lay,


s: He to His chosen taught for His dear widowed Dove.


s: Warmed underneath the Comforter's safe wing


s: They spread th' endearing warmth around:


s: Mourners, speed here your broken hearts to bring,


s: Here are soft hands that cannot bless in vain,


s: The heavenly consolations they on you bestow.


s: Sweet thoughts are theirs, that breathe serenest calms,


s: Of fire from heaven to bless their votive alms


s: The world to them is closed, and now they shine


s: Through darkest nooks of this dull earth


s: Pouring, in showery times, their glow of "quiet mirth."


s: New hearts before their Saviour's feet to lay,


s: Their next from heart to heart to clear the way


s: To wait, than if their own with all his radiance glowed.


s: What though long since in Heaven your brows began,


s: We and our earthly griefs may ask and hope a part.


s: Comfort's true sons! amid the thoughts of down


s: Sure 'tis one joy to muse, how ye unknown


s: And how the spark ye lit, of heavenly cheer,


s: Where'er the cross is borne with smiles,


s: Or lightened secretly by Love's endearing wiles:


s: Or issuing thence, the eyes of mourners steeps


s: Thus saints, that seem to die in earth's rude strife,


s: To live in memory here, in Heaven by love and praise.


s: The fallen Church hath felt Elijah's eye


s: Not keener burns, in the chill morning sky,


s: That favoured seer--but where shall he be found?


s: In vain on Carmel's green and lonely mound:


s: By harmless fire, among the ethereal thrones,


s: And trace, in thine, her own deep tones.


s: He would behold thy wounds with envious eyes,


s: Didst guide our hope, where Christ should rise.


s: No anxious fear to damp Affection's glow,


s: The twilight of the great and dreadful day,


s: Stoop from the clouds?  Why sheep ye?  Rise and pray,


s: The soul unswerving and the fearless tongue?


s: By lonely prayer the haunted rocks among?


s: Her eagle wings, to shelter in the wild,


s: With flames like these, all bright and undefiled,


s: That by their speaking lives the world may learn


s: That sons to parents, all to Thee may turn;


s: When Herod would have brought him forth, the same night Peter was


s: For his winged thoughts are soaring high


s: E'en through the veil of sheep it shines,


s: Both bought and nourished with His blood:


s: His passport through this eternal gates,


s: His dream is changed--the Tyrant's voice


s: Shall pierce, and dry the fount of tears,


s: Touched he upstarts--his chains unbind -


s: Ye shall drink indeed of My cup, and be baptised with the baptism


s: left, is not Mine to give, but it shall be given to them for whom


s: What names on earth shall lowliest prove,


s: With thee t'ward Heaven to walk and weep:


s: "Come where thou long hast storeth thy all


s: Jesus answered and said unto him, Because I said unto thee, I saw


s: Thrill through his heart's remotest cells,


s: "What word is this?  Whence know'st thou me?"


s: "The child-like faith, that asks not sight,


s: Shall see things greater, things divine.


s: And after these things He went forth, and saw a publican, named


s: Levi, sitting at the receipt of custom:  and He said unto him,


s: Follow Me.  And he left all, rose up, and followed Him.  St. Luke


s: The moral of each fleeting cloud and gale,


s: The whispers from above, that haunt the twilight vale:


s: That o'er some town, like mist upraised,


s: Were ye not fain to doubt how Faith could dwell


s: Amid that dreary glare, in this world's citadel?


s: Go--thou art naught to us, nor we to thee--away!


s: Plying their daily task with busier feet,


s: Because their secret souls a holy strain repeat.


s: But not in vain, beside yon breezy lake,


s: Bade the meek Publican his gainful seat forsake:


s: Of Christ's true riches o'er all time and space,


s: First angel of His Church, first steward of His Grace.


s: Went with Him through the rich man's door,


s: That we might learn of Him lost souls to love,


s: And view His least and worst with hope to meet above.


s: Till tower, and dome, and bridge-way proud


s: And to wise hearts this certain hope us given;


s: "No mist that man may raise, shall hide the eye of Heaven."


s: And live in Paradise, as if God was not there!


s: Are they not all ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for


s: them who shall be heirs of salvation?  Hebrews i. 14.


s: Ye stars that round the Sun of righteousness


s: With harps for ever strung, ready to bless


s: Ye eagle spirits, that build in light divine,


s: Faint warblers of this earth, that would combine


s: Our trembling notes with your accepted lay.


s: Your amarant wreaths were earned; and homeward all,


s: Ye might have sped to keep high festival,


s: But meeting us, weak worldlings, on our way,


s: Ye turned to help us in th' unequal fray,


s: Remembering Whose we were, how dearly won:


s: Remembering Bethlehem, and that glorious night


s: Diverse along all space in fiery flight,


s: Your God new-born, and made a sinner's child;


s: Their stations in the far ethereal wild,


s: And round the sun a radiant circle weave.


s: Nor less your lay of triumph greeted fair


s: In that first strife, whence Satan in despair


s: Banquet and hymn, your Eden's festal store.


s: Were leaning from your golden thrones to know


s: But clouds were on His sorrow:  one alone


s: Summoned from Heaven, to still that bitterest groan,


s: Oh! highest favoured of all Spirits create


s: How didst thou glide on brightening wing elate


s: Of Jesus from the couch of darkness rising!


s: With fear and mightier joy weak hearts surprising,


s: "Your God is risen, and may not here be found!"


s: Pass a few days, and this dull darkling globe


s: Brighter and brighter streams His glory-robe,


s: Then, when through yonder everlasting arch,


s: Poured, heralding Messiah's conquering march,


s: Lingered around His skirts two forms of fire:


s: With us they stayed, high warning to impart;


s: E'en as He goes; with the same human heart,


s: Oh! jealous God! how could a sinner dare


s: But that with all Thy wounds Thou wilt be there,


s: And all our angel friends to bring Thee on Thy way?


s: Since to Thy little ones is given such grace,


s: Alway to God in Heaven, and see His face,


s: And waft us heavenward with enfolding wing:


s: Grant.  Lord, that when around th' expiring world


s: While on her death-bed, ere to ruin hurled,


s: They to their charge may turn, and thankful see


s: Then all together rise, and reign with Thee,


s: And all their holy joy o'er contrite hearts fulfil!


s: Were made--who rules the world He planned,


s: One lose, the other keep, Heaven's clue;


s: "His life is Christ, his death is gain."


s: Luke the beloved, the sick soul's guide,


s: Approach:  for thou canst feel the gleam


s: That round the martyr's death-bed plays:


s: That ye should earnestly contend for the faith which was once


s: Make haste, and take her home, and bring


s: Soft on her fluttering heart shall breathe


s: Hurt not the earth, neither the sea, nor the trees, till we have


s: The shadows sleep on every slanting hill.


s: The four strong winds of Heaven fast bound,


s: Their earthly stains; and spotless shine


s: The seal of glory won and pledge of promised


s: So Famine waits, and War with greedy eyes,


s: Till some repenting heart be ready for the skies.


s: From many a rural nook unthought of there,


s: Rises for that proud world the saints' prevailing prayer.


s: Short be your strife, your triumph full,


s: Till every heart have caught your flame,


s: Your prayers and struggles o'er, your task all praise and joy.


s: To scale the mount and pierce the cloud,


s: Hear them, kind Saviour--hear Thy Spouse


s: One from the Cross, and one from Heaven.


s: While sinners taste Thine heavenly balm.


s: In strengthening form and freshening hue,


s: Like spring-flowers in their best array,


s: While drooping paused twelve banners proud,


s: So should Thy champions, ere this strife


s: Breathe, Holy Ghost, Thy freshening gale,


s: Felt Thee how strong, our hearts how frail,


s: That blessing dear, that dove-like hand,


s: Where should ye seek Love's perfect smile,


s: But where your prayers were learned erewhile,


s: From the pure shrine, where Christ to-day


s: Bear to their suffering brethren's side.


s: Where Faith has kept her midnight watch,


s: Where fixed, as if one prayer could heal,


s: Such have I seen:  and while they poured


s: bare him stood still.   And He said, Young man, I say unto thee,


s: With thoughts of spring the heart beguile?


s: Where bright leaves, reddening ere they fall,


s: Whence parents' eyes would hopeless shrink,


s: Quelling th' embittered spirit's strife -


s: Unchanged that voice--and though not yet


s: And our hearts feel they must not break.


s: Here let him speed:  to-day this hallowed air


s: Is fragrant with a mother's first and fondest prayer.


s: To the great Father lifts her pale glad eye,


s: Like a reviving flower when storms are hushed on high.


s: To brood o'er silently, and form for Heaven


s: Each passionate wish and dream to dear affection given.


s: Slight tremblings only of her veil declare


s: Soft answers duly whispered to each soothing prayer.


s: Help, by the unexpressive smile, that made


s: A Heaven on earth around this couch where Thou wast laid.


s: The prayers are o'er:  why slumberest thou so long,


s: Why swell'st thou not, like breeze from mountain cave,


s: This white-robed priest, as otherwhile, to guide,


s: Keeps back our glorious sacrifice to-day:


s: The widow'd Spouse of Christ:  with ashes crown'd,


s: She lingers in the porch for grief and fear,


s: But if her warning tears in vain be spent,


s: Lo, to her altered eye this Law's stern fires are lent.


s: Each awful curse, that on Mount Ebal rang,


s: Out of that silver trump, whose tones of old


s: And who can blame the mother's fond affright,


s: Her infant sees, and springs with hurried hand


s: To snatch the rover from the dangerous strand?


s: But surer than all words the silent spell


s: When to her bird, too early 'scaped the nest,


s: Smiling he turns and spreads his little wing,


s: There to glide home, there safely cling.


s: So yearns our mother o'er each truant son,


s: So softly falls the lay in fear and wrath begun.


s: Wayward and spoiled she knows ye:  the keen blast,


s: The rod of discipline, the robe of shame -


s: Your God forgives, but ye no comfort take


s: Till ye have scourged the sins that in your conscience ache.


s: Oh, heavy laden soul! kneel down and hear


s: With thine own lips to sentence all thy sin;


s: Nor on remorseful thoughts to brood, and stain


s: This glory of the Cross, forgiven and cheereth in vain.


s: The shower of moonlight falls as still and clear


s: As where sweet flowers some pastoral garden cheer


s: The wild winds rustle in piping shrouds,


s: Like summer fields, beneath the shadowy clouds


s: The yielding waters darken in the breeze.


s: Thou too art here with thy soft inland tones,


s: When storms are high, or when the fires of war


s: Thou breath'st a note like music from afar,


s: Tempering rude hearts with calm angelic force.


s: Far, far away, the homesick seaman's hoard,


s: Like flower-leaves in a previous volume stored,


s: Some heart too weary of the restless world;


s: That o'er this brightening billow streams unfurled,


s: Whatever gale the labouring vessel toss.


s: Oh, kindly soothing in high Victory's hour,


s: In whose sweet presence Sorrow dares not lower,


s: Too high for earth; what mother's heart could spare


s: Her flower and hope? but Thou art with him there,


s: Pledge of the untired arm and eye that cannot sleep:


s: The eye that watches o'er wild Ocean's dead,


s: Fondly as if the green turf wrapt his head


s: One moment, and the seeds of life shall spring


s: And happy warriors triumph with their King


s: In worlds without a sea, unchanging orbs of bliss.


s: She mourns that tender hearts should bend


s: That showed the righteous suffering still


s: This is thankworthy, if a man for conscience toward God endure


s: grief, suffering wrongfully.  1 St. Peter ii. 19.


s: Praise to our pardoning God! though silent now


s: Though in our sight no powers of darkness bow


s: Far in the North our fallen days have seen


s: How in her woe this tenderest spirit towers


s: Praise to our God! not cottage hearths alone,


s: And shades impervious to the proud world's glare,


s: Such witness yield; a monarch from his throne


s: Springs to his Cross and finds his glory there.


s: Yes:  whereso'er one trace of thee is found,


s: As in the Sacred Land, the shadows fall:


s: With beating hearts we roam the haunted ground,


s: Lone battle-field, or crumbling prison hall.


s: Whose widowed walk with thought of thee is cheered


s: Our own, our royal Saint:  thy memory rests


s: On many a prayer, the more for thee endeared.


s: True son of our dear Mother, early taught


s: Nursed in her aisles to more than kingly thought,


s: Oft in her solemn hours we dream thee nigh.


s: For thou didst love to trace her daily lore,


s: And where we look for comfort or for calm,


s: Over the self-same lines to bend, and pour


s: Thy heart with hers in some victorious psalm.


s: When all forsook, her Angels still were nigh,


s: Chained and bereft, and on thy funeral way,


s: Straight to the Cross she turned thy dying eye


s: And yearly now, before the Martyrs' King,


s: Calls us, like thee, to His dear feet to cling,


s: And bury in His wounds our earthly fears.


s: The Angels hear, and there is mirth in Heaven,


s: Fit prelude of the joy, when spirits won


s: Like those to patient Faith, shall rise forgiven,


s: And at their Saviour's knees thy bright example own.


s: And Barzillai said unto the King, How long have I to live, that I


s: The while round altar, niche, and shrine,


s: Such were the lights and such the strains.


s: Whispering, "How long hast thou to live,


s: With strength and hope your feeble dust.


s: Heaven's light is poured on high and low;


s: After this, the congregation shall be desired, secretly in their


s: prayers, to make their humble supplications to God for all these


s: things:  for the which prayers there shall be silence kept for a


s: Charged with the breath of Israel's prayer.


s: Less than Thine own heart-cheering call.


s: That these our prayers are heard, and they,


s: Who grasp, this hour, the sword of Heaven,


s: When Passion's storms are loud and high,


s: The heart dies down--oh, mightiest then,


s: And the land where the true hearts dwell.


s: Marshal Villeroy, held the fortified town of Cremona during the


s: together with many of the French garrison.  The Irish, however,


s: consisting of the regiments of Dillon and of Burke, held a fort


s: The Grenadiers of Austria are proper men and tall;


s: The Grenadiers of Austria have scaled the city wall;


s: And the morning saw them masters of Cremona.


s: There's not a man to whisper, there's not a horse to neigh;


s: Of the footmen of Lorraine and the riders of Dupres,


s: They are holding every vantage in Cremona.


s: The Marshal Villeroy he has started from his bed;


s: The Marshal Villeroy has no wig upon his head;


s: And I sorely fear we both have lost Cremona.'


s: Prince Eugene of Austria is in the market-place;


s: Prince Eugene of Austria has smiles upon his face;


s: And the black and yellow flag flies o'er Cremona.'


s: Major Dan O'Mahony is in the barrack square,


s: And just six hundred Irish lads are waiting for him there;


s: For the morning air is pleasant in Cremona.'


s: Major Dan O'Mahony is at the barrack gate,


s: And just six hundred Irish lads will neither stay nor wait;


s: Ere the Kaiserlics shall boast they hold Cremona.


s: Major Dan O'Mahony has reached the river fort,


s: And just six hundred Irish lads are joining in the sport;


s: Then it's glory to the man who takes Cremona!'


s: Prince Eugene of Austria has frowns upon his face,


s: And loud he calls his Galloper of Irish blood and race:


s: That only they are left in all Cremona!'


s: And he has tied the parley flag upon a sergeant's pike;


s: The last of all the guardians of Cremona.


s: 'Now, Major Dan O'Mahony, give up the river gate,


s: Or, Major Dan O'Mahony, you'll find it is too late;


s: And no quarter for the Irish in Cremona!'


s: And Major Dan he laughed:  'Faith, if what you say be true,


s: And if they will not come until they hear again from you,


s: And we'll keep you snug and safely in Cremona.'


s: All the weary day the German stormers came,


s: All the weary day they were faced by fire and flame,


s: But they cannot win the gateway of Cremona.


s: The horsemen of Dupres and the footmen of Lorraine,


s: It's a mighty price they're paying for Cremona.


s: Time and time they came with the deep-mouthed German roar,


s: Time and time they broke like the wave upon the shore;


s: And who will take the gateway of Cremona?


s: Prince Eugene has watched, and he gnaws his nether lip;


s: Prince Eugene has cursed as he saw his chances slip:


s: And I fear our work is finished in Cremona.'


s: Says Wauchop to McAulliffe, 'Their fire is growing slack.'


s: Says Major Dan O'Mahony, 'It is their last attack;


s: And to walk a short way with them from Cremona?'


s: And so they snarl behind them, and beg them turn and come,


s: They have taken Neuberg's standard, they have taken Diak's drum;


s: Just two hundred Irish lads are shouting on the wall;


s: Four hundred more are lying who can hear no slogan call;


s: If he pays his debt in Dublin or Cremona.


s: Says General de Vaudray, 'You've done a soldier's work!


s: And every tongue in France shall talk of Dillon and of Burke!


s: It is granted to the heroes of Cremona.'


s: 'Why, then,' says Dan O'Mahony, 'one favour we entreat,


s: We were called a little early, and our toilet's not complete.


s: For the evening air is chilly in Cremona.'


s: For they've flanked it, and they've banked it,


s: The tongue may change, the soil, the sky,


s: When, parched with thirst and travel sore,


s: They had wandered off from the beaten track


s: The other, fresh from the barrack square,


s: Was a raw recruit, smooth-cheeked and fair


s: Half grown, half drilled, with the weedy air


s: And the young boy-soldier limped forlorn,


s: The Corporal peered at the crimson West,


s: 'We'll find some work for steel and lead,


s: 'But just one flutter before we're done.


s: With a curse and a prayer the two faced round,


s: Dogged and grim they stood their ground,


s: And their breech-blocks snapped with a crisp clean sound


s: With the light of hope on his rugged face,


s: The Corporal sprang to the dead man's place,


s: One prick with the steel, one thrust with the heel,


s: A grip of his knees, a toss of his rein,


s: He was settling her down to her gallop again,


s: When he stopped, for he heard just one faltering word


s: He had sprung to the sand, he had lent him a hand,


s: 'Up, mate!  They'll be 'ere in a minute;


s: Spurred the black mare with a bayonet prick.


s: Watched her gallop with plunge and with kick


s: And loosened the strap of his cartridge-case,


s: While his thoughts flew back to the dear old place


s: Came on the scene of that last stern fight,


s: His rifle grasped in his stiffened hand,


s: Wellington's soldiers were fighting on the same ground.]


s: White in the collar and stiff in the hat,


s: With his patent boots and his silk cravat,


s: Was it copper they dug for? or gold? or lead?


s: Where did they find it?  How did it come?


s: If he tried with a shovel might HE get some?


s: 'Twas like two worlds that met that day -


s: The world of work and the world of play;


s: And the grimy lads from the reeking shaft


s: Nudged each other and grinned and chaffed.


s: How they bored the shaft till the brimstone smell


s: He was pointing out what he said was tin


s: Oh, the pale faces round Pennarby shaft!


s: They saw him cling to the crumbling edge.


s: Sweet Lord be with him!' cried Pennarby mine.


s: 'He's got him!  He has him!  Pull with a will!


s: Thank God!  He's over and breathing still.


s: And he--Lord's sakes now!  What's that?  Well!


s: Give us your hand!' cried Pennarby mine.


s: Wake her up!  Shake her up!  Try her with the mainsail!


s: With a keg full of gold and a velvet gown:


s: Wake her up!  Shake her up!  Try her with the foresail


s: She had gold in her ears, and gold in her hair:


s: Shake her up!  Wake her up!  Try her with the topsail!


s: Wake her up!  Shake her up!  Try her with the jibsail!


s: There's a wooden path that the rovers know -


s: Wake her up!  Shake her up!  Try her with the headsails!


s: There's a wooden path that the rovers know,


s: Where none come back, though many must go:


s: Wake her up!  Shake her up!  Every stick a-bending!


s: There's gold on the capstan, and blood on the gown:


s: Where is the maiden who knelt at his side? -


s: Wake her up!  Shake her up!  Every stitch a-drawing!


s: Where is the maiden who knelt at his side?


s: We gowned her in scarlet, and chose her our bride:


s: So it's up and its over to Stornoway Bay,


s: Pack it on!  Crack it on!  Try her with the stunsails!


s: Where the liquor is good and the lasses are gay:


s: For the hard-bit north has sent him forth -


s: There are several ll's in the place where he dwells,


s: With a 'Llan' and a 'pen,' but it breeds good men,


s: There's Bristol rough, and Gloucester tough,


s: He has learned to joke at the powder smoke,


s: And his heart is light and his pluck is right -


s: We've tried him east, we've tried him west,


s: And it's hey for a game where the gorse blossoms flame,


s: With the turf 'neath our tread and the blue overhead,


s: There's the flag and the green, with the bunkers between -


s: The doctor may come, and we'll teach him to know


s: The soldier may come, and we'll promise to show


s: The statesman may joke, as he tops every stroke,


s: And the clubman will stand with a club in his hand


s: The palm and the leather come rarely together,


s: And it's good to feel the jar of the steel


s: Why trouble or seek for the praise of a clique?


s: And the lie that might sting is a very small thing


s: Come youth and come age, from the study or stage,


s: A green you must use as a cure for the blues -


s: We're outward bound on a long, long round,


s: If worry and sorrow come back with the morrow,


s: It came from gettin' 'eated, that was 'ow the thing begun,


s: And 'ackin' back to kennels from a ninety-minute run;


s: 'I guess I've copped brownchitis,' says I to brother Jack,


s: An' then afore I knowed it I was down upon my back.


s: At night there came a sweatin' as left me deadly weak,


s: And my throat was sort of tickly an' it 'urt me for to speak;


s: An' then there came an 'ackin' cough as wouldn't leave alone,


s: An' then afore I knowed it I was only skin and bone


s: I never was a 'eavy weight.  I scaled at seven four,


s: An' rode at eight, or maybe at just a trifle more;


s: And now I'll stake my davy I wouldn't scale at five,


s: And the doctor says the reason why I sit an' cough an wheeze


s: Is all along o' varmint, like the cheese-mites in the cheese;


s: The smallest kind o' varmint, but varmint all the same,


s: Microscopes or somethin'--I forget the varmints' name.


s: But I knows as I'm a goner.  They never said as much,


s: But I reads the people's faces, and I knows as I am such;


s: Well, there's 'Urst to mind the 'orses and the 'ounds can look to


s: Though 'e never was a patch on me in 'andlin' of a pack.


s: You'll maybe think I'm boastin', but you'll find they all agree


s: That there's not a whip in Surrey as can 'andle 'ounds like me;


s: For I knew 'em all from puppies, and I'd tell 'em without fail -


s: If I seed a tail a-waggin', I could tell who wagged the tail.


s: And voices--why, Lor' love you, it's more than I can 'elp,


s: It just comes kind of natural to know each whine an' yelp;


s: You might take them twenty couple where you will and let 'em run,


s: I say it's kind of natural, for since I was a brat


s: I never cared for readin' books, or fancy things like that;


s: But give me 'ounds and 'orses an' I was quite content,


s: An' I loved to ear 'em talkin' and to wonder what they meant.


s: And when the 'ydrophoby came five year ago next May,


s: When Nailer was be'avin' in a most owdacious way,


s: I fixed 'im so's 'e couldn't bite, my 'ands on neck an' back,


s: An' I 'eaved 'im from the kennels, and they say I saved the pack.


s: An' when the Master 'eard of it, 'e up an' says, says 'e,


s: 'If that chap were a soldier man, they'd give 'im the V.C.'


s: Which is some kind a' medal what they give to soldier men;


s: An' Master said if I were such I would 'a' got it then.


s: Parson brought 'is Bible and come to read to me;


s: And some of it amazin' fine; although I'm fit to swear


s: No 'orse would ever say 'Ah, ah!' same as they said it there.


s: Per'aps it was an 'Ebrew 'orse the chap 'ad in his mind,


s: But I never 'eard an English 'orse say nothin' of the kind.


s: Parson is a good 'un.  I've known 'im from a lad;


s: 'Twas me as taught 'im ridin', an' 'e rides uncommon bad;


s: There's Fanny and Beltinker, and I 'ear old Boxer call;


s: You see I wasn't boastin' when I said I knew 'em all.


s: Let me sit an' 'old the bedrail!  Now I see 'em as they pass:


s: There's Squire upon the Midland mare, a good 'un on the grass;


s: But this is closish country, and you wants a clever 'orse


s: When 'alf the time you're in the woods an' 'alf among the gorse.


s: 'Ark to Jack a'ollering--a-bleatin' like a lamb.


s: You wouldn't think it now, perhaps, to see the thing I am;


s: But there was a time the ladies used to linger at the meet


s: Just to 'ear me callin' in the woods:  my callin' was so sweet.


s: I see the crossroads corner, with the field awaitin' there,


s: There's Purcell on 'is piebald 'orse, an' Doctor on the mare,


s: And the Master on 'is iron grey; she isn't much to look,


s: But I seed 'er do clean twenty foot across the 'eathly brook.


s: There's Captain Kane an' McIntyre an' 'alf a dozen more,


s: And two or three are 'untin' whom I never seed afore;


s: It's a check, and they are drawin' down the coppice for a scent,


s: But, Maggie, what's that slinkin' beside the cover?--See!


s: Now it's in the clover field, and goin' fast an' free,


s: It's 'im, and they don't see 'im.  It's 'im!  'Alloo!  'Alloo!


s: My broken wind won't run to it--I'll leave the job to you.


s: There now I 'ear the music, and I know they're on his track;


s: Oh, watch 'em, Maggie, watch 'em!  Ain't they just a lovely pack!


s: Well, all things 'as an endin', as I've 'eard the parson say,


s: You can draw the curtain, Maggie, right across the winder pane.


s: There's Shakespeare's home to raise a bid,


s: And Milton's house its price would bring.


s: How much for these?  Just price them, please,


s: Jo Chauncy rode Spider, the rankest outsider,


s: And Irish Nuneaton, who never was beaten,


s: The course was the devil!  A start on the level,


s: A bank at the top with a four-foot drop,


s: A stretch of straight from the Whittlesea gate,


s: And the mounts that stay through Farnshire clay


s: The tipsters were touting, the bookies were shouting


s: With a glint and a glimmer of silken shimmer


s: But I've entered her name, so I'll play out the game,


s: 'You never would think 'er a thoroughbred clinker,


s: Each leg be'ind 'as a splint, you'll find,


s: She roars a bit, and she don't look fit,


s: But--'  He smiled in a way that seemed to say,


s: And the bookies laughed and the bookies chaffed,


s: 'A hundred to one!'  'It's done--and done!'


s: We read her worth and her pedigree birth


s: And the whisper grew and the whisper flew


s: Ill-groomed!  Why yes, but one may guess


s: They've weighed him in.  'Now lose or win,


s: The flag is dipped and the field is slipped,


s: Robin is tailing, his wind has been failing,


s: So crack on the pace for it's anyone's race,


s: And the winner's the horse that can last.


s: Bending and straining, and losing and gaining,


s: They are over the grass as the cloud shadows pass,


s: It's 'hey then!' and over, and into the clover,


s: They are all going still; they are round by the mill,


s: Leah's complaining, and Mavis is gaining,


s: Robin's gone wrong, but the Spider runs strong,


s: An utter outsider, but look at his rider -


s: Robin was tailing and pecked at a paling,


s: Leather to leather, they're pounding together,


s: And Irish Nuneaton, who never was beaten,


s: It's into the straight from the Whittlesea gate,


s: 'Tis a bit of a test for a beast at its best,


s: But it's clear run in with the Cup to win


s: So try it, my beauties, and fly it, my beauties,


s: With a trip and a blunder there's one of them under,


s: Is it the brown or the sorrel that's down?


s: And Spider with Chauncy, the pick of the fancy,


s: 'Spider is winning!'  'Jo Chauncy is winning!'


s: The bookies are raving, the ladies are waving,


s: The horse is clean done, but the race may be won


s: For the fire of the rider may bring an outsider


s: But Jo hears the drumming of somebody coming,


s: 'Nuneaton!  Nuneaton!  The Spider is beaten!'


s: For lose it or win it, they have but a minute


s: Nuneaton is straining, Nuneaton is gaining,


s: Whips they are plying and jackets are flying,


s: 'Crack em up!  Let 'em go!  Well ridden!  Bravo!'


s: Jo Chauncy has done it!  He's spurted!  He's won it!'


s: Don't tell me of luck, for its judgment and pluck


s: To give your mind to it and know how to do it


s: So here's to the Spider, the winning outsider,


s: May they stay life's course, both jockey and horse,


s: But it's possible that you are wondering what


s: She blew and she sneezed, she coughed and she wheezed,


s: But never a grumble at trip or at stumble


s: 'Them sharps from town were riled,' says Brown;


s: For I said quite fair as I knew that mare,


s: Ten mile in twenty minutes!  'E done it, sir.  That's true.


s: But 'e 'olds the bloomin' record, an' that's good enough for us.


s: We knew as it wa's in 'im.  'E's thoroughbred, three part,


s: We bought 'im for to race 'im, but we found 'e 'ad no 'eart;


s: For 'e was sad and thoughtful, and amazin' dignified,


s: It seemed a kind o' liberty to drive 'im or to ride;


s: For 'e never seemed a-thinkin' of what 'e 'ad to do,


s: But 'is thoughts was set on 'igher things, admirin' of the view.


s: 'E looked a puffeck pictur, and a pictur 'e would stay,


s: 'E wouldn't even switch 'is tail to drive the flies away.


s: And yet we knew 'twas in 'im, we knew as 'e could fly;


s: But what we couldn't git at was 'ow to make 'im try.


s: We'd almost turned the job up, until at last one day


s: We got the last yard out of 'im in a most amazin' way.


s: It was all along o' master; which master 'as the name


s: Of a reg'lar true blue sportman, an' always acts the same;


s: But we all 'as weaker moments, which master 'e 'ad one,


s: An' 'e went and bought a motor-car when motor-cars begun.


s: I seed it in the stable yard--it fairly turned me sick -


s: A greasy, wheezy engine as can neither buck nor kick.


s: You've a screw to drive it forrard, and a screw to make it stop,


s: It didn't want no stable, it didn't ask no groom,


s: It didn't need no nothin' but a bit o' standin' room.


s: Just fill it up with paraffin an' it would go all day,


s: Which the same should be agin the law if I could 'ave my way.


s: Well, master took 'is motor-car, an' moted 'ere an' there,


s: A frightenin' the 'orses an' a poisonin' the air.


s: 'E wore a bloomin' yachtin' cap, but Lor'! wot DID 'e know,


s: Excep' that if you turn a screw the thing would stop or go?


s: An' then one day it wouldn't go.  'E screwed and screwed again,


s: But somethin' jammed, an' there 'e stuck in the mud of a country


s: It 'urt 'is pride most cruel, but what was 'e to do?


s: So at last 'e bade me fetch a 'orse to pull the motor through.


s: This was the 'orse we fetched 'im; an' when we reached the car,


s: We braced 'im tight and proper to the middle of the bar,


s: And buckled up 'is traces and lashed them to each side,


s: While 'e 'eld 'is 'ead so 'aughtily, an' looked most dignified.


s: Not bad tempered, mind you, but kind of pained and vexed,


s: And 'e seemed to say, 'Well, bli' me! wot WILL they ask me next?


s: I've put up with some liberties, but this caps all by far,


s: To be assistant engine to a crocky motor-car!'


s: Well, master 'e was in the car, a-fiddlin' with the gear,