Can so foul and mean a thing Art thou not—yea thou, myself, A bitter fear, a hideous care All too terrible to bear, Kingly, but king of pains and woes, The sceptred slave to throbs and throes! Justly then, my God, to thee, My royal soul shall bend the knee. TARRING CHURCH. MOTHER,-beneath fair Tarring's heavenward spire, Where in old years thy youthful vows were paid, When God had granted thee thy heart's desire, And she went forth a wife, who came a maid, With mindful steps thus wisely have we stray'd, Full of deep thoughts: for where that sacred fire Of Love was kindled, in the self-same spot, Thou, with the dear companion of thy lot, Thy helpmate all those years, mine honour'd sire, To-day have found fulfilled before your eyes The promise of old time;-look round and see Thy children's children! lo, these babes arise, And call thee blessed: Blessed both be ye! And in your blessing bless ye these, and me. SONNET; ON A BIRTH. AT length,--a dreary length of many years, For all thy prayers, and hope, and faith-and fears, A childless wife alone can fully tell How sorely long withheld--her first-born boy: This blessing is from heav'n; to heav'n once more, Another Hannah with her Samuel, Render thou back the talent yielding ten, A spirit, trained right early to adore, A being, meant and made for endless heaven, DUTY. PEARLS before swine: this is an old complaint; To rest with man's neglect well satisfied, And have its wealth of words, its stores of thought Despised or unregarded: woe betide The heart that lives on praise! considering nought Of Duty's royal edicts, that command Thy talents to be lent, thy lamp to shine: Soul, be not faint; nor, body, stay thy hand; Heed only this, not whether those be swine, But whether these be pearls, precious and pure; That so, whatever fate the world make thine, With God for Judge, thy guerdon be secure. COUNSEL. FOR MUSIC. THERE is a time for praising, And a better time for pray'r,- And another for the tear, Hope, by turns, beguiling, Or her haggard brother, Fear. But, if in joy thou praisest The generous Hand that gave,- The prayer that He may save; I NEVER left the place that knew me, And have gladdened me of yore, I am not of those who wander (Though my faithless foot may roam) BYEGONES. FOR MUSIC. "LET byegones be byegones," they foolishly say, And bid me be wise and forget them; But old recollections are active to-day, And I can do nought but regret them; Though the present be pleasant, all joyous and gay, I love to look back on the years past away, If the morning of life has a mantle of gray, If March has its storm, there is sunshine in May, Thus the present is pleasant, a cheerful to-day, Because it is tinged with the mellowing ray RULE, BRITANNIA! A STIRRING SONG FOR PATRIOTS, IN THE YEAR 1860. |