And touch my soul, and let me see Or lead me forth o'er dales and meads, E'en as her child the mother leads; Where corn, yet milk in its green ears, The dew upon its shot blade bears; Where blooming clover grows, and where She licks her scented foot, the hare; Where twin-nuts cluster thick, and springs The thistle with ten thousand stings; Untrodden flowers and unprun'd trees, Gladden'd with songs of birds and bees! The ring where last the fairies danc'dThe place where dank Will latest glanc'dThe tower round which the magic shell Of minstrel threw its lasting spellThe stream that steals its way along, To glory consecrate by song: And while we saunter, let thy speech God's glory and his goodness preach. Or, when the sun sinks, and the bright Lay down to youth thy golden laws; And touch my soul, and let me see The ways of God, fair dame, in thee. Or lead me forth o'er dales and meads, E'en as her child the mother leads; Where corn, yet milk in its green ears, The dew upon its shot blade bears; Where blooming clover grows, and where She licks her scented foot, the hare; Where twin-nuts cluster thick, and springs The thistle with ten thousand stings; Untrodden flowers and unprun'd trees, Gladden'd with songs of birds and bees! The ring where last the fairies danc'dThe place where dank Will latest glanc'dThe tower round which the magic shell Of minstrel threw its lasting spellThe stream that steals its way along, To glory consecrate by song: And while we saunter, let thy speech God's glory and his goodness preach. Or, when the sun sinks, and the bright Round moon sheds down her lustrous light; When larks leave song, and men leave toiling, And hearths burn clear, and maids are smiling: When hoary hinds, with rustic saws, And much that's gross, and more that's vain, I feel thy presence and thy power, SUPPORT UNDER AFFLICTION. WORDSWORTH. ONE adequate support For the calamities of mortal life Exists, one only;-an assured belief That the procession of our fate, howe'er Sad or disturbed, is ordered by a Being Of infinite benevolence and power, Whose everlasting purposes embrace All accidents, converting them to good. -The darts of anguish fix not where the seat Of suffering hath been thoroughly fortified By acquiescence in the Will Supreme For time and for eternity; by faith, Faith absolute in God, including hope, And the defence that lies in boundless love Of His perfections; with habitual dread Of aught unworthily conceived, endured Impatiently; ill-done, or left undone, To the dishonour of His holy name. Soul of our souls, and safeguard of the world! HYMN CRABBE. O THOU! who taught my infant eye Spirit of Light, do thou impart No more let me in vain surprise, Fond man! yon glassy mirror eye; NY. ard of the world! sick of heart; and recall e and thine. Old Ocean's hoary treasures scan; THE VOICE OF THE WAVES. MRS. HEMANS. ANSWER, ye chiming Waves! That now in sunshine sweep; Hath man's lone spirit here With storms in battle striven? Like an earthquake's under-tone: "Here to the quivering mast "Despair hath wildly clung, "The shriek upon the wind hath past, "The midnight sky hath rung. "And the youthful and the brave "They are vanished from this place "Let their homes and hearths make moan! "But the rolling waters keep no trace "Of pang or conflict gone!" -Alas! thou haughty deep! To think that so we pass, High hope, and thought, and mind, Saw'st thou nought else, thou Main? -And the sea's voice replied, "Here noble things have been! "Power with the valiant when they died, "To sanctify the scene: "Courage in fragile form, "Faith, trusting to the last, "Prayer, breathing heavenwards thro' the storm: "But all alike have pass'd!" Sound on, thou haughty Sea! These have not passed in vain; |