O glorious June! In the calm shady wood,
Where timid hares start from each fern-covered nook,
I've idled bright moments in lone solitude,
Aye making thy beauty my heart's lesson-book.
I love thee, fair month! thou, the softest of all
The sisters who link the rich jewels of time;
And bless thee that thou on life's toilers bid fall
The fragrance of roses, of myrtle, and thyme;
Or bring them the notes of the sky-loving lark,
The music of cuckoos, the humming of bees,
Till the toil-weary soul leaps forth from the dark,
To worship its God in His temple of trees.
THOU lover of the blaze of Mars,
Come out with me to-night,
For I have found among the stars
A name of nobler light.
Thy boast is of the unconquered mind,
The strong, the stern, the still;
Mine of the happier heart, resigned
To wisdom's holy will.
They call my star by beauty's name,
The gentle Queen of Love;
And look how fair its tender flame
Is flickering above!
O star of peace, O torch of hope,
I hail thy precious ray,—
A diamond on the ebon cope,
To shine the dark away.
Within my heart there is no light
But cometh from above;
I give the first watch of the night
To the sweet planet, love;
UNIVERSAL PRAYER,
The star of charity and truth,
Of cheerful thoughts and sage;
The lamp to guide my steps in youth,
And gladden mine old age.
O brother, yield! thy fiery Mars,
For all his mailed might,
Is not so strong among the stars
As mine, the Queen of Night.
A queen to shine all nights away,
And make the morn more clear;
Contentment gilding every day,
There is no twilight here.
Yes, in a trial world like this,
Where all that comes is sent,
Learn how divine a thing it is
To smile and be content.
UNIVERSAL PRAYER.
FATHER of all! in every age,
In every clime adored-
By saint, by savage, and by sage,
Jehovah, Jove, or Lord!
Thou Great First Cause, least understood,
Who all my sense confined
To know but this-that Thou art good,
And that myself am blind;
Yet gave me in this dark estate,
To see the good from ill;
And binding nature frail in fate,
Left free the human will.
What conscience dictates to be done,
Or warns me not to do,
This teach me more than hell to shun
That, more than heaven pursue.
What blessings Thy free bounty gives
Let me not cast away;
For God is paid when man receivesTo enjoy is to obey.
Yet not to earth's contracted span
Thy goodness let me bound,
Or think Thee Lord alone of man,
When thousand worlds are round.
Let not this weak unknowing hand
Presume Thy bolts to throw,
And deal damnation round the land,
On each I judge Thy foe.
right, Thy grace impart
Still in the right to stay;
If I am wrong, oh, teach my heart
To find that better way!
Save me alike from foolish pride,
Or impious discontent
At aught Thy wisdom has denied,
Or aught Thy goodness lent.
Teach me to feel another's woe,
To hide the fault
That mercy I to others show,
That mercy show to me.
Mean though I am, not wholly so,
Since quickened by Thy breath:
Oh, lead me wheresoe'er I go,
Through this day's life or death.
This day be bread and peace my lot;
All else beneath the sun,
Thou knowest if best bestowed or not,
And let Thy will be done.
"MY FATHER'S AT THE HELM."
THE curling waves, with awful roar,
A little boat assailed,
And pallid fear's distracting power
O'er all on board prevailed,
Save one, the captain's darling child,
Who steadfast viewed the storm,
And, cheerful, with composure smiled
At danger's threatening form.
"And sport'st thou thus," a seaman cried,
66 While terrors overwhelm ?"
"Why should I fear?" the boy replied,-
"My father's at the helm !
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