We see but dimly through the mists and vapours, 15 What seem to us but sad, funereal * tapers * 20 There is no death! What seems so is transition!* In that great cloister's* stillness and seclusion, Safe from temptation, safe from sin's pollution,* 25 Day after day we think what she is doing In those bright realms * of air; 30 Year after year, her tender steps pursuing,* * Thus do we walk with her, and keep unbroken May reach her where she lives. Not as a child shall we again behold her; 35 In our embraces we again enfold her. 40 But a fair maiden, in her Father's mansion,* And beautiful with all the soul's expansion,* And though at times impetuous* with emotion* * The swelling heart heaves moaning like the ocean That cannot be at rest, 45 We will be patient, and assuage * the feeling e may not wholly stay; We * By silence sanctifying, not concealing,* SOME MURMUR.-Archbishop Trench. RICHARD CHENEVIX TRENCH (1807- ), now Archbishop of Dublin, is the author of The Study of Words; English Past and Present, &c. In early life he published several volumes of poems, in a style resembling that of Wordsworth. BEN JONSON (1573-1637) was the son of a clergyman, and received a university education. He wrote very many plays and poems, some of them marked by great powers. He also perfected the compositions called Masques, which formed a favourite amusement of the Court. It is to his credit that his constant aim was to improve the morals of the day. He was buried in Westminster Abbey, and the flagstone over his grave was inscribed with the words, "O rare Ben Jonson!" * Abou-Ben-Adhem, Abou, the son of ABOU-BEN-ADHEM AND THE ANGEL.-Leigh Hunt. LEIGH HUNT (1784-1859) was an essayist and critic of the first half of this century. In early life he was editor of the Examiner, a London newspaper. Chief poems: Feasts of the Poets; A Leyend of Florence; and The Palfrey. ABOU-BEN-ADHEM * (may his tribe increase) Awoke one night from a deep dream of peace, And saw within the moonlight in his room, Making it rich, and like a lily in bloom, 5 An angel writing in a book of gold :Exceeding peace had made Ben-Adhem bold, And to the Presence in the room he said, * Adhem. Tribe, at first it meant a third part, afterwards any di vision of people; a race or family from the same ancestor a body of people "What writest thou?"-The vision raised its under one leader. head, And with a look made all of sweet accord, Exceeding, very much, very great. 10 Answered, "The names of those who love the Lord." 15 The angel wrote and vanished. The next night And, lo!* Ben-Adhem's name led all the rest.* Lo look, see, be hold; it is a contrac tion of the word look, Led all the rest, stood first on the list. THE DESTRUCTION OF SENNACHERIB'S * ARMY. Byron. THE Assyrian came down like the wolf on the fold, And his cohorts were gleaming with purple And the sheen of their spears was like stars on the sea, When the blue waves roll nightly on deep Cohort, among the Romans, a body of 500 or 600 men, the tenth part of a legion; here it means a company of soldiers. Purple and gold, the dresses of the officers adorned with gold lace. 5 Like the leaves of the forest when summer is Galilee, the sea of green, That host with their banners at sunset were seen; Galilee or lake of Gennesareth in Palestine was noted for its frequent storms. * Sennacherib, king of Assyria, invaded Judea in the reign of Hezekiah. He afterwards threatened to destroy the king, but a "blast" from the Lord killed 185,000 of his men in one night. с Strown, scattered. Foe, enemy. Like the leaves of the forest when autumn hath blown, That host on the morrow lay withered and strown.* For the angel of death spread his wings on the And breathed in the face of the foe* as he passed; 10 chill, And their hearts but once heaved, and for ever were still. And there lay the steed with his nostrils all wide, But through them there rolled not the breath of his pride; Surf, the foam of the And the foam of his gasping lay white on the turf, 15 And cold as the spray of the rock-beating surf.* waves. Distorted, twisted out country; under the name of Gentile, all other na. tions but the Jews were generally called Gentiles. Unsmote by the sword, destroyed without the aid of man. And there lay the rider, distorted* and pale, And the tents were all silent, the banners alone, And the widows of Asshur* are loud in their wail; And the idols are broke in the temple of Baal ;* sword,* Hath melted like snow in the glance of the 20 YOUNG LOCHINVAR.*-Scott. SIR WALTER SCOTT (1771-1832), the greatest of English romantic poets and novelists, was born at Edinburgh. He was a lawyer by profession. His poems were published for the most part between 1805 and 1814. Scott was a man of the most generous and amiable nature. He was made a baronet by George IV. Chief works: Lay of the Last Minstrel, Marmion, Lady of the Lake, Rokeby, Lord of the Isles, Waverley Novels, Tales of a Grandfather, &c. Border, the land a few OH, young Lochinvar is come out of the west; Through all the wide Border* his steed was the best: miles on either side of the boundary between England and Scotland * Lochinvar, a lake in Kirkcudbrightshire, in the centre of which stood the ancient fortified castle of Lochinvar, the seat of the Gordons. Hence the chief is also called Lochinvar. And save his good broad-sword* he weapon had none; He rode all unarmed,* and he rode all alone. Broad-sword, a double-edgedweapon, in the use of which the Scots were very expert. 5 So faithful in love, and so dauntless in war, 10 He stayed not for brake,* and he stopped not He swam the Esk* river where ford* there was none; But, ere he alighted at Netherby gate, * without armour, i.e., helmet, breastplate, &c. Knight, a man of high birth or fortune admitted to military rank. A title of honour. Brake, a thicket of brambles. Esk, a river in Dum The bride had consented the gallant came late: friesshire. So boldly he entered the Netherby Hall,* Ford, a shallow part of a river which may be easily crossed. Laggard, a sluggish, backward person. Dastard, a coward. Among bridesmen, and kinsmen, and brothers, Netherby Hall, a for and all: 15 Then spoke the bride's father, his hand on his sword, tified place about ten miles from Middleby in Dumfriesshire. (For the poor craven * bridegroom said never a Craven, cowardly. word), "Ho! come ye in peace here, or come ye in war, Or to dance at our bridal,* young Lord Lochin- Bridal, wedding. var?" "I long wooed your daughter, my suit you denied ;20 Love swells like the Solway,* but ebbs like its tide And now I am come, with this lost love of mine Solway, a river in the south of Scotland. To lead but one measure,* drink one cup of wine. Measure, a dance. That would gladly be bride to the young Lochinvar." 25 The bride kissed the goblet; * the knight took Goblet, drinking cup it up, He quaffed off the wine, and he threw down Quaffed, drank. the cup; She looked down to blush, and she looked up to sigh, With a smile on her lips and a tear in her eye. 30 "Now tread we a measure!" said young Lochinvar. So stately his form, and so lovely her face, And the bridegroom stood dangling his bonnet Galliard, one whose nature it is to be gay and active; it also means a dance, and plume; |