Explain'd, illustrated, and search'd so well

The tender theme, on which they chose to dwell,
That, reaching home, "The night," they said, "is near,
We must not now be parted, sojourn here.".
The new acquaintance soon became a guest,
And, made so welcome at their simple feast,
He bless'd the bread, but vanish'd at the word,
And left them both exclaiming, ""Twas the Lord!
Did not our hearts feel all he deign'd to say?
Did they not burn within us by the way ?"
Now theirs was converse, such as it behoves
Man to maintain, and such as God approves
Their views, indeed, were indistinct and dim,
But yet successful, being aim'd at him.
Christ and his character their only scope,
Their object, and their subject, and their hope,
They felt what it became them much to feel,
And, wanting him to loose the sacred zeal,
Found him as prompt, as their desire was true,
To spread the new-born glories in their view.

Cowper.

I knew a boy, whose infant feet had trod

Upon the blossoms of some seven springs,

And when the eighth came round, and called him out
To gambol in the sun, he turned away,
And sought his chamber, to lie down and die!
"Twas night, he summoned his accustomed friends,
And on this wise, bestowed his last bequest:-

1 Accoutumer (Fr.), to accustom.

"Mother! I'm dying now

There is deep suffocation in my breast,

As if some heavy hand my bosom prest;
And on my brow

"I feel the cold sweat stand:

My lips grow dry and tremulous, and my breath
Comes feebly up. Oh! tell me, is this death?
Mother! your hand—

"Here-lay it on my wrist,

And place the other thus, beneath my head,
And say, sweet mother!-say, when I am dead,
Shall I be missed?

"Never beside your knee

Shall I kneel down again at night to pray,
Nor with the morning wake, and sing the lay
You taught to me!

"Oh, at the time of prayer,

When you look round and see a vacant seat,
You will not wait then for my coming feet-
You'll miss me there!"

"Father! I'm going home!

To the good home you speak of, that blest land
Where it is one bright summer1 always, and
Storms do not come.

"I must be happy then,

From pain and death you say I shall be free-
That sickness 2 never enters there, and we
Shall meet again!"

"Brother!-the little spot

I used to call my garden, where long hours
We've stayed to watch the budding things and flower.
Forget it not!

"Plant there some box or pine-
Something that lives in winter, and will be
A verdant offering to my memory,
And call it mine!"

1"And the city had no need of the sun, neither of the moon, to shine in it; for the glory of God did lighten it, and the Lamb is the light thereof." - Rev. xxi. 23.

2 "And there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying; neither shall there be any more pain." Rev. xxi. 4.

"Sister! my young rose tree

That all the spring has been my pleasant care,
Just putting forth its leaves so green and fair,
I give to thee.

"And when its roses bloom,

I shall be gone away-my short life done!
But will you not bestow a single one
Upon my tomb?"

You sang last night-I'm weary and must sleep!
Who was it called my name?-Nay, do not weep,
You'll all come soon!"

Morning spread over earth her rosy wings-
And that meek sufferer, cold and ivory pale,
Lay on his couch asleep! The gentle air
Came through the open window, freighted with
The savoury odours of the early spring-
He breathed it not! The laugh of passers by -
Jarred like a discord in some mournful tune,
But marréd not his slumbers-He was dead!

For thou wast born of woman 2, thou didst come,
O Holiest to this world of sin and gloom,

"When Stephen had said this he fell asleep."- Acts, vii. 60. "Those who sleep in Jesus, will God bring with him.". 1 Thes. iv. 14. "And

many bodies of the saints which slept arose." - Matt. xxvii. 52.

2" When the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made

Not in thy dread omnipotent array;

And not by thunders strew'd

Was thy tempestuous road;

Nor indignation burnt before thee on thy way.
But thee, a soft and naked child,
Thy mother, undefiled,

In the rude manger laid to rest
From off her virgin breast.

The heavens were not commanded to prepare
A gorgeous canopy of golden air;

Nor stoop'd their lamps th' enthroned fires on high;
A single silent star1

Came wandering from afar,

Gliding uncheck'd and calm along the liquid sky;
The eastern sages leading on,

As at a kingly throne,

To lay their gold and odours sweet?
Before thy infant feet.

The earth and ocean were not hush'd to hear
Bright harmony from every starry sphere;
Nor at thy presence break the voice of song
From all the cherub choirs,

And seraph's burning lyres

Pour'd through host of heaven the charmed clouds
along;

One angel troop the strain began3,
Of all the race of man,

By simple shepherds heard alone,

That soft hosanna's tone.

And when thou didst depart, no car of flame,
To bear thee hence, in lambent radiance came;
Nor visible angels mourn'd with drooping plumes:
Nor didst thou mount on high
From fatal Calvary

With all thine own outbursting from their tombs ;

of a woman, made under the law.". Gal. iv. 4.

"And, lo, the star, which they saw in the east, went before them, till it came and stood over where the young child was."- Matt. ii. 9.

2.66 They presented unto him gifts; gold, and frankincense, and myrrh." Matt. ii. 11.

"And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men."Luke, ii. 13, 14.

For thou didst bear away from earth
But one of human birth,

The dying felon by thy side, to be
In Paradise with thee.1

Nor o'er thy cross did clouds of vengeance break;
A little while the conscious earth did shake2
At that foul deed by her fierce children done;
A few dim hours of day,

The world in darkness lay3,

Then bask'd in bright repose beneath the cloudless sun:
Whilst thou didst sleep beneath the tomb,
Consenting to thy doom,

Ere yet the white-robed Angel shone 4
Upon the sealed stone.

And when thou didst arise, thou didst not stand
With devastation in thy red right hand,
Plaguing the guilty city's murderous crew;
But thou didst haste to meet

Thy mother's coming feet,

5

And bear the words of peace unto the faithful few ;
Then calmly, slowly didst thou rise 6
Into thy native skies.

to in'-ter-val, time between inter, events or acts -Š vailum.

and sat upon it. His countenance was like lightning, and his raiment white as snow." Matt. xxviii. 2, 3.

5" And as they thus spake, Jesus himself stood in the midst of them, and said unto them, Peace be unto you." - Luke, xxiv. 36.; see also Mark, xvi. 14.; John, xx. 19-24.

6"While they beheld, he was taken up; and a cloud received him out of their sight.". Acts, i. 9.