1. Hark! how the furnace pants and roars, Hark! how the molten metal pours, As, bursting from its iron doors, It glitters in the sun. Now through the ready mould it flows, Seething and hissing as it goes, And filling every crevice up As the red vintage fills the cup: 2. Unswathe him now. Take off each stay That binds him to his couch of clay, 1 By permission of Dr. Mackay. And let him struggle into day: With yielding crank and steady rope, In rounded beauty, ribb'd in strength, 3. The clapper on his giant side Shall ring no peal for blushing bride, A nation's joy alone shall be His melancholy tongue shall moan: 4. Borne on the gale, deep-toned and clear, When mighty monarchs yield their breath, 5. Should foemen lift their haughty hand, Fast by the altars of our land We'll gather every one: And he shall ring the loud alarm, To call the multitudes to arm, From distant field and forest brown, And teeming alleys of the town: Hurra! the work is done! 6. And as the solemn boom they hear, Old men shall grasp the idle spear, Laid by to rust for many a year, And to the struggle run; Young men shall leave their toils or books, 7. And when the cannon's iron throat When down the wind the banner drops 8. But of such scenes forbear to tell- To sound the tocsin or the knell ;— Hush'd be the alarm gun: : Sheath'd be the sword! and may his voice But call the nations to rejoice That War his tatter'd flag has furl'd, Hurra! the work is done! 9. Still may he ring when struggles cease, Still may he ring for joy's increase, For progress in the arts of peace When rival nations join their hands, When knowledge gives new blessings birth, alleys, narrow passages. knell, a death or funeral bell. requiem, a hymn in honour of the dead. revelry, noisy festivity. statesman, one employed in pub- teeming, bearing abundantly. trophies, memorials of victory. unswathe, unloose. A THOUSAND YEARS AGO.1 1. The most important part of the Saxon house was the hall. It was the place where the household gathered round their lord, and where the visitor or stranger was first received. Its doors were never shut against those who, whether known or unknown, appeared worthy of entrance. 2. This fact explains the beautiful comparison made on one occasion by a Saxon chief in discussing the reception to be given to the missionary Paulinus. "The present life of man, O king," he said, "seems to me, in comparison with that time which is unknown to us, like to the swift flight of a sparrow through the hall where you sit at your meal in winter, with your chiefs and attendants, warmed by a fire made in the middle of the hall, whilst storms of rain or snow prevail without. The sparrow, flying in at one door and immediately out at another, whilst he is visible is safe from the wintry storms, but after this short space of fair weather he 1 From Wright's Domestic Manners and Sentiments, by permission. immediately vanishes out of your sight into the dark winter from which he had emerged." Dining in private was always considered disgraceful, and is mentioned as a blot in a man's character. 3. Internally, the walls of the hall were covered with hangings or tapestry which were called wall-clothing. These sometimes consisted of plain cloth, but at other times they were richly ornamented, and not unfrequently embroidered with historical subjects. There were hooks or pegs on the wall, upon which various objects were suspended. Weapons and armour, more especially, were hung against the wall of the hall. 4. When fire was necessary it seems to have been made on the floor, in the place most convenient. Sometimes |