The ploughboy's whistle, and the milkmaid's song. The scythe lies glittering in the dewy wreath 5 Of tedded grass, mingled with fading flowers, That yester morn bloom'd waving in the breeze: The faintest sounds attract the ear,-the hum Of early bee, the trickling of the dew, The distant bleating, midway up the hill. 10 Calmness seems thron'd on yon unmoving cloud. To him who wanders o'er the upland leas, The blackbird's note comes mellower from the dale, Stops, and looks back, and stops, and looks on man, 25 Unheedful of the pasture, roams at large, To eat his joyless bread, lonely, the ground 35 He shares the frugal meal with those he loves; 40 Hail, SABBATH! thee I hail, the poor man's day. He meditates on him whose power he marks He hopes, (yet fears presumption in the hope,) 50 That heaven may be one Sabbath without end. But now his steps a welcome sound recalls: Solemn, the knell from yonder ancient pile Fills all the air, inspiring joyful awe; The throng moves slowly o'er the tomb-pav'd ground: 55 The aged man, the bowed down, the blind Led by the thoughtless boy, and he who breathes With pain, and eyes the new-made grave, well-pleas'd; These, mingled with the young, the gay, approach The house of God: these, spite of all their ills, 60 A glow of gladness prove: with silent praise They enter in a placid stillness reigns; Until the man of God, worthy the name, Opens the book, and, with impressive voice, The weekly portion reads. 5. The Burial of Sir John Moore. Grahame. 1 Not a drum was heard, not a funeral note, 3 No useless coffin enclosed his breast, Nor in sheet nor in shroud we wound him; But he lay like a warrior taking his restWith his martial cloak around him! 4 Few and short were the prayers we said, 5 We thought as we hollowed his narrow bed, 6 "Lightly they'll talk of the spirit that's gone, But nothing he'll reck, if they let him sleep on 7 But half of our heavy task was done, When the clock toll'd the hour for retiring, 8 Slowly and sadly we laid him down, From the field of his fame fresh and gory! 6. Eve lamenting the loss of Paradise. "O unexpected stroke, worse than of Death! Must I thus leave thee, Paradise? thus leave Thee, native soil, these happy walks and shades, Fit haunt of Gods? where I had hope to spend, 5 Quiet though sad, the respite of that day That must be mortal to us both. O flowers, That never will in other climate grow, My early visitation, and my last At ev'n, which I bred up with tender hand 10 From the first opening bud, and gave ye names, And wild? how shall we breathe in other air 7. Soliloquy of Hamlet's Uncle. ()Oh! my offence is rank, it smells to heaven; And what's in prayer, but this two-fold force, 15 Or pardon'd being down?--Then I'll look up; In his true nature; and we ourselves compell'd, ()O wretched state! oh bosom, black as death! Art more engag'd! Help, angels! make assay ! 35 Bow, stubborn knees; and, heart, with strings of steel, Be soft as sinews of the new-born babe ! .-22 1. MATT. XIV. 22 And straightway Jesus constrained his disciples to get into a ship, and to go before him unto the other side, while he sent the multitudes away. 23 And when he had sent the multitudes away, he went up into a mountain apart to pray and when the evening was come, he was there alone. 24 But the ship was now in the midst of the sea, tossed with waves: for the wind was contrary. 25 And in the fourth watch of the night Jesus went unto them, walking on the sea. 26 And when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were troubled, saying, It is a spirit; and they cried out for fear. 27 But straightway Jesus spake unto them, saying, Be of good cheer; it is 'I; be not afraid. 28 And Peter answered him and said, Lord, if it be thõu, bid me come unto thee on the water. 29 And he said, Còme. And when Peter was come down out of the ship, he walked on the water, to go to Jesus. 30 But when he saw the wind boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink, he cried, saying, Lord, save me. 31 And immediately Jesus stretched forth his hand, and caught him, and said unto him, O thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt? 32 And when they were come into the ship, the wind ceased. 33 Then they that were in the ship came and worshipped him, saying, Of a truth thou art the Son of God. |