Anon a gleam of peace shot through his soul, In look and mien, whom God had early bless'd, At bidding of proud Saul he struck his harp, He sang of Judah's bondage, and the way But deep and louder grew the thrilling strain, When of the patriarchal chief he sang, whence should arise The promised Lord of glory,-Sion's King,- The prophet's words, "God hath rejected thee, His wild imagination figures up A regal throne, on which the youth is placed, TO A YOUNG LADY ON HER BIRTHDAY. THE morning of nature shall teach me to sing, And the life-giving breezes that wait on the spring, While, bursting to verdure, and hasting to bloom, They bear us from winter and turn us from gloom. O learn from the season a lesson of truth, While now in the morning and spring-time of youth, Let the life-giving breeze be received in your soul, And your heart shall expand and your graces unroll. And think on the mercy who taught you to trace In the Founder of nature the Giver of grace; That the beams of His goodness on you should arise Who planted the hills and extended the skies. Let the bloom of your spring-time his sacrifice be, Who has shown you these favours so great and so free; Let the round of your seasons be spent in his praise, And your feet be delighted to walk in his ways. But the spring has its blight, and the summer its storm, And the sweet fruit of autumn hides ofttimes a worm, And the keen frost of winter makes leafless the bough That was blushing with sweetness and beauty but now. Yet the gardener can shield from the blight and the storm, And he too can rescue the fruit from the worm, And the amaranth fears not the winter's keen frost, But lives when the summer-tree's leaves are all lost. Then learn from the season a lesson of truth— While now in the morning and spring-time of youth, Let the Saviour protect from the blight of the spring, Let him hide from the storm when the summerbirds sing. No worm of the autumn your fruit shall consume, But blossoms and fruit yield a charming perfume; And winter shall find you an amaranth bright, And Jesus transplant to the kingdom of light. ON THE DEATH OF A SISTER. James Grahame, AUTHOR OF "THE SABBATH." DEAR to my soul ! ah, early lost : Now Friendship's pride, and Virtue's boast, Closed, ever closed those speaking eyes, Where sweetness beam'd, where candour shone; And silent that heart-thrilling voice, Which Music loved, and call'd her own. That gentle bosom now is cold, Where Feeling's vestal splendours glow'd; Yet I behold the smile unfeign'd, Which doubt dispell'd and kindness won; Yet the soft diffidence, that gain'd The triumph it appear'd to shun. |