THE BURIAL OF MOSES. They show the banners taken, And after him lead his masterless steed, Amid the noblest of the land We lay the sage to rest, And give the bard an honoured place, In the great minster transept, Where lights like glories fall, And the organ rings and the sweet choir sings This was the truest warrior That ever breathed a word; On the deathless page, truths half so sage And had he not high honour— To lie in state while angels wait, And the dark rock-pines, like tossing plumes, Over his bier to wave, And God's own hand, in that lonely land, To lay him in the grave? In that strange grave without a name, Shall break again, O wondrous thought! And stand with glory wrapt around And speak of the strife that won our life, 207 O lonely grave in Moab's land ! Ways that we cannot tell; He hides them deep, like the hidden sleep Mrs. C. F. Alexander. TO-DAY AND TO-MORROW. DON'T tell me of to-morrow; Don't tell me of to-morrow, Don't tell me of to-morrow; To-day, it is the only time For all on this frail earth: It takes an age to form a life,— A moment gives it birth! -J. E. Carpenter. THE Assyrian came down like the wolf on the fold, Like the leaves of the forest when summer is green, For the Angel of Death spread his wings on the blast, And there lay the steed with his nostrils all wide, But through them there rolled not the breath of his pride; And there lay the rider, distorted and pale, And the widows of Ashur are loud in their wail, -Byron. THE THREE FISHERS. THREE fishers went sailing away to the West- Each thought on the woman who loved him the best, And there's little to earn, and many to keep, Though the harbour bar be moaning. Three wives sat up in the lighthouse tower, And they trimmed the lamps as the sun went down : They looked at the squall and they looked at the shower, And the night-rack came rolling up ragged and brown. But men must work, and women must weep, Though storms be sudden and waters deep, And the harbour bar be moaning. Three corpses lay out on the shining sands, In the morning gleam as the tide went down, And the women are weeping and wringing their hands, For those who will never come home to the town. For men must work, and women must weep, And the sooner 't is over, the sooner to sleep, So good bye to the bar and its moaning. -Kingsley ENIGMA.-PROGRESS. ENIGMA. 211 'T WAS in heaven pronounced, and 't was muttered in hell, And echo caught faintly the sound as it fell; On the confines of earth 't was permitted to rest, It begins every hope, every wish it must bound; With the husbandman toils, and with monarchs is crowned; Without it the soldier, the seaman may roam, But woe to the wretch who expels it from home! In the whispers of conscience its voice will be found, 'T will not soften the heart; but though deaf be the ear, It will make it acutely and instantly hear. Yet in shade let it rest, like a delicate flower- C. Fanshawe. PROGRESS. PROGRESS! progress! all things cry; Learn in Nature's wondrous school. |