PREFACE. My very grateful sense of the acceptance which my work, "Yesterday, To-day, and Forever," has found in America,— a gratitude deepened by many personal assurances during my only too brief visit to that noble land in the autumn of last year, induces me to offer the following Poems to the kind perusal of my friends there. They have been written from time to time during the last twenty-seven years, and have many of them appeared in print before; but, being for the most part now inaccessible to friends who kindly continue to ask for them, I have ventured to group them in this volume. Some of them are here published for the first time. The dates, which are affixed to most of the Poems, will enable the reader to assign the lighter pieces to my early home and college days. May He who directs the wind-borne seed to the genial soil only plant a few winged words in some hearts, where they shall not be wholly unfruitful, and my hopes will be abundantly fulfilled. CHRIST CHURCH VICARAGE, E. H. B. INTRODUCTORY NOTICE. HE name of EDWARD HENRY BICKERSTETH is THE as a household word in a great number of American families. Within a comparatively brief period, it has come to be widely known and sincerely loved and honored. He has touched the deeper chords of many hearts, of those too that are most in sympathy with what is good and true; and he is reaping the sure reward. His father, the Rev. Edward Bickersteth, has been long and favorably known to the religious public, on this side of the ocean, as one of the most evangelical preachers and authors of the Church of England. He was one of that constellation which included such lights of the Christian firmament as Newton, Scott, Venn, Cecil, and others, whose writings have been read and highly esteemed, not only within their own communion, but even more extensively, it is probable, by the Church Catholic beyond its pale. Would that men of like spirit might be multiplied in all branches of the Christian family! Edward Henry Bickersteth exhibits the broad sympathies and deeply religious spirit of his excellent father, with richer gifts of genius. He was educated at the University of Cambridge, where he was distinguished for scholarship and taste, and repeatedly bore off the first prize for poetic merit. He now holds the living of Hampstead, London, and the Chaplaincy to the Bishop of Ripon. He is just in the full vigor of manhood, of polished yet simple manners, frank and genial in spirit, with a face that seems to glow with active thought while suffused with the serenity of goodness. Its expression is well presented in the engraving which is contained in this volume. In his late transient visit to the United States, he charmed all, we believe, who had the pleasure of meeting him in private intercourse. Mr. Bickersteth became somewhat known to American readers, several years since, by a wellwritten volume exhibiting the teaching of the Scriptures in respect to the person and work of Christ. Recently, a volume similar in style and spirit, on the person and work of the Holy Ghost, has been issued here. Both these are carefully prepared and valuable treatises on the important subjects they discuss. A small volume, entitled "Water from the Well-Spring," has also been published; consist ing of pure and excellent thoughts founded on texts of Scripture, and arranged in portions for every Sabbath in the year. A still smaller book, entitled “Hades and Heaven,” and relating to the state and employments of the blessed dead, has likewise been reproduced. These prose works are all able and instructive, and worthy of a place in any Christian library. Other works, including something in the form of a commentary, have come from the same prolific pen. But it is chiefly by his great epic poem, "Yesterday, To-day, and Forever," that Mr. Bickersteth has become known to the world, and has won so warm a place in many hearts, both in England and America. This work, when first published in this country, attracted but little notice and sold but very slowly. Its author had not before been heard of among us as a poet. It has become so much the fashion, in this hurrying age, to be best pleased with what is short, that an epic in twelve books, and on a sacred subject too, stood little chance of being attended to, even to the extent necessary for the discovery of its real character. When by mere accident it had fallen into the hands of the present writer, and he had read it through attentively, he was deeply impressed by its freshness, power, and beauty. He at that time expressed a favorable opinion of it, |