Page images
PDF
EPUB

On your psalteries play,
That sweet luck may

Come while the log is a-teending.

Drink now the strong beer,
Cut the white loaf here,
The while the meat is a-shredding;
For the rare mince-pie,

And the plums stand by,

To fill the paste that's a-kneading.

ROBERT HERRICK.

The Glad Evangel

Christmas in England.

Heap on more wood!-the wind is chill;
But let it whistle as it will,

We'll keep our Christmas merry still;
Each age has deem'd the new-born year
The fittest time for festal cheer;
Even, heathen yet, the savage Dane
At Iol more deep the mead did drain;
High on the beach his galleys drew,
And feasted all his pirate crew.

England was merry England when
Old Christmas brought his sports again.

'Twas Christmas broached the mightiest ale;
"Twas Christmas told the merriest tale;

The Glad

Evangel

A Christmas gambol oft could cheer
The poor man's heart through half the year.
On Christmas Eve the bells were rung;
On Christmas Eve the mass was sung-
That only night in all the year
Saw the stoled priest the chalice rear.
The damsel donned her kirtle sheen;
The hall was dressed in holly green;
Forth to the wood did merry men go
To gather in the mistletoe;
Then opened wide the baron's hall
To vassal, tenant, serf, and all.
Power laid his rod of rule aside,
And Ceremony doffed his pride.
The heir, with roses in his shoes,
That night might village partner choose,
The lord, underogating, share

The vulgar game of " Post and pair.”
All hailed with uncontrolled delight
And general voice the happy night,
That to the cottage, as the crown,
Brought tidings of salvation down.

From "Marmion."

SIR WALTER SCOTT

The Gracious Time

Some say that ever 'gainst that season comes
Wherein our Saviour's birth is celebrated,
The bird of dawning singeth all night long:
And then, they say, no spirit dares stir abroad;
The nights are wholesome; then no planets
strike,

No fairy takes, nor witch hath power to charm,
So hallow'd and so gracious is the time.
WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE.

From "Hamlet."

The Glad Evangel

Brightest and Best of the Sons of the Morning
Brightest and best of the Sons of the morning!
Dawn on our darkness and lend us thine aid!

Star of the East, the horizon adorning,

Guide where our Infant Redeemer is laid!

Cold on His cradle the dewdrops are shining,
Low lies His head with the beasts of the stall:

Angels adore Him in slumber reclining,

Maker and Monarch and Saviour of all!

Say, shall we yield Him, in costly devotion,
Odors of Edom and offerings divine?

Gems of the mountain and pearls of the ocean,
Myrrh from the forest, or gold from the

mine?

The Vainly we offer each ample oblation;

Glad Evangel

Vainly with gifts would His favor secure: Richer by far is the heart's adoration;

Dearer to God are the prayers of the poor.

Brightest and best of the Sons of the morning!
Dawn on our darkness and lend us thine aid!

Star of the East, the horizon adorning,

Guide where our Infant Redeemer is laid!

REGINALD HEBER.

THE END

INDEX BY AUTHORS

ADDISON, JOSEPH [1672-1719]: The Spacious
Firmament on High, 54.

ALDRICH, THOMAS BAILEY [1836-]: Maple
Leaves, 17; Before the Rain, 31; Tiger-Lilies, 71;
A Turkish Legend, 611.

ALEXANDER, CECIL FRANCES [1830-1895]:
The Burial of Moses, 504.

ALLINGHAM,

Wild

WILLIAM [1824-1889]:
Rose, 70; The Fairy Folk, 174; Blowing Bubbles,
195; Windlass Song, 268; The Abbot of Inisfalen,
474.

ANDERSON, ALEXANDER

Doon, 126.

[1845-]: Cuddle

ARNOLD, EDWIN [1831-]: Almond Blossom, 69.
ARNOLD, GEORGE [1834-1865]: Sweet Septem-
ber, 15.

ARNOLD, MATTHEW [1822-1888]: The Forsaken
Merman, 444.

AUSTIN, ALFRED [1835—]: To America, 347.
AYTOUN, WILLIAM EDMONDSTOUNE [1813-
1865]: The Old Scottish Cavalier, 281.

BALLADS, OLD: Sir Patrick Spens, 551; The Bailiff's
Daughter of Islington, 555; King John and the
Abbot of Canterbury, 558; Lord Beichan and
Susie Pye, 563; The Gay Gos-hawk, 569; Earl

« PreviousContinue »