REGINALD HEBER. The preacher prays, "Lord, bless us!" "Lord, bless us!" echo cries; "Amen!" the breezes murmur low; "Amen!" the rill replies: The ceaseless toil of woe-worn hearts The proud with pangs are paying, But here, O God of earth and heaven! The humble heart is praying. How softly, in the pauses Of song, re-echoed wide, The affrighted land is ringing; Hush! hush! the preacher preacheth: And see not in the gathered brow Speak low, thou heaven-paid teacher! On useful hands and honest hearts The base their wrath are wreaking; But, thanked be God! they can't prevent The storm of heaven from speaking. CORN-LAW HYMN. LORD! call thy pallid angel, The tamer of the strong! And bid him whip with want and woe But alone let them groan, No; wake not thou the giant Who drinks hot blood for wine, And shouts unto the east and west, In thunder-tones like thine, Till the slow to move rush all at once, An avalanche of men, 143 While he raves over waves That need no whirlwind then ; Though slow to move, moved all at once, A sea, a sea of men! REGINALD HEBER. [1783-1826.] IF THOU WERT BY MY SIDE. IF thou wert by my side, my love, If thou, my love, wert by my side, I miss thee at the dawning gray, I miss thee when by Gunga's stream But most beneath the lamp's pale beam I spread my books, my pencil try, But when of morn or eve the star I feel, though thou art distant far, Then on then on! where duty leads, That course nor Delhi's kingly gates For sweet the bliss us both awaits Thy towers, Bombay, gleam bright, they say, Across the dark-blue sea; But ne'er were hearts so light and gay As then shall meet in thee! Or may be if they will, and we prepare Their souls and ours to meet in happy air, A child, a friend, a wife whose soft heart sings In unison with ours, breeding its future wings. ABOU BEN ADHEM AND THE ANGEL. ABOU BEN ADHEM (may his tribe increase!) Awoke one night from a deep dream of peace, And saw within the moonlight in his room, Making it rich, and like a lily in bloom, An angel, writing in a book of gold; Exceeding peace had made Ben Adhem bold, And to the presence in the room he said, "What writest thou?" The vision raised its head, And with a look made of all sweet accord, Answered, "The names of those who love the Lord." "And is mine one?" said Abou. "Nay, not so," But cheerly still; and said, "I pray thee, Replied the angel. Abou spoke more low, then, Her white arm wad be a pillow for me An' sweetly I'd sleep, an' soun'. The morn-wind is sweet 'mang the beds o' new flowers, The wee birds sing kindlie an' hie; Our gudeman leans owre his kale-yard dyke, And a blythe auld bodie is he. The Beuk maun be taen when the carle comes hame, Wi' the holie psalmodie; And thou maun speak o' me to thy God, And I will speak o' thee. SHE'S GANE TO DWALL IN HEAVEN. SHE 's gane to dwall in heaven, my lassie, O, what 'll she do in heaven, my lassie? O, what 'll she do in heaven? She'll mix her ain thoughts wi' angels' sangs, An' make them mair meet for heaven. She was beloved by a', my lassie, But an angel fell in love wi' her, She was beloved by a'; An' took her frae us a'. Low there thou lies, my lassie, Nor frae it will arise! Fu' soon I'll follow thee, my lassie, I looked on thy death-cold face, my lassie, I looked on thy death-shut eye, my lassie, Thy lips were ruddy and calm, my lassie, There's naught but dust now mine, lassie, |