The leaves which the sibyl presented of old, Though lessen'd in number, were not worth less gold; And though Fate steal our joys, do not think they're the best, The few she hath spared may be worth all the rest; And the rainbow is brightest when darkest the storm. And when all creation was sunk in the flood, storm. Then up! up! Never despair! THE SINGERS. H. W. LONGFELLOW.] [Music by J. BLOCKLEY. God sent his singers upon earth With songs of sadness and of mirth, That they might touch the hearts of men, The first, a youth with soul of fire, Through groves he wander'd, and by streams, The second, with a bearded face, A grey old man, the third and last, And those who heard the singers three But the great Master said, "I see To charm, to strengthen, and to teach. "These are the three great chords of night, But the most perfect harmony." WE WATCHED HER BREATHING IN T. HOOD.] THE NIGHT. [Music by J. BLOCKLEY, We watch'd her breathing through the night, Her breathing soft and low, As in her breast the wave of life Kept heaving to and fro. So silently we seem'd to speak, As we had lent her half our powers Our very hopes belied our fears, We thought her dying when she slept, For when the morn came, dim and sad, Her quiet eyelids closed-she had THE MID-WATCH. R. B. SHERIDAN.] [Music by W. LINLEY. When 'tis night, and the mid-watch is come Each serving at his gun, Should any thought of them come o'er your mind, Their hearts to hear That their old companion he was one. Or, my lad, if you a mistress kind Have left on shore, some pretty girl and true, Who many a night doth listen to the wind, And sighs to think how it may fare with you; Or, when the fight's begun, You, serving at your gun, Should any thought of her come o'er your mind, Her heart to hear That her old companion he was one. THE GENTLE HOUR. C. JEFFREYS.] The last faint ray hath left the flow'r, [German Air. The bird hath wing'd his homeward flight; What kindly feelings now have birth, While memory wanders o'er the earth My fancy peoples many a home D. GARRICK.] HEARTS OF OAK. [Music by Dr. ARNE. Come, cheer up, my lads! 'tis to glory we steer, To add something more to this wonderful year: To honour we call you, not press you like slaves, For who are so free as the sons of the waves? Hearts of oak are our ships, Gallant tars are our men; We always are ready, Steady, boys, steady! We'll fight and we'll conquer again and again. We ne'er see our foes but we wish them to stay, They swear they'll invade us, these terrible foes! Britannia triumphant, her ships sweep the sea, THE ARROW AND THE SONG. H. W. LONGFELLOW.] I shot an arrow into the air, I breathed a song into the air, Long, long afterward, in an oak KING WITLAF'S DRINKING-HORN. H. W. LONGFELLOW.] [Music by W. H. WEISS. Witlaf, a king of the Saxons, So sat they once at Christmas, In their beards the red wine glisten'd |