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8

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THE HOMES OF ENGLAND.

The deer across their greensward bound
Through shade and sunny gleam,

And the swan glides past them with the sound
Of some rejoicing stream.

The merry homes of England!
Around their hearths by night,

What gladsome looks of household love
Meet in the ruddy light!

There woman's voice flows forth in song,
Or childhood's tale is told;
Or lips move tunefully along
Some glorious page of old.

The cottage homes of England!
By thousands on her plains,

They are smiling o'er the silvery brooks,
And round the hamlet-fanes.1
Through glowing orchards forth they peep,
Each from its nook of leaves;

And fearless there the lowly sleep
As the bird beneath their eaves.

The free fair homes of England!
Long, long in hut and hall
May hearts of native proof2 be reared

To guard each hallowed wall!
And green for ever be the groves,

And bright the flowery sod,

Where first the child's glad spirit loves
Its country and its God,

Mrs Hemans.

1 Hamlet-fanes, village-churches.

Proof, valour.

TRUST IN GOD AND DO THE RIGHT.

9

THE STAR1 OF BETHLEHEM.
When, marshalled on the nightly plain,
The glittering host bestud the sky-
One star alone of all the train,

Can fix the sinner's wandering eye.
Hark! hark! to God the chorus breaks
From every host, from every gem;
But one alone the Saviour speaks,2
It is the star of Bethlehem,

Once on the raging seas I rode,

The storm was loud-the night was dark-
The ocean yawned-and rudely blowed

The wind that tossed my foundering bark.
Deep horror then my vitals froze,

Death-struck, I ceased the tide to stem;
When suddenly a star arose,

It was the star of Bethlehem.

It was my guide, my light, my all,
It bade my dark forebodings cease,
And, through the storm and danger's thrall,
It led me to the port of peace.

Now safely moored-my perils o'er,
I'll sing, FIRST in night's diadem,

For ever, and for evermore,

The Star!-The Star of Bethlehem!

1 Star of Bethlehem. See Matthew ii. I.

H. K. White.

2 Speaks, &c., tells of the Saviour.

TRUST IN GOD AND DO THE RIGHT.

Courage, brother! do not stumble,
Though thy path be dark as night;
There's a star to guide the humble—
'Trust in God and do the right.'

10

THE BATTLE OF HOHENLINDEN.

Though the road be long and dreary,
And the end be out of sight;
Foot it bravely, strong or weary-
'Trust in God and do the right.'

Perish policy' and cunning,
Perish all that fears the light!
Whether losing, whether winning,
'Trust in God and do the right.'

Shun all forms of guilty passion,
Fiends can look like angels bright;
Heed no custom, school, or fashion-
'Trust in God and do the right.'

Some will hate thee, some will love thee,
Some will flatter, some will slight;
Cease from man, and look above thee,
'Trust in God and do the right.'

Simple rule and safest guiding-
Inward peace and shining light-
Star upon our path abiding-
'Trust in God and do the right.'

1 Policy, stratagem.

Dr Norman Macleod.

THE BATTLE OF HOHENLINDEN.

On Linden,1 when the sun was low,
All bloodless lay the untrodden snow,
And dark as winter was the flow
Of Iser, rolling rapidly.

But Linden saw another sight,

When the drum beat, at dead of night,
Commanding fires of death to light

The darkness of her scenery.

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