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With half-clos'd eye a lion there
Lies basking in his noontide lair,
Or prowls in twilight gloom.
The golden city's king he seems,
Such as in old prophetic dreams

g

Sprang from rough ocean's womb.

But where are now his eagle wings,
That shelter'd erst a thousand kings,
Hiding the glorious sky

From half the nations, till they own
No holier name, no mightier throne?
That vision is gone by.

Quench'd is the golden statue's ray",
The breath of heaven has blown away
What toiling earth had pil'd,

Scattering wise heart and crafty hand,
As breezes strew on ocean's sand

The fabrics of a child.

Divided thence through every age
Thy rebels, Lord, their warfare wage,

g Daniel vii. 4.

h Daniel ii. and iii.

And hoarse and jarring all

Mount up their heaven assailing cries To thy bright watchmen in the skies From Babel's shatter'd wall.

Thrice only since, with blended might
The nations on that haughty height
Have met to scale the heaven :

Thrice only might a Seraph's look
A moment's shade of sadness brook-
Such power to guilt was given.

Now the fierce Bear and Leopard keen
Are perish'd as they ne'er had been,
Oblivion is their home:

Ambition's boldest dream and last
Must melt before the clarion blast

That sounds the dirge of Rome.

Heroes and Kings, obey the charm, Withdraw the proud high-reaching arm There is an oath on high,

i Daniel vii. 5, 6.

That ne'er on brow of mortal birth

Shall blend again the crowns of earth,
Nor in according cry

Her many voices mingling own
One tyrant Lord, one idol throne :
But to His triumph soon

He shall descend, who rules above,
And the pure language of His lovek
All tongues of men shall tune.

Nor let Ambition heartless mourn;
When Babel's very ruins burn,

Her high desires may breathe;

O'ercome thyself, and thou may'st share
With Christ his Father's throne', and wear

The world's imperial wreath.

k Zephaniah iii. 9. "Then will I turn to the people a pure language, that they may all call upon the name of the Lord, to serve him with one consent."

1 Revelations iii. 21. "To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne."

TUESDAY IN WHITSUN-WEEK.

When He putteth forth His own sheep, He goeth before them. St. John x. 4.

66

(Addressed to Candidates for Ordination.)

LORD, in thy field I work all day,
"I read, I teach, I warn, I pray,
"And yet these wilful wandering sheep
"Within thy fold I cannot keep.

"I journey, yet no step is won-
"Alas! the weary course I run!

"Like sailors shipwreck'd in their dreams,
"All powerless and benighted seems.'

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What? wearied out with half a life?

Scar'd with this smooth unbloody strife?
Think where thy coward hopes had flown
Had Heaven held out the martyr's crown.

How could'st thou hang upon the cross,
To whom a weary hour is loss?

Or how the thorns and scourging brook,
Who shrinkest from a scornful look ?

Yet ere thy craven spirit faints,

Hear thine own King, the King of saints;
Though thou wert toiling in the grave,
"Tis He can cheer thee, He can save.

He is th' eternal mirror bright,

Where angels view the FATHER's light,
And yet in Him the simplest swain
May read his homely lesson plain.

Early to quit his home on earth,
And claim his high celestial birth,

Alone with his true Father found

Within the temple's solemn round :—

Yet in meek duty to abide

For many a year at Mary's side,

Nor heed, though restless spirits ask,

"What? hath the Christ forgot his task ?"—

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