Delayed it may be for more lives yet,
Through worlds I shall traverse, not a few—
Much is to learn and much to forget

Ere the time be come for taking you.

But the time will come,-at last it will,
When, Evelyn Hope, what meant, I shall say,
In the lower earth, in the years long still,
That body and soul so pure and gay?
Why your hair was amber, I shall divine,
And your mouth of your own geranium's red—
And what you would do with me, in fine,

In the new life come in the old one's stead.

I have lived, I shall say, so much since then,
Given up myself so many times,

Gained me the gains of various men,
Ransacked the ages, spoiled the climes ;
Yet one thing, one, in my soul's full
scope,
Either I missed or itself missed me-
And I want and find you, Evelyn Hope!
What is the issue? let us see!

I loved you, Evelyn, all the while;

My heart seemed full as it could hold— There was place and to spare for the frank young smile

And the red young mouth and the hair's

gold.

young

So, hush, I will give you this leaf to keep

See, I shut it inside the sweet cold hand.

There, that is our secret! go to sleep:

You will wake, and remember, and understand. ROBERT BROWNING.

IN

Earth and Heaven.

hell no life, in heaven no death there is;

In earth both life and death, both bale and
bliss:

In heaven's all life, no end, nor new supplying;
In hell's all death, and yet there is no dying.
Earth (like a partial ambidexter) doth
Prepare for death, or life, prepares for both :
Who lives to sin in hell his portion's given,
Who dies to sin, shall after live in heaven.
Though earth my nurse be, heaven, be thou
my father;

Ten thousand deaths let me endure rather
Within my nurse's arms, than one to thee;
Earth's honour, with thy frowns, is death to me:
I live on earth, upon a stage of sorrow;
Lord, if thou pleasest, end the play to-morrow.
I live on earth, as in a dream of pleasure;
Awake me when thou wilt, I wait thy leisure:
I live on earth, but as of life bereaven;

My life's with thee, for, Lord, thou art in heaven.
FRANCIS QUARLES.

0

Entrance into Bliss.

SACRED star of evening, tell

In what unseen, celestial sphere,
Those spirits of the perfect dwell,

Too pure to rest in sadness here.

Roam they the crystal fields of light,
O'er paths by holy angels trod,
Their robes with heavenly lustre bright,
Their home, the Paradise of God?

Soul of the just! and canst thou soar

Amidst those radiant spheres sublime, Where countless hosts of heaven adore,

Beyond the bounds of space or time?

And canst thou join the sacred choir,
Through heaven's high dome the song to raise,
Where seraphs strike the golden lyre
In ever-during notes of praise?

Oh! who would heed the chilling blast
That blows o'er time's eventful sea,
If bid to hail, its perils past,

The bright wave of eternity!

And who the sorrows would not bear
Of such a transient world as this,
When hope displays, beyond its care,
So bright an entrance into bliss!

W. O. PEABODY.

Easter.

AGAIN the Lord of life and light

Awakes the kindling ray;

Unseals the eyelids of the morn,

And pours increasing day.

Oh! what a night was that which wrapt
The heathen world in gloom:

Oh! what a Sun which broke this day
Triumphant from the tomb!

This day be grateful homage paid,

And loud hosannas sung;
Let gladness dwell in every heart,
And praise on every tongue.

Ten thousand differing lips shall join
To hail this welcome morn,
Which scatters blessings from its wings,
To nations yet unborn.

Jesus, the friend of human kind,
With strong compassion moved,
Descended, like a pitying God,
To save the souls He loved.

The powers of darkness leagued in vain
To bind his soul in death;

He shook their kingdom, when He fell,
With his expiring breath.

Not long the toils of hell could keep
The hope of Judah's line;
Corruption never could take hold

On aught so much divine.

And now his conquering chariot wheels Ascend the lofty skies;

While broke, beneath his powerful cross, Death's iron sceptre lies.

G

Exalted high at God's right hand,

And Lord of all below;

Through Him is pardoning love dispensed,
And boundless blessings flow.

And still for erring, guilty man
A brother's pity flows;

And still his bleeding heart is touched
memory of our woes.

With

To Thee, my Saviour and my King,

Glad homage let me give;

And stand prepared like Thee to die,

With Thee that I may live.

ANNA LETITIA BARBAULD.

I

Easter.

GOT me flowers to strew thy way;

I got me boughs off many a tree :

But thou wast up by break of day,

And brought'st thy sweets along with thee.

The sun arising in the east,

Though he give light, and the east perfume;

If they should offer to contest

With thy arising, they presume.

Can there be any day but this,
Though many suns to shine endeavour ?
We count three hundred, but we miss :
There is but one, and that one ever.

GEORGE HERBERT.