As this pale taper's earthly spark,

To yonder argent round;

So shows my soul before the Lamb,
My spirit before Thee;

So in mine earthly house I am,

To that I hope to be.

Break up the heavens, O Lord, and far,
Through all yon starlight keen,
Draw me, Thy bride, a glittering star,
In raiment white and clean.

He lifts me to the golden doors;
The flashes come and go;
All Heaven bursts her starry floors,
And strews her lights below,
And deepens on and up! the gates
Roll back, and far within

For me the heavenly Bridegroom waits,
To make me pure of sin.

The sabbaths of Eternity,

One sabbath deep and wide;
A light upon the shining sea,-
The Bridegroom with His bride!

TENNYSON.

PRAISE.

239

PRAISE.

PRAISE the Lord!

Praise Him from the heavens on high!
Praise Him in the lofty sky!

Praise Him, all ye angels bright!
Praise Him, all His hosts of light!
Praise Him, sun and moon afar!

Praise Him, every radiant star!

Praise Him, heavens that heavens upbear;
Waters, higher hung in air;

Let them praise their Maker's name;
For He called them, and they came:

He has fixed their places fast,
With a bound which ne'er was passed.

Praise the Lord from earth below,
Monsters, through the deep that go;
Fire, and cloud, and snow, and hail,
And the obedient stormy gale;
Mountains, and the highlands all;
Fruitful trees, and cedars tall;

Beasts that field or forest bore;

Worms that creep, and birds that soar;
Kings, and men of humble birth;
Princes, judges of the earth;
Youths and virgins, flourishing
In the beauty of your spring;

You who bow with age's weight,
You who were but born of late;
Heaven and earth with due consent,
Praise His name most excellent;
He His saints to Him shall rear,
Israel, to the Lord so dear.
Praise the Lord!

THE HOLY SEPULCHRE.

THEN hallowed peace renewed her wealthy reign,
Then altars smoked, and Sion smiled again.
There sculptured gold and costly gems were seen,
And all the bounties of the British queen;
There barbarous kings their sandalled nations led,
And steel-clad champions bowed the crested head.
There, when her fiery race the desert poured,
And pale Byzantium feared Medina's sword,
When coward Asia shook in trembling woe,
And bent appalled before the Bactrian bow;
From the moist regions of the western star
The wandering hermit waked the storm of war.

THE HOLY SEPULCHRE.

Their limbs all iron, and their souls all flame, A countless host, the red-cross warriors came.

E'en hoary priests the sacred combat wage,
And clothe in steel the palsied arm of age;
While beardless youths and tender maids assume
The weighty morion and the glancing plume.
In sportive pride the warrior damsels wield
The ponderous falchion, and the sun-like shield,
And start to see their armor's iron gleam
Dance with blue lustre in Tabaria's stream.

The blood-red banner floating o'er their van, All madly blithe the mingled myriads ran Impatient Death beheld his destined food,

And hovering vultures snuffed the scent of blood.

Yet still destruction sweeps the lonely plain, And heroes lift the generous sword in vain. Still o'er her sky the clouds of anger roll, And God's revenge hangs heavy on her soul. Yet shall she rise, but not by war restored, Not built in murder,-planted by the sword: Yes, Salem, thou shalt rise: thy Father's aid Shall heal the wound His chastening hand has made; Shall judge the proud oppressor's ruthless sway, And burst his brazen bonds, and cast his cords away. Then on your tops shall deathless verdure spring, Break forth, ye mountains, and ye valleys, sing! No more your thirsty rocks shall frown forlorn, The unbeliever's jest, the heathen's scorn,