"Yes, we are passing fair to view," The cheerful Tree replied:

"My goodly green is goodliest seen, "With scarlet by its side.

"For these in gifts are least alike.
"My ruddy fruit receives
"That portion of disparted light,
"Which enters not my leaves;

"While every old fantastic leaf,
"And every tender shoot,
"Receives that other moiety,
"Which enters not my fruit.

"For each fair beam of glistering light "All earthly colour thralls,

"And growths assume this hue or that, "As parts it where it falls.

"If one should cleave that glistering ray, "And all its green unwind, "A glowing red, like furnace bed, "Would wake its fires behind;

"Or if one rather gleaned thereout "Each several rosy splint,

"A joyous green, like summer screen, "Behind would rear its tint;

"While if one blended reds and greens,
"Of measured tone and might,

"The whiteness soon would there be shewn
"Of Summer's perfect light.

"Thus all, that yon rich sun can give,
"My favoured boughs contain;
"But one part here and one part there,
"As shew my colours twain.

"Each lacks just that the other has,
"And has what's there denied;
"And therefore they are beautiful,
"Thus stationed side by side."

"O courteous Holly-Tree," said I,
"It fills me with delight,
"To know the beauteous mystery
"Of thy two colours bright."

"Then list yet more, and hear me say

(Pursued the fluent Tree), "What most I have delighted in, "Amid your Christmas glee.

My joy has been to hear you sing, "To see you kneel and pray,

"And still to watch the merriment

"Of your good Christmas-Day;

G

"And nothing have I fairer seen,

"In Church or Mansion wide, “Than Rich and Poor on one bright floor "All stationed side by side.

"For all your countless men and dames, "Upon one stem they grow; "Your world-wide race is but one tree, "Where two main colours shew.

"Your rich men are the leaves so green, "All armed their foes to meet: "Your poor folks are the berries red, "That cluster round their feet.

"In pains and sorrows manifold "Have these been deeply dyed: "While those the fiercer heats are spared, "And fenced, whate'er betide.

"So those, out-reaching here and there, "Their shelter fair must give; "While these, so thickly set below,

"In duteous order live.

"For here God seeks the ruby, Faith,

"And there the emerald, Hope,

"And ever-blooming Charity,

"That knows with death to cope.

"Each lacks just that the other has, "And has what's there denied; "And therefore beautiful they are, "All stationed side by side."

A man may guess, and I confess,
It filled me with surprise,
In that untrimmed and crooked hedge
To hear a Tree so wise.

Long while I sought for meet reply,

Yet only found to say,

"God make me always think of this "On his good Christmas-Day,

"And give to thee, dear Holly-Tree,
"The sight that glads thee most,
"And shield thee, for thy charity,
"In winter's killing frost."

RECOLLECTIONS OF THE CHAPEL OF THE NINE ALTARS, AT DURHAM :

NOW USED AS A MORNING CHAPEL FOR THE UNIVERSITY.

Written on hearing of the deaths of two College Friends.

FROM the Chair of old Van Mildert,
Where he sits in hallowed stone,
At the feet of blessed Cuthbert,
Meditating thoughts unknown,

Many a tide of life, receding,
With its freight of pious lore,
Into strange and distant waters,
Flows to Dunelm never more.

I remember forms that once were

(Were, and are not-) bending there;

Pausing, on their way to Lecture;

Kneeling down in solemn prayer.