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My father! must I stay?"

While o'er him fast through sail and shroud,

The wreathing fires made way.

THERE

CLXXI.

THE BENDED BOW.

HERE was heard the sound of a coming foe, There was sent through Britain a bended bow And a voice was poured on the free winds far, As the land rose up at the sound of war:

Heard ye not the battle horn?
Reaper! leave thy golden corn!
Leave it for the birds of heaven;
Swords must flash, and spears be riven:
Leave it for the winds to shed,

Arm ere Britain's turf grows red!

And the reaper armed, like a freeman's son ;
And the bended bow and the voice passed on.

Arm thee! Britain's foes are nigh!

And the hunter armed, ere the chase was done; And the bended bow and the voice passed on.

And the chieftain armed, and the horn was blown ; And the bended bow and the voice passed on.

Prince! thy father's deeds are told
In the bower and in the hold,
Where the goatherd's lay is sung,

Give our bards a tale of thee!

And the prince came armed, like a leader's son,
And the bended bow and the voice passed on.

Mother! stay thou not thy boy!
He must learn the battle's joy.
Sister! bring the sword and spear,
Give thy brother words of cheer!
Maiden bid thy lover part;
Britain calls the strong in heart!

And the bended bow and the voice passed on ;
And the bards made song of a battle won.

Mrs. Hemans.

66

'I

CLXXII.

THE BETTER LAND.

HEAR thee speak of the better land,
Thou call'st its children a happy band;
Mother! O where is that radiant shore?
Shall we not seek it and weep no more?
Is it where the flower of the orange blows,
And the fire-flies glance thro' the myrtle boughs?"
"Not there, not there, my child!"

"Is it where the feathery palm-trees rise, And the date grows ripe under sunny skies? Or midst the green islands of glittering seas, Where fragrant forests perfume the breeze, And strange, bright birds, on starry wings, Bear the rich hues of all glorious things?" “Not there, not there, my child!"

"Is it far away, in some region old, Where the rivers wander o'er sands of gold? Where the burning rays of the ruby shine, And the diamond lights up the secret mine,

And the pearl gleams forth from the coral strand ?”
Is it there, sweet mother! that better land?"

"Eye hath not seen it, my gentle boy!
Ear hath not heard its deep songs of joy ;
Dreams cannot picture a world so fair
Sorrow and death may not enter there;
Time doth not breathe on its fadeless bloom,
For beyond the clouds, and beyond the tomb,

LANDING OF THE PILGRIM FATHERS.

THE breaking waves dashed high

On a stern and rock-bound coast,
And the woods against a stormy sky
Their giant branches tossed;

And the heavy night hung dark
The hills and waters o'er,

When a band of Exiles moored their bark
On the wild New England shore.

They shook the depths of the desert's gloom

With their hymns of lofty cheer.

Amidst the storm they sang,

And the stars heard, and the sea!

And the sounding aisles of the dim woods rang

To the anthem of the free!

The ocean eagle soared

From his nest by the white wave's foam,
And the rocking pines of the forest roared;
This was their welcome home!

There were men with hoary hair
Amidst that Pilgrim band;

Why have they come to wither there,
Away from their childhood's land?

There was woman's fearless eye,
Lit by her deep love's truth;
There was manhood's brow, serenely high
And the fiery heart of youth.

What sought they thus, afar?

Bright jewels of the mine?

The wealth of seas, the spoils of war?
They sought a faith's pure shrine !

Ay, call it holy ground,

The soil where first they trod!

They have left unstained what there they found -
Freedom to worship God!

Mrs. Hemans.

CLXXIV.

BERNARDO DEL CARPIO.

THE warrior bowed his crested head, and tamed his heart

of fire,

And sued the haughty king to free his long-imprisoned sire; "I bring thee here my fortress-keys, I bring my captive train, I pledge thee faith, my liege, my lord! O! break my father's

chain !"