Huddles it blindly. I have little bread—
One loaf for many mouths; but He that fed
With five loaves and two fishes five thousand men,
Will not leave us to perish in this den."
And with these words he brought the loaf which lay
Alone between them and a slow decay;
All that might save them in that desert place,
From the white famine that makes blank the face;
And, breaking it, gave half to the old man.
Lo! ere the sharpest eye could difference scan
Twixt light and dark, the pilgrim standing there
Vanished-and seemed to empty all the air
From earth to heaven. But the bread was left;
And Alfred, of his reason nigh bereft,
Rushed out, and stared across the leven fen.
No human shape was there, nor trace of men ;
But smooth, and void, and dark, burdening the eye,
The great blank marsh answered the great blank sky.
The ghostly bitterns clanged among the reeds,
And stirred, unseen, the ever-drowsy weeds
Of the morass; but all beside was dead-
And a dull stupor fell on Alfred's head.
He stumbled to the house--and sleep was strong
And dark upon his eyelids; but, ere long,
An angel, with a face placid and bright,
Filled all the caverns of his brain with light.
"I am the pilgrim," said the shape. "I came
To try thy heart, and found it free from blame :
Wherefore I'll make thee great above thy foes,
And like a planet that still speeds and glows,
Dancing along the centuries for ever.
But thou must aid me with all hard endeavour;
And when thou hast regained thy crown and state,
Make them no object of a nation's hate.
Let men behold, within thy sheltering bower,
The tranquil aspects of benignant power-
Love armed with strength; and lop thou with firm hand,
That many-headed hunger in thy land.
Which casts its shadows on the golden walls
Of the too prosperous, feasting in their halls.
Make God thy God-not pleasure lightly flown;
And love thy people better than thy throne.
So shall all men forget their ravening maws,
Under the even music of thy laws."
THE LAY OF SIR WILLIAM WALLACE.
The vision faded, like a subtle bloom,
As the still dawn was whitening all the room;
And Alfred, starting up, with staring eyes,
Saw his friends round him, laden with supplies;
Who told him that the Danes had fallen back
Before the vigour of a firm attack;
And that the people, gathering up their heart,
Called loudly for their King to act his part,
And take his sceptre and his throne again,—
Now doubly his through wisdom born of pain.
THE LAY OF SIR WILLIAM WALLACE. hill and the purple heath
Are 'round me as I stand,
The torrent hoar doth sternly roar,
The lake lies calm and grand;
The altars of the living rock
'Neath yon blue sky are bare,
And a thousand mountain-voices mock
Mine accents on the air.
O land most lovely and beloved,
Whether in morn's bright hues,
Or in the vale, so soft, so pale,
Woven by twilight dews.
God's bounty pours from sun and cloud
Beauty on shore and wave,
I lift my hands, I cry aloud,
Man shall not make the slave!
Ye everlasting witnesses,
Most eloquent, though dumb,
Sky, shore, and seas, light, mist, and breeze,
Receive me, when I come!
How could I, in this holy place,
Stand with unshamed brow,
How look on earth's accusing face,
If I forget my vow?
Not few nor slight his burdens are
Who gives himself to stand
Steadfast and sleepless as a star,
Watching his fatherland;
Strong must his will be, and serene,
His spirit pure and bright,
His conscience vigilant and keen,
His arm an arm of might.
Ir I have little bread-
muy months; bat He that fed
And two ishes five thousand men,
us to perish in this den.”
And with time words he brought the loaf which lay Lime between them and a slow decay;
AT THAT MOST SITE them in that desert place,
Fan de vin line that makes blank the face;
ARL WHEN I gave half to the old man.
a'am the sharpest ere could difference scan hong and burk, the rigrim standing there shaneni waumed to empty all the air Temati; kr. But the bread was left; And Arrel J is make nigh bereft,
3 sovi mut, and stand across the leven fen.
X Puma shape was there, nor trace of men;
But small ani vini, ani dark, burdening the eye,
The past tank mash answered the great blank sky.
The Most limems tanged among the reeds,
ki sred miseen, the ever-drowsy weeds
the mass bet beside was dead
And a ini super fell on Alfred's head.
Be scumbed to the base and sleep was strong
And bars med hs erebis; but, ere long,
3: 127, with a face paid and bright,
Filet all the taverns of his brain with light.
I am the Termsaid the shape. "I came
Toy the best, and found it free from blame :
make thee great above thy foes,
And the a plant that still speeds and glows,
Tanong sing the centuries for ever.
Bu the most sil me with all hard endeavour;
And when thou hast regained thy crown and state,
Lay them no deject of a nation's hate.
la ma tehill within thy sheltering bower,
The wand aspects of bezignant power
my armed with strength; and lop thou with firm A, That marr-headed hunger in thy land. ità rasts its shadows on the golden Of the de prosperons, feasting in the May God thy God-not pleasure Ki Akty pople better than t Se shall all men faget their aber the even masie of thy
How still and deep is the awful sleep
That, like mist on a sea-girt isle,
Broods o'er thy halls and thy crumbling walls,
Thou deserted and lonely pile.
Pale as the gloom of the cheerless tomb
Is the light that shadows thee o'er,
And cold as death seems the murmuring breath
That sweeps by thy turrets so hoar.
And yet from thee, all strong and all free,
Long ago rose the sounds of mirth,
The merry laugh that, lightly as chaff,
The winds bore to many a hearth.
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