In a manger laid he was,
O thou Man, O thou Man,
In a manger laid he was

At this time present.

In a manger laid he was
Between an ox and an ass,

And all for our trespass,
Therefore repent.

Give thanks to God alway,
O thou Man, O thou Man,

Give thanks to God alway,

With Hearts most joyfully:

Give thanks to God alway,

Upon this blessed day

Let all men sing and say
Holy, Holy.

A CHRISTMAS CAROL.

[AMONG all our English poets, the one, who has left us by far the most complete contemporary picture of the Christmas season, was a country clergyman of the reign of Charles I. who held a small living in a remote part of Devonshire. This was Robert Herrick, the author of Hesperides, and of the following beautiful Carol.]

Chorus.

HAT sweeter music can we bring
Than a carol, for to sing

The birth of this our Heavenly King?

Awake the voice! awake the string!

Heart, ear, and eye, and everything,

Awake! the while the active finger

Runs division with the singer.

I.

Dark and dull night, fly hence away,
And give the honor to this day,

That sees December turned to May.

II.

If we may ask the reason, say

The why, and wherefore all things here Seem like the spring time of the

year ?

III.

Why does the chilling winter's morn
Smile, like a field beset with corn?

Or smell, like to a mead new shorn,
Thus, on the sudden?

IV.

Come and see

The cause, why things thus fragrant be: 'Tis He is born, whose quickening birth Gives life and lustre, public mirth,

To Heaven and the under Earth.

Chorus.

We see Him come, and know Him ours, Who with His sunshine and His showers, Turns all the patient ground to flowers.

I.

The Darling of the world is come,

And fit it is we find a room

To welcome Him.

II.

The nobler part

Of all the house here, is the heart.

Chorus.

Which we will give Him; and bequeath

This holly and this ivy wreath,

To do Him honour who's our King,

And Lord of all this revelling.

THE STAR SONG.

THE FLOURISH OF MUSICK; THEN FOLLOW
THE SONG.

[THIS delightful Carol is by the author of the preceding. The concluding lines, with their allusion to wassailing, represent very well the spirit of the season in old times,-a mixture of devotion and thankfulness, with a little worldly, yet harmless, rejoicing.]

I.

ELL us, thou clear and heavenly tongue,
Where is the Babe that lately sprung?

Lies He the lily-banks among?

Or

II.

say, if this new Birth of ours

Sleeps, laid within some ark of flowers,

Spangled with dew-light? thou canst clear

All doubts, and manifest the where.