Where sweetly is rehears'd the lowly state Of Jesus, when his birth was first announc'd, To Bethlehem's shepherds,* as they watch'd their flocks. Breathless, the man forlorn listens, and thinks It is a dream. Fuller the voices swell. He looks, and starts to see, moving along, "And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And, lo! the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them, and they were sore afraid. And the angel said unto them, Fear not; for, behold! I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day, in the city of David, a Saviour, who is Christ the Lord. And this shall be a sign unto you, Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling-cloaths, lying in a manger. And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host, praising God, and saying, Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men." LUKE, ii. 8.-14. The semblance of a fiery wave,* in crescent form, Not so his hand; he strikes the flint,—a blaze "In fome seas, as particularly about the coast of Malabar, as a ship floats along, it seems during the night to be surrounded with fire, and to leave long tract of light behind it. Whenever the sea is gently agitated, it seems converted into little stars; every drop as it breaks emits light, like bodies electrified in the dark."DARWIN. Mounts from the ready heap of wither'd leaves: The music ceases; accents harsh succeed, Harsh, but most grateful; downward drop the sails. Ingulph'd the anchor sinks; the boat is launch'd; To other human voice beside his own, His native tongue to hear! He breathes at home, Tho' earth's diameter is interpos'd. Of perils of the sea he has no dread, Full well assur'd the mission'd bark is safe, Thou dost deliver them,-and from the calm, More dreadful than the storm, when motionless Upon the purple deep the vessel lies For days, for nights, illum'd by phospor lamps; To see, while o'er the side he leans, his face Let worldly men The cause and combatants contemptuous scorn, And call fanatics them, who hazard health And life, in testifying of the truth, Who joy and glory in the cross of Christ! But messengers commission'd to announce They too, tho' cloath'd with power of mighty works Miraculous, were oft receiv'd with scorn; Oft did their words fall powerless, tho' enforc'd They onward went, rejoicing in their course. To distant realms, they frequent fell on soils By works of love, the slave set free, the sick Sun flower. "The seeds of many plants of this kind are furnished with a plume, by which admirable mechanism they are disseminated far from their parent stem.”—DARWIN. |