Thus shall the Saviour's name Thy loftiest tribute claim, And where thy archives dwell, with fair perfections shine. "And they came to Jericho ; and as he went out of Jericho with his disciples, and a great number of people, blind Bartimeus, the son of Timeus, sat by the high-way side begging."-MARK x. 46. THE LANDSCAPE PAINTER. A POET picturising all he sees, With master skill! I see him as he drinks the evening breeze Look how his tablets shine! in fair array, His soul now muses on the break of day, He marks the silver moon's majestic mein— Which walking in her train, with glittering sheen Look on that spangled firmament, the seat To poet's mind like his, 'tis passing sweet Aloft to climb THE LANDSCAPE PAINTER. 189 Where contemplation lingers, to survey, Amid the splendours of their proud array, Spring, summer, autumn, winter in their course, Whilst a still voice from their eternal Source, Hail to the bright-winged hours that cross his path He sings of blessings breathing gentle breath, Like that fair mother of a royal line, Whose lineaments in sacred scripture shine, Amid the reapers, where the golden grain Behold a maiden fairest of the train, A rich, abundant gleaning for the lord Has look'd with favour on her, and his word Has fill'd her earthly storehouse ;-like His smile That bids us each bereavement reconcile, Which heaven above, In its bright counsels orders ;-as the way That pilgrims traverse when they seek the day, Creation fill'd thy spirit with her strains, For music 'mid her boundless empire reigns, And to the christian welcome-whilst his tongue, Delights that God to mention in his song, Who conquers death. "Thou didst cleave the fountain and the flood: thou driedst up mighty rivers. The day is thine, the night also is thine: thou hast prepared the light and the sun. Thou hast set all the borders of the earth; thou hast made summer and winter."-PSALM 1xxiv. 15-17. THE SACRED FABULIST. THOU enigmatic painter! could it be That skill like thine, Might bring to light the soul's deep mystery, Truth rests beneath dark problems—and her seat THE SACRED FABULIST. Thou couldst delineate the human breast, The enemies that hold with large unrest, Her citadel: Rebellion and the dark allies of sin Keep sure possession of the posts within. Thou couldst portray the pitfalls and the snares The gay enchantments and the busy cares That lead from God: : Thou wouldst erect new way-marks to express The turnings on the road of happiness. The mask of folly and each devious way Of passion's child,— How vanity goes forth in proud array, Earth and her thousand woes, thy graphic pen The church in her vicissitudes, thy gaze Could well descry; Her steps in flowery and in thorny ways, With lessons high, 191 Thy faithful pencil paints to teach the observant eye. The candle of the soul doth brightly shine, And trimm'd with care: Its flame thy mind could trace, When quickened by that grace Which bids our spirits see how heavenly things are fair. Thy emblems of the heart Truth in the drapery of fiction, drest ; Each well-drawn character Has power its mystic tale in fable, to express. Then teach us yet again! And let each melting strain For parables like thine, With wisdom's signet shine, And on our senseless souls, their hallowed grace distil. Heaven and her worlds of liberty and love Thine eye could see; Throughout her universe of light to rove And many a spirit captured at thy will, Has drank its draught of thought at Zion's holy hill. "Then said he unto me, Son of man, hast thou seen what the ancients of the house of Israel do in the dark, every man in the chambers of his imagery?"-EZEK. viii. 12. JOHN THE BAPTIST. BRIGHT herald of the dawn! thy cheering ray 'Twas thine to usher in immortal day That gilds the tomb. |