MAY 29.

CHRIST, look upon us in this city,
And keep our sympathy and pity
Fresh, and our faces heavenward;
Lest we grow hard.

Had poor folk half they need, and pleasure
Of life in reasonable measure,-
But food and raiment--few of all
Would sin or fall.

Life scarce can tread majestically
Foul court and fever-stricken alley;
It is the rich, must be confessed,
Are blamefullest.

So spake the Rose, and smiled:

"Within my cup

All day the sunbeams fall in flame, all day

They drink my sweetness up!

"I sigh my soul away!"

The Lily said: "All night the moonbeams pale Steal round and round me, whispering in their play An all too tender tale!

"I give my soul

away!

The Violet said: "The West-wind wanders on, The North-wind comes; I know not what they say, And yet my soul is gone!

O Poet, burn away

Thy fervent soul! fond Lover, at the feet Of her thou lovest, sigh! dear Christian, pray And let the world be sweet.

DORA GREENwell.

MAY 31.

PATER NOSTER.

ETERNAL Father, who didst all create,
In whom we live and to whose bosom move,
To all men be Thy name known, which is Love,
Till its loud praises sound at heaven's high gate.
Perfect Thy kingdom in our passing state,
That here on earth Thou mayest as well
Our service as Thou ownest theirs above,
Whose joy we echo and in pain await.

approve

Grant body and soul each day their daily bread;
And should, in spite of grace, fresh woe begin,
Even as our anger soon is past and dead,
Be Thy remembrance mortal of our sin;
By Thee in paths of peace Thy sheep be led,
And in the vale of terror comforted.

ROBERT BRIDGES.

153

JUNE 1.

THE WILL AND THE DEED.

I BELIEVE it!

receive :

'Tis Thou, God, that givest, 'tis I that

In the first is the last, in Thy will is my power to believe.

All's one gift: Thou canst grant it, moreover, as prompt to my prayer

As I breathe out this breath, as I open these arms to the air.

From Thy will stream the worlds, life and nature, Thy

dread Sabaoth;

I will? the mere atoms despise me!

loth

Why am I not

To look that, even that in the face too?

I dare

Why is it

Think but lightly of such impuissance? What stops my despair?

This 'tis not what man Does which exalts him, but

:

what man Would do!

R. BROWNING.

JUNE 2.

"I WISH that he were come to me,
For he will come " she said.

"Have I not prayed in Heaven? on Earth,
Lord, Lord, has he not prayed?

Are not two prayers a perfect strength?
And shall I feel afraid?

When round his head the aureole clings,
And he is clothed in white,

I'll take his hand and go with him
To the deep wells of light;
As unto a stream we will step down,
And bathe there in God's sight.

We two will stand beside that shrine,
Occult, withheld, untrod,

Whose lamps are stirred continually,

With

prayer sent up to God;

And see our old prayers, granted, melt
Each like a little cloud."

D. G. ROSSETTI.

JUNE 3.

THE PRIEST'S INTERCESSOR.

YET, yet awhile, offended Saviour, pause;
In act to break

Thine outraged laws,

O spare Thy rebels for Thine own dear sake; Withdraw Thine hand, nor dash to earth The covenant of our second birth.

"Tis forfeit like the first-we own it allYet for love's sake,

Let it not fall;

But at Thy touch let veilèd hearts awake,
That nearest to Thine altar lie,

Yet least of holy things descry.

Teacher of teachers! Priest of priests! from Thee The sweet strong prayer

Must rise to free

First Levi, then all Israel, from the snare.

Thou art our Moses out of sight—

Speak for us, or we perish quite.

JOHN KEBLE.

JUNE 4.

"I LIFT UP MINE EYES UNTO THE HILLS."

SEEKE the Lord, and in His waies persever!
O faint not, but, as Eagles, flye,

For His steepe hill is high;

Then striving gaine the top, and triumph ever!

When with glory there thy browes are crowned,
New joyes so shall abound in thee,

Such sights thy soule shall see

That worldly thoughts shall by their beames be drowned.

Farewell, World, thou masse of meere confusion!
False light, with many shadowes dimm'd!
Old Witch, with new foyles trimm'd!
Thou deadly sleepe of soule, and charm'd illusion!

I the King will seeke, of Kings adored,
Spring of light, tree of grace and bliss,
Whose fruit so sov'raigne is,

That all who taste it are from death restored.

DR THOMAS CAMPION.