, 1858-12-24
? 0 z z ~ .
MIItOn's Christmas Hymn.7-lBtidgcd

II was the winter wild,
While the Heavenborn child
All meanly wraRt in rude manger lies;
Nature in awe to Him,
Had dOfed her gaudy trim,
With her great Master 50 To sympathize.
II was no season then for her
To wanton with the suu, her lusty paramour.
No war or battles sound
Was heard the world around:
The idle spear and shield were high hung-up;
The hooked chariot stood,
Unstained with hostile blood;
The trumpet spake not to the armed throng;
And kings sat still, with awful eye,
AZ II they surely knew their sovereign Lord was by.
But peaceful was the night
Wherein the Prince Of Light
bis reign Of peace upon the earth, began:
The Winds, with wonder whist,
Smoothly the waters kissed,
Whispering new joys TO the mild ocean,
Who now hath quite forgot to rave,
While birds OF calm sit on the charmed wave.
The shepherds on the lawn,
Or e'er the point Of dawn
Sat simply chatting in a rustic row;
Full little thought they then
That the mighty Pan
Was kindly come to live with them below;
Perhaps their loves, or else their sheep,
Was all that did their silly thoughts 50 busy keep
When such music sweet
Their hearts and ears cid greet
As never was by mortal singer str0Okt
Dyinely Warbled voice,
Answering the stringed noise,
As all their souls ia blissfu raptute took
The air such pleasure 10th to lose,
With thousand echoes still prolongs each heavenly
close,
At last surrounds their sight
A globe Of circular liggt,
That With long beams tho shame-faced night ar
The helmed cherdbm,
And sworded seraphm,
Are seen in glitterng ranks, with wings displayed,
HRrping in loud and solemn choir,
With unexpressive notes 20 Heavens newborn Heir.
Such music as Ctis said)
Before was never made,
But when OF old the Sons OF Morning snng,
While the Creator great,
His constenntiOns set, rrr
And the welbalanced worldon hinges hung,
And cast The dark foundations deep,
And bid the Welterng waves their oozy channel keep
Ring out ye crystal spheres,
Once bless our human ears
aQfye have power 10 touch our senses SOL
And let your silver chime
Move in meodious time,
And let the base Of Heavens deep organ blow,
And, with your nineiod harmony, t.
Make up full consort to the angelic symphony.
For IL such holy song ts
InWarp our fancy long,
Time will run hack, and fctch the Age Of Gold,
VIII scken soon aud die,
Ambiguous sin will melt from earthly mould,
And hell itself viii pass away,
And leave her dolorous mansion TO the peering day
Huaband and Wife, a Christmas gift poem, has the
following prologue a n Leigh Hgnt;-
Abel MeAdam--may his tribe incrossei-
Awoke one night from deep dream Of peace,
And saw, within the gas light Of his room,
A female spirit (dressed up a "a Bloom.
Er) writing something 10 n book OF gold.
Exceeding drink had made McAdam bold,
Aud to the presence ia the room be said,
What writest dear ~ The spirit raised lis head,
And with voice like that Of cooing dove,
Anrmured, TIE NAMES Of hasn sohom ioNnen i0re.r
and 4 mine one o. asked Abel. No, siree,n
Replied the spirit. Abel roared With glee,
Then coolly said, Sweet sprte, write me one
Who ne'er dnds fault with what q woman's DONE"
The Bloomer wrote and vanished; but the next night
II came again with great wakening light,
And showed the names by love Of woman blessed.
When, 10 McAdGm's name led all the TssH