THE HOMES OF ENGLAND. The stately Homes of England, O'er all the pleasant land! The deer across their greensward bound, And the swan glides past them with the sound Of some rejoicing stream. The merry Homes of England! Around their hearths by night, What gladsome looks of household love There woman's voice flows forth in song, That breathes from Sabbath hours! The Cottage Homes of England! By thousands on her plains, They are smiling o'er the silvery brooks, Through glowing orchards forth they peep, The free, fair Homes of England! May hearts of native proof be rear'd And green for ever be the groves, And bright the flowery sod, Where first the child's glad spirit loves THE HOUR OF PRAYER. Child, amid the flowers at play, Traveller, in the stranger's land, Warrior, that from battle won Heaven's first star alike ye see Lift the heart and bend the knee! BRING FLOWERS. Bring flowers, young flowers, for the festal board, Bring flowers! they are springing in wood and vale: And the touch of the sunbeam hath waked the rose, Bring flowers to the captive's lonely cell, And the dream of his youth-bring him flowers, wild flowers! young bride! Bring flowers, pale flowers, o'er the bier to shed, A crown for the brow of the early dead! Though they smile in vain for what once was ours, Bring flowers to the shrine where we kneel in prayer- They speak of hope to the fainting heart, With a voice of promise they come and part; They break forth in glory-bring flowers, bright flowers! EVENING PRAYER AT A GIRLS' SCHOOL. "Now, in thy youth, beseech of Him That his light in thy heart become not dim, And thy God, in the darkest of days, will be Hush! 'tis a holy hour-the quiet room BERNARD BARTON. Seems like a temple, while yon soft lamp sheds A faint and starry radiance through the gloom And the sweet stillness down on fair young heads, With all their clustering locks, untouch'd by care, And bow'd, as flowers are bow'd with night, in prayer. Gaze on 'tis lovely!-childhood's lip and cheek, Mantling beneath its earnest brow of thoughtGaze-yet what seest thou in those fair, and meek, And fragile things, as but for sunshine wrought? Thou seest what grief must nurture for the sky, What death must fashion for eternity! O joyous creatures! that will sink to rest Lightly, when those pure orisons are done, And o'er your sleep bright shadows, from the wings Her lot is on you-silent tears to weep, And patient smiles to wear through suffering's hour, And sumless riches, from affection's deep, To pour on broken reeds-a wasted shower! Her lot is on you-to be found untired, Watching the stars out by the bed of pain, With a pale cheek, and yet a brow inspired, And a true heart of hope, though hope be vain; Meekly to bear with wrong, to cheer decay, And, oh! to love through all things-therefore pray! And take the thought of this calm vesper-time, With its low murmuring sounds and silvery light, On through the dark days fading from their prime, As a sweet dew to keep your souls from blight! Earth will forsake-Oh! happy to have given The unbroken heart's first fragrance unto Heaven. HYMN OF THE VAUDOIS MOUNTAINEERS IN TIMES OF PERSECUTION. "Thanks be to God for the mountains!" HOWITT's Book of the Seasons. For the strength of the hills we bless thee, Our God, our fathers' God! Thou hast made thy children mighty, By the touch of the mountain sod. Where the spoiler's foot ne'er trod; We are watchers of a beacon For the strength of the hills we bless thee, For the dark resounding caverns, Where thy still, small voice is heard; For the storms, on whose free pinions For the strength of the hills we bless thee, The royal eagle darteth On his quarry from the heights, But we, for thy communion, Have sought the mountain sod; For the strength of the hills we bless thee, The banner of the chieftain Thy dark clouds wrap the threshold Öf freedom's last abode; For the strength of the hills we bless thee, 29 NATHAN DRAKE, 1766-1836. DR. NATHAN DRAKE, the distinguished essayist, was born in the city of York, on the 15th of January, 1766, and, after completing his collegiate and professional education at the University of Edinburgh, finally settled at Hadleigh, in the county of Suffolk, in 1792, where he practised as a physician for forty-four years. In 1807, he married Miss Rose, of Brenttenham, in Suffolk, by whom he had several children, three of whom died young. He himself departed this life, on the 7th of June, 1836, in his seventy-first year. As a medical practitioner, Dr. Drake was deservedly respected and esteemed by his professional brethren for his courtesy and skill; and yet more endeared to all whom he attended by the urbanity of his manners and the unaffected kindness of his heart. "It may be said of him," remarks a contemporary, "with perfect truth, that, in a professional and literary career of near half a century, amid all the turmoils of mere party strife and contentious rivalry, he so pursued the even tenor of his way as never to have lost, by estrangement, a single friend, or made one enemy." But it is with the literary character of Dr. Drake that we have mainly to do in this work; and here I must express my deep and lasting gratitude to him for the great entertainment and the valuable instruction his writings afforded me in years long gone by. Indeed, if I were called to name the writer in the lighter walks of English literature who, by his essays and ingenious illustrations of our standard authors, is most calculated to refine the taste and to excite an ardent thirst for reading and literary pursuits, I should name Dr. Nathan Drake. His “Literary Hours," in three volumes, contain a series of most instructive papers upon various authors and subjects of a literary character; while his "Essays on the 'Tatler,' 'Guardian,' 'Spectator,' 'Rambler,' and 'Idler,'" embody a mass of interesting and valuable information, such as can nowhere else, to my knowledge, be found in our language. Another of his valuable works is entitled "Shakspeare and his Times:" this includes a biography of the poet; criticisms on his genius; a new chronology of his plays; and throws much light upon the manners, customs, amusements, superstitions, poetry, and elegant literature of that age. His 66 'Winter Nights," in two volumes; "Evenings in Autumn," two volumes; and "Mornings in Spring," two volumes, contain essays of a miscellaneous character-critical, narrative, biographical, and descriptive. They are pleasing and elegant in their style, and evince great delicacy and discrimination of taste, unvarying kindness of heart, and purity of moral feeling. In all his criticisms, he seemed to look chiefly at what was beautiful or pleasing, deeming it quite as much the province of the critic to hold up the beauties of an author for 1 "Gentleman's Magazine" for August, 1836, p. 216. Since writing the above, I have been pleased to have my opinion confirmed by a five scholar and an interesting writer. Says Gillies in his "Literary Veteran."-"In 1863, I got a bright new book, fresh from the press in those days, on which I still reflect with pleasure, namely, Drake's Literary Hours.' It became my favorite companion for years afterward, and it was this work, more than all others, which at that early age fixed my affections on literary pursuits." |