Then when Aurora cometh forth,

All glorious to behold,

Thy golden breast and silver crest
Once more thou dost unfold.

The little children love thee well,
And grown-up children too,
Thou art so winsome, and so brave!

So constant and so true!

For ever through the changing year
Thou mayest still be found!
E'en when the winter's hoary frost
Besiegeth all around.

In Spring, upon the sunny banks,
In summer, mid the fields;

Whilst autumn shows thy thinnèd ranks

Still glow with many shields.

O little, childlike daisy-flower,

What magic charm is thine!

How thou dost speak unto each heart

Of Providence Divine !

How many are the lessons great,
Though silent, thou dost teach;
Of love, and faith, and innocence,
Beyond what man can preach!

For who can see thy winsome face,
Fresh, beaming mid the sod,
When Spring again puts on her robes,
Nor own the hand of God?

Oh, sad indeed the heart must be,

Or cankered hard by care,

Which cannot know, and love, and feel,

His presence everywhere!

To such the little daisy speaks,

With no uncertain voice :

I am a token of that God!

Oh, love Him and rejoice!

Composed at Brawby, May 10-11, 1890, after seeing a lot of daisies on the banks near to the beck at Butterwick.

THE KINGFISHER.

KING of the river, the brook, and the mere !
Vision of beauty that's praised far and near!
Gem of the waters throughout our fair isle!
Oh, happy the streamlet that owns thee awhile!

Oft fishing beside the old water-mill,

Or shadowy waters more quiet and still,

All of a sudden, as arrow of light,

Forth thou hast flitted, then vanished from sight.

Leaving reflected a joy on the mind;
A memory pleasant, beneficent, kind!
Like to the picture the waters give back,
Reflecting the beauty that follows thy track.

Oh, dull is the brain, and dense to thy charm,
Which to thee would give any cause of alarm;
Would kill thee, molest thee, or rob thy fair race,
Whose exquisite presence the waters doth grace.

Composed at Brawby, May 14-15, 1890, after seeing a kingfisher at Fleet Cross whilst out for my evening walk.

THE LAMP.

KEEP thy lamp a-burning!
Let it cast its ray,
Far into the darkness,

On thy brother's way.

Let it speak of comfort,—
Cheer amid the gloom,-

Pointing like a beacon,

Far beyond the tomb;

Telling of a purpose,

Holy, pure, and true;
Showing unto others

Christ is all to you.

ΙΟ

Keep it steady burning!
Not with fitful glow ;
Beware! souls are watching

When the light burns low.

How thy friends would miss it! How thy foes deride!

If it for a season

Sank beneath the tide!

Some, perchance, benighted,

Out upon the wold,

If they saw it vanish,

Would vanish from the fold,

Lost amid the windings

Of an erring way;

Lost amid the pitfalls,

Wrapped in shadows gray.

Then keep it ever burning!
Trim it well with care!

Pour in oil of gladness!

To banish dark despair.

And its mirror, conscience,
Burnish clear and bright!

So that well a radiance

Pass into the night.

Thus the world shall see it,

Own it for a guide!

As ships upon the ocean,

The lightship on the tide.

Composed at Brawby, November 12, 1890, after a reflection on the general gloom of this portion of the year and the need of lights, etc. So to the Christian there come seasons of gloomy fears when his spiritual life is in danger of going out or burning very low. To such I speak.

JACK PARKER, THE OLD HUNTSMAN.

WHY such deep feeling through Ryedale,

As quick the rumour sped,

That owd Jack Parker of the Hunt

Of Sinnington was dead?

Men have departed frequently

From out this world of pain,

As tenants when their lease expires,

Who cannot well remain.

For thus hale Time doth show his strength

He taketh them away;

New generations forward come

To flourish and decay.