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The brutish gods of Nile as fast,

Isis, and Orus, and the dog Anubis, haste.

Nor is Osiris seen

In Memphian grove or green,

Trampling the unshowered grass with lowings loud Nor can he be at rest

Within his sacred chest,

Naught but profoundest hell can be his shroud; In vain with timbrelled anthems dark

The sable-stolèd sorcerers bear his worshipped ark.

He feels from Judah's land

The dreaded infant's hand,

The rays of Bethlehem blind his dusky eyne; Nor all the gods beside

Longer dare abide,

Not Typhon huge ending in snaky twine;

Our babe, to show his Godhead true,

Can in his swaddling bands control the damnèd crew.

So, when the sun in bed,

Curtained with cloudy red,

Pillows his chin upon an orient wave,

The flocking shadows pale

Troop to the infernal jail,

Each fettered ghost slips to his several grave;

And the yellow-skirted fays

Fly after the night-steeds, leaving their moon-loved

maze.

But see, the Virgin blest

Hath laid her babe to rest;

Time is our tedious song should here have ending: Heaven's youngest-teemèd star

Hath fixed her polished car,

Her sleeping Lord with handmaid lamp attending; And all about the courtly stable Bright-harnessed angels sit in order serviceable.

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RING Out, wild bells, to the wild sky,
The flying cloud, the frosty light:
The year is dying in the night-
Ring out, wild bells, and let him die.

Ring out the old, ring in the new —

Ring, happy bells, across the snow;
The year is going, let him go:
Ring out the false, ring in the true.

Ring out the grief that saps the mind
For those that here we see no more;
Ring out the feud of rich and poor,
Ring in redress to all mankind.

Ring out a slowly dying cause,

And ancient forms of party strife;
Ring in the nobler modes of life,
With sweeter manners, purer laws.

Ring out the want, the care, the sin,
The faithless coldness of the times;

Ring out, ring out my mournful rhymes, But ring the fuller minstrel in.

Ring out false pride in place and blood,
The civic slander and the spite;

Ring in the love of truth and right,
Ring in the common love of good.

Ring out old shapes of foul disease,

Ring out the narrowing lust of gold; Ring out the thousand wars of old, Ring in the thousand years of peace.

Ring in the valiant man and free,

The larger heart, the kindlier hand Ring out the darkness of the land, Ring in the Christ that is to be!

;

THE CHRISTMAS CAROL.

WILLIAM WORDSWORTH.

THE minstrels played their Christmas tune To-night beneath my cottage eaves; While, smitten by a lofty moon,

The encircling laurels, thick with leaves, Gave back a rich and dazzling sheen That overpowered their natural green.

Through hill and valley every breeze
Had sunk to rest, with folded wings:
Keen was the air, but could not freeze
Nor check the music of the strings;
So stout and hardy were the band
That scraped the chords with strenuous hand!

And who but listened-till was paid
Respect to every inmate's claim:
The greeting given, the music played,
In honor of each household name,
Duly pronounced with lusty call,
And "Merry Christmas" wished to all!

How touching, when, at midnight, sweep
Snow-muffled winds, and all is dark,
To hear, and sink again to sleep!
Or, at an earlier call, to mark
By blazing fire, the still suspense
Of self-complacent innocence;

The mutual nod,—the grave disguise

Of hearts with gladness brimming o'er;

And some unbidden tears that rise

For names once heard, and heard no more; Tears brightened by the serenade

For infant in the cradle laid.

Hail ancient Manners! sure defence,

Where they survive, of wholesome laws;

Remnants of love whose modest sense
Thus into narrow room withdraws;
Hail, Usages of pristine mould,

And ye that guard them, Mountains old!

THE BIRTH OF CHRIST.

ALFRED TENNYSON. EXtract.

THE time draws near the birth of Christ; The moon is hid — the night is still;

The Christmas bells from hill to hill

Answer each other in the mist.

Four voices of four hamlets round,

From far and near, on mead and moor, Swell out and fail, as if a door

Were shut between me and the sound.

Each voice four changes on the wind,
That now dilate and now decrease,
Peace and good-will, good-will and peace,
Peace and good-will to all mankind.

Rise, happy morn! rise, holy morn !

Draw forth the cheerful day from night; O Father! touch the east, and light

The light that shone when hope was born!

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