When wandering here a little span, Thou hadst no earthly sire: It lit in Thee no fire. On no sweet sister's faithful breast On no kind brother lean : Endearing, firm, serene ? Thou wept’st, meek maiden, mother mild, Thou wept'st upon thy sinless child, Thy very heart was riven: And yet, what mourning matron here Would deem thy sorrows bought too dear By all on this side Heaven? A son that never did amiss, Nor cross'd her fondest prayer: Even from the tree he deign'd to bow For her his agonized brow, Her, his sole earthly care. Ave Maria ! blessed Maid ! Who can express the love and sweet, Making thy heart a shelter meet For Jesus' holy Dove? Ave Maria ! Mother blest, Clings the Eternal Child; Favour'd beyond Archangels' dream, When first on thee with tenderest gleam Thy new-born Saviour smild: Ave Maria! Thou whose name Yet may we reach thy shrine ; With love and joy like thine. Bless'd is the womb that bare Him-bless'dh But rather bless'd are they And never pass away. ST. MARK'S DAY. And the contention was so sharp between them, that they departed asunder the one from the other. Acts xv. 39. Compare 2 Timothy iv. 11. Take Mark, and bring him with thee, for he is profitable to me for the ministry. OH! who shall dare in this frail scene On Friendship, Kindred, or on Love? But they shall change and variance prove. h St. Luke xi. 27, 28. Yet deem not, on such parting sad Divided in their earthly race, The faithful champions shall embrace. For even as those mysterious Four, By Chebar in the fiery blast', Right onward speed, yet join at last. And sometimes even beneath the moon When reconciled Christians meet, High thoughts of holy love impart Companion of the Saints ! 'twas thine i Ezekiel i. 9. They turned not when they went—they went every one straight forward. When the great soldier of thy Lord The story of your love restor’d. O then the glory and the bliss, Shall melt with earth and sin away! eye, Shall spend in love th' eternal day! ST. PHILIP AND ST. JAMES. Let the brother of low degree rejoice in that he is exalted : but the rich, in that he is made low. St. James i. 9, 10. DEAR is the morning gale of spring, And dear th' autumnal eve; A Poet's crown to weave. |