A CHRISTMAS CAROL. Hence, while the imperial City's din Beats frequent on thy satiate ear, A pleased attention I may win Religions Carols. A CHRISTMAS CAROL. SAMUEL T. COLERIDGE. THE shepherds went their hasty way, And found the lowly stable shed And now they checked their eager tread, They told her how a glorious light, Streaming from a heavenly throng, While, sweeter than a mother's song, She listened to the tale divine, And closer still the babe she pressed : And while she cried, the babe is mine! The milk rushed faster to her breast: Joy rose within her, like a summer's morn ; Thou mother of the Prince of Peace, Poor, simple, and of low estate, That strife should vanish, battle cease, O why should this thy soul elate? Sweet music's loudest note, the poet's story,— Didst thou ne'er love to hear of fame and glory? And is not war a youthful king, A stately hero clad in mail? Beneath his footsteps laurels spring; Him earth's majestic monarchs hail Their friend, their playmate! and his bold bright eye Compels the maiden's love-confessing sigh. "Tell this in some more courtly scene, To maids and youths in robes of state! I am a woman poor and mean, And, therefore, is my soul elate. War is a ruffian, all with guilt defiled, "A murderous fiend, by fiends adored, He kills the sire and starves the son; The husband kills, and from her board Steals all his widow's toil had won? Plunders God's world of beauty; rends away "Then wisely is my soul elate, That strife should vanish, battle cease: CHRISTMAS CAROL. I'm poor and of a low estate, The mother of the Prince of Peace. Joy rises in me, like a summer's morn : CHRISTMAS CAROL. FELICIA HEMANS. O LOVELY Voices of the sky, That hymned the Saviour's birth! Ye that sang, "Peace on earth?" To us yet speak the strains, Wherewith, in days gone by, Ye blessed the Syrian swains, O voices of the sky! O clear and shining light, whose beams And on the shepherds' head; Be near, through life and death, Of Hope, and Joy, and Faith, O clear and shining light! O star which led to Him, whose love Brought down man's ransom free; May we still gaze on thee?— In heaven thou art not set, Thy rays earth might not dim Send them to guide us yet! O star which led to Him! CHRISTMAS DAY. SAMUEL RICKARDS, THOUGH rude winds usher thee, sweet day, Though clouds thy face deform, Though nature's grace is swept away Before thy sleety storm; E'en in thy sombrest wintry vest, Of blessed days thou art most blest. Nor frigid air nor gloomy morn Bright is the day when Christ was born, Let roughest storms their coldest blow, Inspired with high and holy thought, Fancy is on the wing; It seems as to mine ear it brought Voices through heaven and earth that ran, I see the shepherds gazing wild At those fair spirits of light; CHRISTMAS DAY. I see them bending o'er the child With that untold delight, Which marks the face of those who view Things but too happy to be true. There, in the lowly manger laid, Incarnate God they see, He stoops to take, through spotless maid, Son of high God, creation's Heir, He leaves His heaven to raise us there. Through Him, Lord, we are born anew, Oh, day by day our hearts renew, And angel-like, may all agree, One sweet and holy family. Oft as this joyous morn doth come To speak our Saviour's love, Oh, may it bear our spirits home Where He now reigns above; That day which brought Him from the skies, So man restores to Paradise. Then let winds usher thee, sweet day, Let clouds thy face deform, Though nature's grace is swept away Before thy sleety storm; E'en in thy sombrest wintry vest, Of blessed days thou art most blest. |