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I SAW him on the battle-eve,
When like a king he bore him;
Proud hosts in glittering helm and
greave,

And prouder chiefs before him:
The warrior and the warrior's deeds,
The morrow and the morrow's meeds-
No daunting thoughts came o'er him :
He looked around him, and his eye
Defiance flashed to earth and sky!
He looked on ocean-its broad breast
Was covered with his fleet;

On earth-and saw from east to west
His bannered millions meet;
While rock and glen, and cave and coast,
Shock with the war-cry of that host,
The thunder of their feet!
He heard the imperial echoes ring-
He heard, and felt himself a king!

I saw him next alone; nor camp
Nor chief his steps attended;
Nor banner's blaze, nor courser's tramp
With war-cries proudly blended.
He stood alone, whom Fortune high
So lately seemed to deify;

He who with Heaven contended
Fled, like a fugitive and slave,-
Behind the foe, before the wave!
He stood-fleet, army, treasure gone,
Alone, and in despair;

While wave and wind swept ruthless on,
For they were monarchs there;

And Xerxes in a simple bark, Where late his thousand ships were dark,

Must all thy fury dare;— Thy glorious revenge was this, Thy trophy, deathless Salamis !

JEWSBURY.

THE FUGITIVE SLAVE.

He stood, all bleeding on the bank, above | They came with blood-stained lash and the frothing river; gun; they stood above the flood, He heard the wild waves roaring past, he| And shook on high the felon whip, thick saw their white crests quiver; with its clotted blood;

He knew that far o'er that billowy war, But the dauntless slave, 'mid the foaming hands were waiting to deliver. wave, laughed at their baffled mood. Dark was the might of the ocean flood, and He reached the bank, he sprang to land;— thunder-voiced the roar

With which the broad St. Lawrence leaped

by the green Canadian shore;

'twas British soil he trod!

The soil where ne'er a bondman's print defiles the holy sod;

But close behind, the gusty wind the But the eye turns up, like a wild flower's planter's curses bore. cup, free, glad, and light, to God! He looked to earth, he looked to heaven, he laughed in frenzied glee;

The fugitive raised his tearful gaze wild gleaming to the sky :

"O Heaven!" he murmured, “give me

strength to reach yon shore, or die: From whip, from chain, from slavery's stain, and bondman's bread, I fly.

He felt the new-sprung power within, bestirring boundingly;

And he shouted high, to earth and sky, "Free!-before Heaven free!"

I'm weak with hunger-spent with toil- An Arab steed on a desert plain; a bark on

for long hath been my flight;

And cruel eyes have traced my steps, unceasing, day and night:

the blue sea-wave;

An eagle soaring, his tawny wing in the golden light to lave;

Have for me care, whilst thus I dare yon He was nobler than all-he had shivered the battling water's might." thrall, and spurned the name of a slave! BAINE.

SONG OF LABOUR.

ALL honour to the hard-worn hands
That earth-born toil are bearing!

And honour to the sturdy bands

That earth's cold crusts are sharing! By forge and field their arms they wield, By bench and anvil toiling;

In serried strength, our country's shield,
They keep her flag from soiling.
The good cordwainer sits him down
Upon his throne of leather,
And covets not the tyrant's crown,
Where clustered jewels gather:
High prizes he the soul that's free,
The mind by power unbroken;
To him loud mirth and jocund glee
Are freedom's language spoken.
"Ye ho! ye ho!" the seamen shout
From every crested billow;
"Ye ho! heigh ho!" each watch about,
Like music, lulls his pillow:

And 'midst the storm his heart is warm,
The light of home is burning,
And kindly thoughts like blossoms swarm,
With genial spring returning.

Up from the forge the sparkling blaze
Lights on the smith to glory;
The yeoman stout, with morning's rays,
Shakes down night's tear-drops rosy;
And solid health with solid wealth

Keeps step with footfall steady;
Nor comes old age with creeping stealth,
But finds them ripe and ready.

Oh! all things labour that have birth,
From mote to towering mountain;-
The oak that springs from out the earth,
The water in its fountain:
Each blazing star, that beams afar,

Its motion ceases never;
And myriad worlds of spirits are

To good works bound for ever.

Then honour to the lusty hands
That earth-born toil are bearing!
And honour to the sturdy bands

That earth's cold crusts are sharing!
By forge and field their arms they wield,
By bench and anvil toiling;
In serried strength, our country's shield,
They keep her flag from soiling.

I. F. SHEPARD.

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LADY CLARE.

It was the time when lilies blow,
And clouds are highest up in air,
Lord Ronald brought a lily-white doe
To give his cousin, Lady Clare.

I trow they did not parle in scorn;
Lovers long betrothed were they :
They two will wed the morrow morn:
God's blessing on the day.

He does not love me for my birth, Nor for my lands, so broad and fair; He loves me for my own true worth, And that is well," said Lady Clare.

In then came old Alice the nurse;

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Said, Who was this that went from She clad herself in a russet gown;

thee?"

It was my cousin," said Lady Clare; "To-morrow he weds with me."

She was no longer Lady Clare :

She went by dale and she went by down,

With a single rose in her hair.

"O God be thanked!" said Alice the The lily-white doe Lord Ronald had

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And you are not the Lady Clare."

Are ye out of your mind, my nurse, my nurse,"

Said Lady Clare, "that ye speak so wild?"-
As God's above," said Alice the nurse,
"I speak the truth-you are my child.

The old Earl's daughter died at my breast-
I speak the truth, as I live by bread!
I buried her like my own sweet child,
And put my child in her stead."

"Falsely, falsely have ye done,

O mother," she said, "if this be true;
To keep the best man under the sun
So many years from his due."

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brought,

Leapt up from where she lay, Dropped her head in the maiden's hand, And followed her all the way.

Down stepped Lord Ronald from his tower: "O Lady Clare, you shame your worth! Why come you dressed like a village maid, That are the flower of the earth?"

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And not the Lady Clare."

"Play me no tricks," said Lord Ronald, "For I am yours in word and deed;Play me no tricks,” said Lord Ronald; Your riddle is hard to read."

Oh, and proudly stood she up!

Her heart within her did not fail;
She looked into Lord Ronald's eyes,
And told him all her nurse's tale.

He laughed a laugh of merry scorn;
He turned and kissed her where she

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