SNOW AND SUN.

In bough and trunk the sap

will move,

And the mould break o'er springing flowers;
Nature revives with all her powers,

So, listlessly with linkèd hands

Both Faith and Hope glide soft away; While in long shadows, cool and gray, The sun sets o'er the barren lands.

29

MRS. DINAH MARIA [MULOCK] CRAIK.

SNOW AND SUN.

FAST falls the snow, O lady mine!
Sprinkling the lawn with crystals fine;
But, by the gods, we won't repine,
While we're together;

We'll chat, and rhyme, and kiss, and dine,
Defying weather.

So stir the fire, and pour the wine!
And let those sea-green eyes divine
Pour their love-madness into mine!
I don't care whether

'Tis snow, or sun, or rain, or shine,
If we're together.

MORTIMER COLLINS.

THEOPHILE GAUTIE

you should venture through the snow

THOMAS BAILEY ALI

WRAPPED in a dead, deep silence lie the moors, Beneath their shroud of white. Unbroken caln Reigns o'er the wide expanse, whose deadness s The very grave of life!

Crouch the packed moor-fowl and the shivering hare,
In that instinctive fellowship which comes
Of common hardship, each intent to find
Some scanty fragment for a needful meal.

Here with knit brows, courageously, along
The scarce-distinguished path, the shepherd plods,
Now glancing upwards at the threatening sky,
Now scanning, for some wandering from his flock,
The landscape round; and ever and anon,
To keep his spirits up, he whistles loud
Some tune discordant, as he picks his way.

And see! Upon the sombre forest lands,
The tall, gaunt trees stand forth like sentinels
Around a slumbering camp; their meagre arms,
Swayed by the wind, the gathered snowflakes shower
In powdery softness down.

The lowlands lie

Hidden beneath their snow-dress; scarce a fox
Or rabbit is astir; the famished birds

Nestle within the ivy that enshrouds

The farmhouse walls; the cattle all are stalled
Warm in the byre; and in the straw-yard crowd
Together the plow-horses.

Snow, snow, snow,

On moor and wold, on woodland and in glade,
On city roof, on country cottage thatch,
Winter's regalia, crisp, bright, sparkling snow!

A. H. B.

Chambers' Journal.

'Tis a brave tree. While round its boughs in

The warring wind of January bites and gir It holds the clusters of its crimson grain, A winter pasture for the shivering birds. Oh patient holly, that the children love, No need for thee of smooth blue skies above Oh green strong holly, shine amid the frost Thou dost not lose one leaf for sunshine lo MRS. AUGUSTA [DAVIES] W

THE ARCTIC VISITATION.

33

THE ARCTIC VISITATION.

SOME air-born genius, with malignant mouth, Breathed on the cold clouds of an Arctic zone, Which o'er long wastes of shore and ocean blown Swept threatening, vast, toward the amazèd South.

Over the land's fair form at first there stole

A vanward host of vapors, wild and white; Then loomed the main cloud cohorts, massed in might,

Till earth lay corpse-like, reft of life and soul;

Death-wan she lay, 'neath heavens as cold and pale;

All nature drooped toward darkness and despair; The dreary woodlands, and the ominous air

Were strangely haunted by a voice of wail.

The woeful sky slow, passionate tears did weep,
Each shivering raindrop frozen ere it fell;
The woodman's axe rang like a muffled knell;
Faintly the echoes answered, fraught with sleep.

The dawn seemed eve; noon, dawn eclipsed of grace;

The evening, night; and tender night became A formless void, through which no starry flame Touched the veiled splendor of her sorrowful face.