the sharp sense of grief which we feel on account of the absence of those who used to share with us the game and feast, but who have passed away never to return.

“With such compelling cause to grieve

As daily vexes household peace
And chains regret to his decease
How dare we keep our Christmas eve,
Which brings no more a welcome guest.

At our old pastimes in the hall

We gamboll'd, making vain pretence
Of gladness, with an awful sense

Of one mute shadow watching all."

Nor less pathetic is his allusion to the sense of loss experienced in celebrating Christmas away from the old home, and apart from the dear and sacred associations of childhood and youth.

"To-night ungather'd let us leave

This laurel, let this holly stand :
We live within the stranger's land,
And strangely falls our Christmas eve.
Our father's dust is left alone,

And silent under other snows:

There in due time the woodbine blows,
The violet comes, but we are gone.'

In each case, however, Tennyson finds that Christmas brings him sorrow touched with joy :" in the former he ends with the prayer

66

"O Father, touch the east, and light

The light that shone when Hope was born."

In the latter he looks forward to the coming of the "closing cycle rich in good."

And here with the far-reaching hope suggested by such thoughts we must leave the subject. Nor need we wonder that Christmas should inspire the poet with some of his loftiest strains. When our homes are

bright with festivity and joy, when the artificial constraints and prejudices of society are in some measure relaxed and broken down, when the heavens as if regarding man with greater favour are studded with constellations, glowing with a brilliancy unknown in the milder months, when hospitality opens wide the door and loads the festive board, when the hearts of men soften and expand with love and goodwill, when deep and mysterious truths are brought, as it were, nearer to us; under such influences what can the poet do, but try to show to men something, at least, of the cloudy skirts of that glorious vision, surging, undefined, and vast, which fills his own soul with ineffable rapture, and through which, as the misty splendours roll aside, is revealed a new scene which is but a reflex of the old; a scene of mountain peaks, and happy vales, and abiding homes of deathless men from whom ascends in full harmonious strains the song, "Glory to God in the highest ;" to which the answering choirs of angels reply, "Peace on earth, goodwill to men."

COTTESWOLDE.

"Taben Cbristmas Comes."

A STUDY IN MONOTONE.

WHEN Christmas comes, where should I like to go best?

Being batchelor young, I should like to invest

In a first-class "return" to a snug country nest

Where a welcome by host should be warmly expressed,
And where one that I love, with her bonny hair tressed—
One of youth, beauty, wit, and of wisdom possessed
Would await me with true lover's-knot on her breast,
With a squeeze of the hand, and a yet dearer test
Of affection for one just arrived from the West;
And where after my stay I should not be assessed
At so much "per day," but be lodged and be messed
All for love; and where parting would make all distressed.
And these are the joys of which I would make quest,
To ramble all day at our own free behest--

Save her own, no ear hearing how she were addressed,
No rude eye to see it when she were caressed;
No cousin, or brother, or number-three pest
Our sweet téte-à-téte should one moment infest.

In the morning the sweet Christmas bells should attest
The world's joy at the season that gives the oppressed
A day of relief and a promise more blest.

But after the day, and when night's sable rest
Had curtained the world in its ample folds, lest

One's spirits should droop and one's mind be depressed,
We would raise hearty laughter at each merry jest,
And at mistletoe kisses on blushing cheeks pressed,
And bursts of applause when the riddle was guessed,
And at jovial carol from deep manly chest.
I'd have toasts of the season all given with zest,
'Mid the chattering humour of many a guest,
Surrounding the table with viands well dressed,
So pleasant to eat, if not good to digest;
And, tho' nearly teetotal, it must be confessed
I'd have popping of bottles with rich creamy crest,
And over the pipe those may quit who detest
A cosy
"confab" before going to rest.
Ah, these are the joys that would surely divest
The heart of all cares, howe'er deeply impressed!
And on leaving, these words to be true I'd contest,
That a year may by love in a day be compressed.

J. B.

The Work of the Session.

The Twenty-Sixth Annual Meeting of the Association was held at the Grand Hotel, Colmore Row, on Friday Evening, October 6th, 1882, One Hundred and Thirty Members being present.

The President, Mr. ANDREW LIDDELL, delivered an Address entitled "Gossip about Boswell and Johnson."

The Report of the Committee was read by Mr. Thos. Cund (Secretary), and the Balance-Sheet by Mr. G. Titterton (Treasurer).

A vote of thanks was passed to the retiring officers on the motion of Mr. W. Summerton, seconded by Mr. A. J. Claddo, and the following gentlemen were elected for the present Session, viz. :

:

President.
Vice-President.

Secretary.

Treasurer.

Auditor.

Messrs. L. Brierley, J. Collier, A. Holden, Chas. Lean, H. S. Pearson, C. C. Smith, and J. W. Tonks were elected Members of the Committee. The following Meetings have since been held :-

October 20th, 1882.--DEBATE: "That it is desirable, in the interests of Parliamentary Procedure, to establish the principle of the 'Cloture' by a bare majority." Opened in the Affirmative by Mr. Councillor H. Payton, and supported by Messrs. H. Clarke, J. W. Bond, and Walter Clarke. Opened in the Negative by Mr. Andrew Liddell, and supported by Messrs. James McClelland, W. Summerton, J. Collier, F. R. Heath, and E. M. Coleman. The meeting was semi-public, and 105 members and friends attended.

Votes-Members only-Affirmative, 24. Negative, 22.

Members and friends 11 27.

32.

November 3rd.-DEBATE: "That a large majority of the Clergymen and Curates of the Church of England are unfit for their office, and that the Church will continue to be a comparative failure, until a radical change is made in the method of their selection and training." Affirmative, Messrs. R. Pardoe, W. S. Ireland, and F. R. Heath; Negative, Messrs. John Crane, W. Lawson, R. L. Crosbie, and E. M. Coleman; Neutral, Rev. Dr. Simon. Affirmative, 10; Negative, 20. Attendance, 47.

November 17th.-DEBATE: "That the Railways of the Kingdom should be purchased by and become a department of the State." Affirmative, Messrs. W. Perks, H. S. Pearson, A. Holden, and S. A. Daniell. Negative, Messrs. S. E. Short, A. J. Claddo, J. W. Tonks, L. Brierley, and J. G. Stoker.

Affirmative, 13; Negative, 33. Attendance, 63.

On the motion of Mr. C. Lean, seconded by Mr. John Wand, the first clause of Rule 21 was altered to read as follows :

"That the opening speaker on each side at a Debate, or at an Adjourned
Debate, be allowed 20 minutes."

December 1st.-DEBATE: “That the organization known as the Salva-
tion Army deserves the sanction and support of religious people."
Affirmative, Messrs. W. H. Greening, H. Greening, A. Liddell,
W. Perks, and H. Clarke. Negative, Messrs. H. S. Pearson, J. D
Daly, H. W. Sambridge, jun., and T. Cund. The meeting was
semi-public, 135 members and friends being present.
Voting--Members only-Affirmative, 24; Negative, 31.
Members and friends

37,

38.

Notices.

The Contributions of "Perseus" and "A.L." are reserved for a future number.

WITH THE PRESENT NUMBER the Magazine enters upon its Eleventh Year, and commences a Sixth volume. A Title Page and Index to Vol. V. are issued herewith.

SUBSCRIPTIONS for 1883 are now due. Members will oblige by remitting to the Treasurer, Mr. Paxton Porter, 33, Wordsworth Road, Small Heath; and non-members-i.e., those who subscribe for the Magazine only-direct to the Editor, Mr. Leonard Brierley, Somerset Road, Edgbaston.

INTENDING CONTRIBUTORS to the April number will oblige by sending their papers to the Editor, not later than March 3rd.