GRAHAME. THE setting orb of night her level ray arose Last of the stars, day's harbinger: no sound Was heard, save of the watching soldier's foot: Within the rock-bound sepulchre, the gloom Of deepest midnight brooded o'er the dead, The Holy One: but lo! a radiance faint Began to dawn around his sacred brow: The linen vesture seemed a snowy wreath, Drifted by storms into a mountain-cave: Bright, and more bright the circling halo beamed Upon that face, clothed in a smile benign, Though yet exanimate: Nor long the reign Of death. The eyes that wept for human griefs Unclose, and look around with conscious joy. Yes; with returning life, the first emotion That glowed in JESUS' breast of love, was joy At man's redemption, now complete; at death Disarmed; the grave transformed into the couch Of faith; the resurrection and the life. Majestical He rose: trembled the earth; The ponderous gate of stone was rolled away; The keepers fell; the angel, awe-struck, sunk Into invisibility, while forth The Saviour of the world walked, and stood Before the sepulchre, and viewed the clouds Empurpled glorious by the rising sun. BARBAULD. AGAIN the Lord of life and light Awakes the kindling ray, Unseals the eyelids of the morn, And pours increasing day. O what a night was that which wrapt The powers of darkness leagued in vain, And now his conquering chariot wheels Broken beneath his powerful cross, This day be grateful homage paid, And loud hosannas sung; Let gladness dwell on every heart, And praise on every tongue. Ten thousand differing lips shall join CHRIST ON THE WAY TO EMMAUS. COWPER. It happened on a solemn even-tide, went In musings worthy of the great event: They spake of him they loved, of him whose life Though blameless had incurred perpetual strife, Whose deeds had left in spite of hostile arts, A deep memorial graven on their hearts. The recollection, like a vein of ore, The farther traced, enriched them still the more; They thought him, and they justly thought him, one Sent to do more than he appeared t' have done: To exalt a people, and to place them high Above all else, and wondered he should die. Ere yet they brought their journey to an end, A stranger joined them, courteous as a friend, And asked them with a kind engaging air, What their affliction was, and begged a share. Informed, he gathered up the broken thread, | See thy faithful servants, see! Grant, though parted from our sight, That reaching home, the night, they said, is Seeking thee beyond the skies. Sounding their silver trumpets out so loud, That the shrill noise broke through the starry cloud, And all the virgin souls in pure array, Caine dancing forth and making joyous play; So him they led along into the courts of day. So him they led into the courts of day, Where never war, nor wounds abide him more, At his right hand with golden harps, Hail! Prince, they cry, for ever hail! Mov'd thee to quit these glorious robes Whilst, here, our gracious Lord vouchsaf'd And waited in his train. But in that house eternal peace doth play, They cast their honours at his feet, did score, But now, estranged from all misery, As far as heav'n and earth discoasted lie, Swelter in quiet waves of immortality. In all his toils and conflicts here, And pause-and wonder how at last, Here let my Lord hang up his conquering When all the powers of hell combin'd lance, To fill his cup of wo, And bloody armour with late slaughter Their wond'ring eyes beheld his tears |