Give ear, ye kings-bow down,

Ye rulers of the earth

This, this is He: your Priest by grace, Your God and King by birth.

No pomp of earthly guards Attends with sword and spear, And all-defying, dauntless look, Their monarch's way to clear;

Yet are there more with Him Than all that are with youThe armies of the highest Heaven, All righteous, good, and true.

Spotless their robes and pure,
Dipped in the sea of light,

That hides the unapproachèd shrine
From men's and angels' sight.

His throne, thy bosom blest,
O mother undefiled-

That throne, if aught beneath the skies,
Beseems the sinless child.

Lost in high thoughts, "whose son The wondrous Babe might prove," Her guileless husband walks beside, Bearing the hallowed dove;

Meet emblem of His vow,
Who, on this happy day,

His dove-like soul-best sacrifice

Did on God's altar lay.

But who is he, by years

Bowed, but erect in heart,

Whose prayers are struggling with his tears? "Lord, let me now depart.

"Now hath Thy servant seen Thy saving health, O Lord; Tis time that I depart in peace, According to Thy word."

Yet swells the pomp: one more Comes forth to bless her God; Full fourscore years, meek widow, she Her heaven-ward way hath trod.

She who to earthly joys

So long had given farewell,

Now sees, unlooked for, Heaven on earth,
Christ in His Israel.

Wide open from that hour
The temple-gates are set,

And still the saints rejoicing there
The holy Child have met.

Now count His train to-day,
And who may meet Him, learn;
Him child-like sires, meek maidens find,
Where pride can nought discern.

Still to the lowly soul

He doth Himself impart,

And for His cradle and His throne

Chooseth the pure in heart.

X.-WHERE IS IT MOTHERS LEARN THEIR

WHERE

LOVE?

(HOLY BAPTISM.)

THERE is it mothers learn their love ?—
In every Church a fountain springs
O'er which th' Eternal Dove

Hovers on softest wings.

What sparkles in that lucid flood
Is water, by gross mortals eyed:
But seen by Faith, 'tis blood

Out of a dear Friend's side.

A few calm words of faith and prayer,
A few bright drops of holy dew,
Shall work a wonder there

Earth's charmers never knew.

O happy arms, where cradled lies,
And ready for the Lord's embrace,
That precious sacrifice,

The darling of His grace!

Blest eyes, that see the smiling gleam
Upon the slumbering features glow,
When the life-giving stream

Touches the tender brow!

Or when the holy cross is signed,
And the young soldier duly sworn
With true and fearless mind

To serve the Virgin born.

But happiest ye, who sealed and blest
Back to your arms your treasure take,
With Jesus' mark impressed

To nurse for Jesus' sake:

To whom-as if in hallowed air

Ye knelt before some awful shrine-
His innocent gestures wear
A meaning half divine:

By whom Love's daily touch is seen
In strengthening form and freshening hue,
In the fixed brow serene,

The deep yet eager view.

Who taught thy pure and even breath
To come and go with such sweet grace?
Whence thy reposing Faith,

Though in our frail embrace?

O tender gem, and full of Heaven!
Not in the twilight stars on high,
Not in moist flowers at even
See we our God so nigh.

Sweet one, make haste and know Him too,
Thine own adopting Father love,
That like thine earliest dew

Thy dying sweets may prove.

Sir John Bowring.

1792-1872.

SIR JOHN BOWRING was born at Exeter on the 17th of October, 1792. He was privately educated, and entered a commercial house immediately on leaving school. He had a special taste and talent for the acquisition of languages, and at one time or another became more or less familiar with French, Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, German, Dutch, Swedish, Danish, Russian, Servian, Polish, Bohemian, Arabic, and Chinese. In 1811 he entered the service of a firm of Lisbon merchants, who sent him to the Peninsular. Starting in business on his own account, in 1819-20, he visited Spain, France, Belgium, Holland, Russia, and Sweden, and on his return published his "Specimens of the Russian Poets" (1820). From thenceforward his life was one of unceasing activity. His literary, political, and diplomatic careers would, either of them, have satisfied the energy of an ordinary man. In 1823, he published his "Matins and Vespers," which became immediately popular. In 1824 he became the editor of the Westminster Review, in which year he also issued his "Batavian Anthology." In 1824 he published his "Ancient Poetry and Romances of Spain"; in 1825 his "Hymns"; in 1827 his "Specimens of the Polish Poets," and "Servian Popular Poetry"; in 1829 his "Sketch of the Language and Literature