He dreams he sees a lamp flash bright,
Glancing around his prison room-

But 'tis a gleam of heavenly light

That fills up all the ample gloom.

The flame, that in a few short years
Deep through the chambers of the dead
Shall pierce, and dry the fount of tears,
Is waving o'er his dungeon-bed.

Touch'd he upstarts-his chains unbind-
Through darksome vault, up massy stair,

His dizzy, doubting footsteps wind
To freedom and cool moonlight air.

Then all himself, all joy and calm,
Though for a while his hand forego,
Just as it touch'd, the martyr's palm,
He turns him to his task below;

The pastoral staff, the keys of heaven,
To wield awhile in grey-hair'd might,
Then from his cross to spring forgiven,
And follow JESUS out of sight.

LXXXVIII.

ST. JAMES'S DAY.

Ye shall indeed drink of my cup, and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with: but to sit on my right hand and on my left is not mine to give, but it shall be given to them for whom it is prepared of my Father. St. Matthew xx. 23.

SIT down and take thy fill of joy

At God's right hand, a bidden guest,
Drink of the cup that cannot cloy,

Eat of the bread that cannot waste.

O great Apostle ! rightly now

Thou readest all thy Saviour meant,
What time His grave yet gentle brow
In sweet reproof on thee was bent.

"Seek ye to sit enthron'd by me?
"Alas! ye know not what ye ask,
The first in shame and agony,
"The lowest in the meanest task-

"This can ye be? and can ye drink

"The cup that I in tears must steep, "Nor from the whelming waters shrink

"That o'er me roll so dark and deep?"

"We can-thine are we, dearest Lord, "In glory and in agony,

"To do and suffer all Thy word;

"Only be Thou for ever nigh :" "Then be it so-my cup receive,

"And of my woes baptismal taste:

"But for the crown, that angels weave

"For those next me in glory plac'd,

"I give it not by partial love;

"But in my Father's book are writ "What names on earth shall lowliest prove "That they in Heaven may highest sit."

Take up the lesson, O my heart;

Thou Lord of meekness, write it there, Thine own meek self to me impart,

Thy lofty hope, thy lowly prayer:

If ever on the mount with Thee
I seem to soar in vision bright,

With thoughts of coming agony a

Stay Thou the too presumptuous flight:
Gently along the vale of tears

Lead me from Tabor's sunbright steep,

Let me not grudge a few short years,

With Thee tow'rd Heaven to walk and weep;

Too happy, on my silent path,

If now and then allow'd, with Thee
Watching some placid holy death,

Thy secret work of love to see;
But oh most happy, should thy call,
Thy welcome call, at last be given-
"Come where thou long hast stor'd thy all,

"Come see thy place prepar'd in Heaven."

St. Matthew xvii. 12. "Likewise shall also the Son of Man suffer of them." This was just after the transfiguration.

LXXXIX.

ST. BARTHOLOMEW.

Jesus answered and said unto him, Because I said unto thee, I saw thee under the fig-tree, believest thou? thou shalt see greater things than these. St. John i. 50.

HOLD up thy mirror to the sun,
And thou shalt need an eagle's gaze,

So perfectly the polish'd stone

Gives back the glory of his rays:

Turn it, and it shall paint as true

The soft green of the vernal earth,

And each small flower of bashful hue,
That closest hides its lowly birth.

Our mirror is a blessed book,

Where out from each illumin'd page

We see one glorious Image look

All eyes to dazzle and engage,