Alas! now o’er the civilised world there hangs a gloom For brave General Gordon, that was killed in Khartoum, He was a Christian hero, and a soldier of the Cross, And to England his death will be a very great loss. He was very cool in temper, generous and brave, The friend of the poor, [...]

Alas! the people’s hearts are now full of sorrow For the deceased Professor Blackie, of Edinboro’; Because he was a Christian man, affable and kind, And his equal in charitable actions would be hard to find ‘Twas in the year of 1895, March the 2nd, he died at 10 o’clock. Which to his dear wife, [...]

‘Twas on a Monday morning, and in the year of 1884, That a fire broke out in Bailie Bradford’s store, Which contained bales of jute and large quantities of waste, Which the brave firemen ran to extinguish in great haste. They left their wives that morning without any dread, Never thinking, at the burning pile, [...]

White founts falling in the Courts of the sun, And the Soldan of Byzantium is smiling as they run; There is laughter like the fountains in that face of all men feared, It stirs the forest darkness, the darkness of his beard; It curls the blood-red crescent, the crescent of his lips; For the inmost [...]

Are they clinging to their crosses, F. E. Smith, Where the Breton boat-fleet tosses, Are they, Smith? Do they, fasting, trembling, bleeding, Wait the news from this our city? Groaning “That’s the Second Reading!” Hissing “There is still Committee!” If the voice of Cecil falters, If McKenna’s point has pith, Do they tremble for their [...]

Honor and happiness unite To make the Christian’s name a praise; How fair the scene, how clear the light, That fills the remnant of His days! A kingly character He bears, No change His priestly office knows; Unfading is the crown He wears, His joys can never reach a close. Adorn’d with glory from on [...]

Monument of our own age’s shame, On thy country casting endless blame, Rousseau’s grave, how dear thou art to me Calm repose be to thy ashes blest! In thy life thou vainly sought’st for rest, But at length ’twas here obtained by thee! When will ancient wounds be covered o’er? Wise men died in heathen [...]

Why run the crowd? What means the throng That rushes fast the streets along? Can Rhodes a prey to flames, then, be? In crowds they gather hastily, And, on his steed, a noble knight Amid the rabble, meets my sight; Behind him–prodigy unknown!– A monster fierce they’re drawing on; A dragon stems it by its [...]

Dim, as the borrow’d beams of moon and stars To lonely, weary, wand’ring travellers, Is reason to the soul; and as on high, Those rolling fires discover but the sky Not light us here; so reason’s glimmering ray Was lent not to assure our doubtful way, But guide us upward to a better day. And [...]

When Father Time swings round his scythe, Entomb me ‘neath the bounteous vine, So that its juices, red and blithe, May cheer these thirsty bones of mine. “Elsewise with tears and bated breath Should I survey the life to be. But oh! How should I hail the death That brings that–vinous grace to me!” So [...]