I MAY not scorn the meanest thing
That on the earth doth crawl;

The slave who dares not burst his chain,
The tyrant in his hall.

The vile oppressor who hath made
The widowed mother mourn,

Though worthless, soulless, he may stand,
I cannot, dare not scorn.

The darkest night that shrouds the sky

Of beauty hath a share;

The blackest heart hath signs to tell

That God still lingers there.

I pity all that evil are—

I pity, and I mourn;

But the Supreme hath fashioned all,

And, O! I dare not scorn.

CV.

THE little fountain flows

So noiseless through the wood;

The wanderer tastes repose,
And from the silent flood

Learns meekly to do good.

THE earth is thine, and it thou keepest,
That man may labour not in vain;
Thou giv'st the grass, the grain, the tree,
Seed-time and harvest come from thee,
The early and the latter rain!

The earth is thine-the summer earth,
Fresh with the dews, with sunshine bright;
With golden clouds in evening hours,
With singing-birds and balmy flowers,
Creatures of beauty and delight.

The earth is thine-when days are dim,
And leafless stands the stately tree;
When from the north the fierce winds blow,
When falleth fast the mantling snow-
The earth pertaineth still to thee!

The earth is thine-thy creature, man!

Thine are all worlds, all suns that shine; Darkness and light, and life and death, Whate'er all space inhabiteth

Creator! Father! all are thine!

CVII.

THE Lord is my Shepherd,

I shall not want.

He maketh me to lie down in green pastures,

He leadeth me beside the still waters;

He restoreth my soul.

He leadeth me in the paths of righteousness,
For his name's sake.

Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,

I will fear no evil;

For thou art with me

Thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.

Thou preparest a table before me,

In the presence of mine enemies;

Thou anointest my head with oil;

My cup runneth over.

Surely goodness and mercy have followed me all my days,

And I will dwell in the house of the Lord for

ever.

CVIII.

IN peace at once will I
Both lay me down and sleep;
For thou alone dost keep

Me safe where'er I lie;

As in a rocky cell,

Thou, Lord, alone, in safety mak'st me dwell.

As meadows parch'd, brown groves, and wither

ing flowers,

Imbibe the sparkling dew and genial showers;
As chill dark air inhales the morning beam;
As thirsty harts enjoy the gelid stream;
Thus to man's grateful soul from heaven descend
The mercies of his Father, Lord, and Friend.

CX.

EARTH, of man the bounteous mother,
Feeds him still with corn and wine;
He who best would aid a brother,
Shares with him these gifts divine.

Many a power within her bosom,
Noiseless, hidden, works beneath;

Hence are seed, and leaf, and blossom,
Golden ear, and clustered wreath.

These to swell with strength and beauty
Is the royal task of man;

Man's a king, his throne is Duty,
Since his work on earth began.

Bud and harvest, bloom and vintage,
These, like man, are fruits of earth;

Stamped in clay, a heavenly mintage,
All from dust receive their birth.

Wind and frost, and hour and season,
Land and water, sun and shade,
Work with these, as bids thy reason;
For they work thy toil to aid.

Sow thy seed, and reap in gladness-
Man himself is all a seed;

Hope and hardship, joy and sadness,
Slow the plant to ripeness lead.

CXI.

How little of ourselves we know
Before a grief the heart has felt!
The lessons that we learn of woe
May brace the mind, as well as melt.

The energies too stern for mirth,

The reach of thought, the strength of will, Mid cloud and tempest have their birth, Through blight and blast their course fulfil.

And yet 'tis when it mourns and fears,
The loaded spirit feels forgiven;
And through the mist of falling tears

We catch the clearest glimpse of heaven.