They go up by the mountains; they go down by the val leys unto the place which thou hast founded for them. Thou hast set a bound that they may not pass over; that they turn not again to cover the earth.

He sendeth the springs into the valleys, which run among the hills. They give drink to every beast of the field; the wild asses quench their thirst. By them shall the fowls of the heaven have their habitation, which sing among the branches. He watereth the hills from his chambers; the earth is satisfied with the fruit of thy works.

He caused the grass to grow for the cattle, and herb for the service of man, that he may bring forth food out of the earth; and wine that maketh glad the heart of man, and oil to make his face to shine, and bread which strengtheneth man's heart.

The trees of the Lord are full of sap; the cedars of Lebanon, which he hath planted, where the birds make their nests as for the stork, the fir trees are her house. The high hills are a refuge for the wild goats, and the rocks for the conies.

The

He appointed the moon for seasons; the sun knoweth his going down. Thou makest darkness, and it is night, wherein all the beasts of the forest do creep forth. young lions roar after their prey, and seek their meat from God. The sun ariseth, they gather themselves together, and lay them down in their dens. Man goeth forth unto his work, and to his labor until the evening.

So

O Lord, how manifold are thy works! in wisdom hast thou made them all: the earth is full of thy riches. is this great and wide sea, wherein are things creeping innumerable, both small and great beasts. There go the

ships there is that leviathan, whom thou hast made to play therein. These wait all upon thee, that thou mayest give them their meat in due season.

That thou givest them they gather; thou openest thine hand, they are filled with good. Thou hidest thy face, they are troubled; thou takest away their breath, they die, and return to their dust. Thou sendest forth thy Spirit, they are created; and thou renewest the face of the earth.

The glory of the Lord shall endure forever: the Lord shall rejoice in his works. He looketh on the earth, and it trembleth he toucheth the hills, and they smoke.

Oh, that men would praise the Lord for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men! And let them sacrifice the sacrifices of thanksgiving, and declare his works with rejoicing.

Extracts from the Bible.

HERVÉ RIEL.

BY ROBERT BROWNING.

ON the sea and at the Hogue, sixteen hundred ninetytwo,

Did the English fight the French-woe to France! And, the thirty-first of May, helter-skelter thro' the

blue,

Like a crowd of frightened porpoises a shoal of sharks pursue,

Came crowding ship on ship to Saint-Malo on the

Rance,

With the English fleet in view.

'Twas the squadron that escaped, with the victor in full

chase;

First and foremost of the drove, in his great ship,
Damfreville :

Close on him fled, great and small,
Twenty-two good ships in all;

And they signaled to the place,
"Help the winners of a race!

Get us guidance, give us harbor, take us quick or, quicker still,

Here's the English can and will!"

Then the pilots of the place put out brisk and leaped on

66

board;

Why, what hope or chance have ships like these to pass?" laughed they :

"Rocks to starboard, rocks to port, all the passage scarred

and scored,

Shall the Formidable here, with her twelve and eighty guns,

Think to make the river mouth by the single narrow

way

Trust to enter where 'tis ticklish for a craft of twenty

"Here's the English at our heels; would you have them

take in tow

All that's left us of the fleet, linked together stern and

bow,

For a prize to Plymouth Sound?
Better run the ships aground!"
(Ended Damfreville his speech).
Not a minute more to wait !

"Let the captains all and each

Shove ashore, then blow up, burn the vessels on the beach!

France must undergo her fate.

"Give the word!" But no such word

Was ever spoke or heard;

For up stood, for out stepped, for in struck, amid all

these

A captain? A lieutenant? A mate-first, second, third?

No such man of mark, and meet

With his betters to compete,

But a simple Breton sailor, pressed by Tourville for the fleet

A poor coasting-pilot he, Hervé Riel the Croisickese.

And, "What mockery or malice have we here?" cries Hervé Riel:

"Are you mad, you Malouins? Are you cowards, fools,

or rogues?

Talk to me of rocks and shoals, me who took the sound

ings, tell

On my fingers every bank, every shallow, every swell

'Twixt the offing here and Grève, where the river

disembogues!

Are you bought by English gold? Is it love the lying's for?

Morn and eve, night and day,

Have I piloted your bay,

Entered free and anchored fast at the foot of Solidor.

Burn the fleet and ruin France?

That were worse than

fifty Hogues!

Sirs, they know I speak the truth! Sirs, believe me

Only let me lead the line,

Have the biggest ship to steer,

Get this Formidable clear,

Make the others follow mine,

And I lead them, most and least, by a passage I know well,

Right to Solidor past Grève,

And there lay them safe and sound;

And if one ship misbehave,

Keel so much as grate the ground,

Why, I've nothing but my life-here's my head!" cries Hervé Riel.

Not a minute more to wait.

"Steer us in, then, small and great!

Take the helm, lead the line, save the squadron !"

cried its chief.

Captains, give the sailor place!

He is admiral, in brief.

Still the north wind, by God's grace!

See the noble fellow's face

As the big ship, with a bound,
Clears the entry like a hound,