26 In our next quotation we have taken the liberty of omitting the opening and concluding stanzas, as being perhaps a little too balladish for the subject. V. And Dreamland folk do love their dead, Had flowers, and wreaths, and garlands such I asked what seeds made such fair buds, The Dreamland folk averred such things VI. And while I hung the graves around, I was the only Christian man A week-day morn-but church was full; VII. I saw the Dreamland minister That prayer should ope the day: And in the praises of the Lord, They had no sense of shame! VIII. And Dreamland folk, they kneel them down Right on the stony floor; I saw they were uncivilized, Nor knew how we adore: And yet I taught them not, I own, For well I knew the picturesque IX. And Dreamland folk do lowly bow And Dreamland folk sing Gloria But have not learned its value yet X. I saw a Dreamland babe baptized And strange as 'twas-the blessed sight, "Twas beautiful to me! For many a voice cried loud Amen, When o'er its streaming brow The pearly cross was charactered, XI. I learned that Dreamland children all, To bishop's hands are duly brought, And Dreamland maids wear snow-white veils For such-an old apostle wrote, Should clothe their heads, with power. XII. The Dreamland folk they wed in church; May bless a bridal pair: And strange enough, the simple ones, Sweet emblems of their mother church, XIII. I saw a Dreamland funeral Come up the shadow'd way: The Dreamland priest was surplice-clad, And when his little flock drew nigh, His voice went soothingly before, XIV. In earth they laid the Dreamland man; So sweet, that I could well believe To make its slumber good. XV. The Dreamland folk count seasons four, All woven into one! 'Tis Advent, Lent, or Easter-time, Or Trinity begun: The first is green as emerolde, The next of cyprus-hue, The third is glorious all as gold, The fourth is sapphire-blue. XVI. The Dreamland folk are simple ones! Described in ancient chronicle They seemed no denizens of earth, But more-a pilgrim-band, With no abiding city here, Who seek a better land. After these very copious extracts we shall content ourselves with the following specimen of the "Sacred Melodies," apparently by the same author. CHRISTIAN WARFARE. Wherefore take unto you the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all to stand.-Eph. vi. 13. Oh! speed thee, Christian, on thy way, A crown of glory to be sought- The shield of faith will blunt the dart His arrow cannot reach thy heart, The glowing lamp of prayer will light 'T will keep the goal of heaven in sight; Oh! faint not, Christian, for thy sighs The race must come before the prize- ARTICLE II. THE NATURAL HISTORY OF SOCIETY. INTRODUCTORY NOTE. THE interesting work whose title stands at the head of the following article has been reprinted in this country, in a neat edition of two volumes, from the press of D. Appleton & Co., which we have had occasion to notice in another place.* Its subjects are miscellaneous and attractive, and its discussions generally satisfactory. We doubt not it will be acceptable to American as it has been to English readers. Several reviews of it have appeared in British periodicals, all, on the whole, commendatory, but dwelling on different parts of the work, according to the taste of each reviewer. The following is at once the most eccentric, talented and original of these reviews. It is, however, less a review than an independent discussion. The writer follows the fashion of those pro-. fessed reviewers who leave their authors nearly untouched, for the purpose of indulging in new trains of thought, suggested, it may be, but not * American Biblical Repository, July, 1841. |