Thou who, to save the world's impending doom,
Vouchsaf'st to dwell within a virgin's womb;
Old tyrant Death disarm’d, before thee flew
The bolts of heaven, and back the foldings drew,
To give access, and make thy faithful way;
From God's right hand thy filial beams display.
Thou art to judge the living and the dead;
Then spare those soulsfor whom thy veins have bled.
O take us up amongst thy bless'd above,
To share with them thy everlasting love.
Preserve, O Lord! thy people, and enhance
Thy blessing on thine own inheritance.
For ever raise their hearts, and rule their ways;
Each day we bless thee, and proclaim thy praise ;
No age shall fail to celebrate thy name,
No hour neglect thy everlasting fame.
Preserve our souls, O Lord, this day from ill;
Have mercy on us, Lord, have mercy still:
As we have hoped, do thou reward our pain;
We've hoped in thee-let not our hope be vain.

HYMN FOR ST JOHN'S EVE.*

(29TH JUNE.)

O sylvan prophet! whose eternal fame
Echoes from Judah's hills and Jordan's stream;
The music of our numbers raise,
And tune our voices to thy praise.

A A messenger from high Olympus came
To bear the tidings of thy life and name;
And told thy sire each prodigy
That heaven design'd to work in thee.

*

I subjoin the original hymn, which is supposed to have been composed by Lactantius.

Ut queant, laxis resonare fibris,
Mira gestorum, famuli, tuorum,
Solvi polluti labii reatum,

Sancte Joannes !

Nunciens, celso veniens Olympo,
Té, Patri, magnum fore nasciturum,
Nomen et vitæ seriem gerenda,

Ordine promit.
Ille promisssi dubius superni,
Perdidit promptæ modulos loquelæ ;
Sed reformasti genitus peremptæ

Organa vocis.
Ventris abstruso recubans cubili,
Senseras regem, thalamo manentem ;
Hinc Parens meritis uterque ;

Abdita pandit.

Hearing the news, and doubting in surprise,
His falt'ring speech in fetter'd accent dies ;
But Providence, with happy choice,
In thee restored thy father's voice.

In the recess of nature's dark abode,
Though still inclosed, yet knewest thou thy God!
Whilst each glad parent told and blest
The secrets of each other's breast.

FABLES.

TALES FROM CHAUCER.

VOL. XI

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