The following day—the interior of the chapel-Teresa on her knees before the image of the Virgin. Mother of God, who borest

That cruel pang which made thy spirit bleed!
Who knew'st severest anguish, sorrow sorest,
Hear me in my great need!

My need is great, my woe is like thine own!
I am bereaved of mine only one!
Thou know'st I have no other!
Comfort me, oh my mother!

Kind Saviour, who didst shed
Tears for thy Lazarus dead;

Who raised the widow's son from off his bier;
Who didst endure all woe

That human hearts can know,
Hear me, O hear!

Thou that art strong to comfort, look on me-
I sit in darkness, and behold no light!
Over my heart the waves of agony

Have gone, and left me faint! Forbear to smite A bruised and broken reed! Sustain, sustain ; Divinest Comforter, to thee I fly,

Let me not fly in vain!

Support me with thy love, or else I die !
Father, who didst send down thy Well-Beloved,
To suffer shame and death that I might live,
Hear me, in this great sorrow not unmoved,
And if I sin, forgive!

Whate'er I had was thine!

A God of mercy thou hast ever been;

Assist me to resign;

And if I murmur, count it not for sin!

Many weeks afterwards—a chamber of Olaf's house -Olaf near death, lying upon his bed-Teresa sits beside him.

Olaf. For years of tyranny I do beseech
Thy pardon!- For thy meekness and thy truth,
The unrepining patience, and the beauty
Of thy most holy life, my wife, I bless thee!

Ter. Thank God! affliction has been merciful!
My boy, thy death has saved thy father's soul!
Olaf. And the great might of virtue in thyself;-
Thy resignation, and thy pitying pardon -
For these, receive my blessing ere I die-
These, which have been the means of my salvation!
Ter. Bless Him, my husband, who is strong to

save!

Olaf. I do, I do!- and I rejoice in death; Though, had my life been spared, I would have been Both son and husband to thee! - Weep not thouWe shall all three ere long be united

I, the poor outcast else, be one with you!
Ter. Out of affliction has arisen joy,
And out of black despair immortal hope!
Olaf. [after a silence of some time.] Give me thy
hand, sweet friend;-I fain would sleep;-
And if I wake no more, I still would know
Thou wilt be with me when I pass away!
Ter. May the kind, holy Mother bless thy sleep,-
And bless thy waking, be 't of life or death!

[Olaf remains perfectly quiet, and after
some time a light slumber comes over.
Teresa, during which she hears dream-
like voices singing.

Oh human soul, 't is done,
Past is thy trial; past thy woe and pain;
Nor is there mortal stain

Upon thy spirit-robes, redeemed one!
Spirit, that through a troubled sea

Of sin and passion hast been wildly tost,
And yet not lost,

With songs of triumph do we welcome thee!

fore them. "Achzib," said he, " thou hast tried the sons of men, and hast tempted four to perdition; thus has the All-wise permitted. I come not, however, to speak of their doom, but of good and evil as it regards human life. Thou hast introduced sin and sorrow among men; but thou hast only feebly known the result of every downward step in human degradation and woe. Thou hast seen evil obtaining the mastery over good; sin laying desolate the home of virtue and peace; the good and the kind brought to the grave, or going through life mourning because of it; and thou hast exclaimed, 'surely, I am mightier than God! Thou hast riveted on the chains of oppression; thou hast darkened the minds of the noble and pure, with thy lying deeds; and hast left generations

sweet omen,

These holy voices pealing joy in heaven,

men beholding these things, have exclaimed, with bleeding hearts, 'surely, evil is mightier than good!'

husband,

I know that thou art blessed -art reunited

Unto our boy!

[She bends over the body for a few moments; then kneeling down and covering her face, she remains in silent prayer.

ACHZIB's mission was ended; and he returned to his fellows with exultation. "I have done that which I set out to do!" he exclaimed, "and ye shall declare me victor. I have proved the supremacy of evil; for of the seven whom I have tried, I have won four. Let me no longer be called Achzib the Liar, for I have proved that evil obtains a wider and more powerful agency than good. I have won four young men, in the strength of manhood, and in the full force of intellect: I have lost only a poor scholar, an old man, and a woman!"

"Methinks," said the younger spirit, "thou hast been in some measure defeated; inasmuch as these feeble ones were mightier than thou!"

"I was a fool," returned Achzib, "to attempt any of the three in them, passion, and the aptitude to sin, were weak: one was enfeebled by sickness, one by old age, the third by long endurance of evil."

"Thy triumph had been greater," interrupted the elder, "had thou won any of the three, whom, losing, thou pretendest to undervalue; the four thou hast won were an easy conquest, for though boastful of virtue, they were weak in principle."

"It matters not," said Achzib: "any of these, but for my ministration, might have gone on through life without materially adding to crime; without drawing others after them into sin; and without baptizing human hearts in woe, as they have done; and I tell ye, of the seven whom I have tried, four have become my victims."

"We deny it not," said the two.

"Then let me reign as a crowned one," exclaimed Achzib, "for I have proved that evil is mightier than good ""

As Achzib thus spoke, an angel of truth stood be

seeming, and perceives in the midst of evil, only more widely-extended good.

"O fools and blind, you cannot degrade God! Your malign interference cannot reverse the decrees of his omnipotent wisdom. His goodness upholds and per. vades all things, both of the outward creation, and man's moral existence; and though evil is permitted, it neither mars nor deranges the great plan of universal Providence. Evil, like darkness, which makes visible the glory and immensity of God's works, unseen by day, though still present; brings forth, in the moral world, the loveliness, the nobility, and the joy-dif fusing nature of virtue. It is the depth of shadow, by which good is thrown into strong relief; it is the source whence many of the highest actions, many of the most triumphant passages of a conflicting life; whence often, the most melting and beautiful trophies of the soul, winged in all its strength and affection, have been made to proceed. It is the trial of love, of faith, of patience; it calls for forgiveness, and Christian charity; it teaches forbearance, meekness, and pity. It is the subjection to evil which is the ordeal of the human spirit, and it is the severe contrast of crime, which leads it to pay its devoutest homage to virtue.

"Designer of evil, thou hast failed! For every soul whom thou hast lured into sin, thou hast thrown others, through the anguish, or by the example of that sin, upon the healing mercy of Him who is able and willing to save!"

Achzib turned abashed from the speaker of Truth, and retired with his fellows into darkness; and the angel lifting up his voice, poured out a hymn of praise.

Thou, that createdst with a word each star;

Who, out of nothingness brought systems forth, Yet didst exalt beyond creation, far,

We know how pain and woe,

Sorrow and sin, make up the sum of life! How good and evil are at ceaseless strife, And how the soul doth err in choice, we know! Yet not for this droop we, nor are afraid;

We know thy goodness, we behold thy might; We know thy truth can never be gainsaid,

And what thou dost is right! We glorify thy name that thus it is; We glorify thy name for more than this! We know that out of darkness shines thy light; That out of evil cometh forth thy good; That none shall circumvent the Infinite, Nor can Omnipotence be e'er subdued!

We know that doubt shall cease, and feeble terror;
That thou wilt wipe all tears from every eye!
That thine Almighty Truth shall vanquish error,
And death shall die!

We know that this shall be,
Therefore we trust in thee,

And pour in balm to human hearts that bleed ;
And bind the broken and the bruised reed;
And say, rejoice, rejoice!

For truth is strong!

Exalt ye every voice

In one triumphant song

For truth is God—and he shall make you free! Evil is but of Time; - Good of Eternity!

ΤΟ

CAROLINE BOWLES,

AN

THIS LITTLE BOOK,

THE DESIGN OF WHICH IS

And trust thy cause to every youthful breast. Go forth, and have thou neither fear nor shame; Many shall be thy friends, thy foes be few;

AN ENDEARED AND FAMILIAR

FIRE-SIDE GUEST,

IS AFFECTIONATELY INSCRIBED.

L'ENVOI.

I HAVE indited thee with care and love,
My little book; and now I send thee forth
On a good mission like the gentle dove,
Bearing glad tidings with thee o'er the earth.

Thou wast not meant for riot and for jest,

Dear little book, all simple as thou art; But in sweet homes to be a loving guest;

And find a place in many a guileless heart. Have not a fear! I know that thou wilt find Thy journey pleasant as a path of flowers, For pure and youthful hearts are ever kind, Glad to be pleased with labour such as ours. Sit down with little children by the way,

And tell them of sweet Marien how she went Over the weary world from day to day,

On christian works of love, like thee, intent. Tell them of Him who framed the sea, the sky; The glorious earth and all that dwell therein; And of that Holy One made strong to die,

Sinless himself, to save the world from sin. And thou hast many a tale of wonder planned With various art to make thy spirit wise;

Yea, greet them warmly! Little book, adieu!

MARIEN'S PILGRIMAGE. A FIRE-SIDE STORY.

CHRISTIANITY, like a child, goes wandering over the world. Fearless in its innocence, it is not abashed before princes, nor confounded by the wisdom of synods. Before it the blood-stained warrior sheathes his sword, and plucks the laurel from his brow; the midnight murderer turns from his purpose, and, like the heart-smitten disciple, goes out and weeps bitterly. It brings liberty to the captive, joy to the mourner, freedom to the slave, repentance and forgiveness to the sinner, hope to the faint-hearted, and assurance to the dying.

It enters the huts of poor men, and sits down with them and their children; it makes them contented in the midst of privations, and leaves behind an everlasting blessing. It walks through great cities, amid all their pomp and splendour, their unimaginable pride, and their unutterable misery, a purifying, ennobling, correcting, and redeeming angel.

It is alike the beautiful companion of childhood and the comfortable associate of age. It ennobles the noble; gives wisdom to the wise; and new grace to the lovely. The patriot, the priest, the poet, and the eloquent man, all derive their sublime power from its influence.

Thanks be to the Eternal Father, who has made us one with Him through the benign Spirit of Christianity!

PART I.

THROUGH the wide world went Marien

On a holy mission sent,
A little child of tender years,
Throughout the world she went.

And ever, as she went along,

Sweet flowers sprang 'neath her feet; All flowers that were most beautiful, Of virtues strong and sweet. And ever, as she went along,

The desert beasts grew tame;

And man, the savage, dyed with blood, The merciful became.

Now, if you will attend to me,

I will in order tell

The history of this little child,
And what to her befel.

No friend at all had Marien,

And at the break of day,

In a lonesome place within the world,
In quiet thought she lay.

The stars were lost in coming morn,
The moon was pale and dim,
And the golden sun was rising
Over the ocean's rim.

With upturned eye lay Marien ; "And I am alone," said she, "Though the blackbird and the nightingale Sing in the forest-tree:

"Though the weak woodland creatures

Come to me when I call,

And eat their food from out my hand;
And I am loved by all:

"Though sun, and moon, and stars come out,
And flowers of fairest grace,
And whate'er God made beautiful,
Are with me in this place:
"Yet I am all alone, alone,

Alone both night and day!
So I will forth into the world,
And do what good I may:
"For many a heart is sorrowful,

And I that heart may cheer;-
And many a weary captive pines

In dungeons dark and drear;
And I the iron bonds may loose, -
Then why abide I here?
"And many a spirit dark with crime,
Yet longeth to repent;
And many a grievous wrong is done
To the weak and innocent;-

And I may do the injured right,
May save the penitent!

"Up, I will forth into the world!"
And, thus as she did say,

Sweet Marien from the ground rose up
And went forth on her way.

Through the wood went Marien,
The thick wood and the green;
And not far had she travelled ere
A cruel sight was seen.

Under the green and leafy boughs
Where singing birds were set;
At strife about their heritage,
Two ruffian brothers met.

"Thou shalt not of our father's land,
The elder said, "have part!"
The younger brother spoke no word,
But stabbed him to the heart.

Then deep into the forest dark
With desperate speed he ran,
And gentle Marien stood beside
The bleeding, murdered man.
With pitying tears that would not cease,
She washed his wounded side,
And prayed him to have faith in Him

Who for the sinner died.

But no sign made the murdered man,
There stiff in death he lay;-
And Marien through the forest wild
Went mourning on her way.
Ere long, as she went wandering on,
She came to where there sat,
With folded arms upon her breast,
A woman desolate.

Pale was she as the marble stone,
And steadfast was her eye;
She sat enchained, as in a trance,
By her great misery.

"What ails thee, mother?" Marien said,
In a gentle voice and sweet;
"What aileth thee, my mother?"
And knelt down at her feet.
"What aileth thee, iny mother?"
Kind Marien still did say;
And those two words, my mother,

To the lone heart found their way.
As one who wakeneth in amaze,
She quickly raised her head ;-
And "Who is 't calls me mother?"
Said she, "my child is dead!"
"He was the last of seven sons—

He is dead-I have none other; -
This is the day they bury him; —

Who is it calls me mother?"

""Tis I," said gentle Marien,
"Dear soul, be comforted!"

But the woman only wrung her hands,

And cried, "My son is dead!"

"Be comforted," said Marien,
And then she sweetly spake
Of Jesus Christ, and how he came
The sting from death to take.
She told of all his life-long love,

His soul by suffering tried :
And how at last his mother stood
To see him crucified.

Of the disciples' broken hearts
She told, of pangs and pain;
Of Mary at the sepulchre,

And Christ arisen again.

"Then sorrow not," she said, " as though Thou wert of all bereft;

For still, though they beloved are not,
This blessed faith left.

"That when thy dream of life is o'er
Thou shalt embrace thy seven,
More beautiful than earthly sons,
With our dear Lord in heaven!"
Down on her knees the woman fell,

And blessed be God," said she, "Who in my sorest need hath sent This comforter to me!"

PART II.

Now Marien in the woman's house Abode a little space,

And comfort to the mother came; And a dear daughter's place

Had Marien in the woman's heart, Doing the while a daughter's part. But now 't was time that she must go; For Marien's duty was not there, Now grief was past and woe was done; So, with the rising of the sun,

She rose up forth to fare. "Nay, bide with me," the woman said,

"Or, if as thou dost say,
Duty forbids that this may be,
I a day's journey go with thee,
To speed thee on the way."

So forth the loving pair set out,
The woman and the child;
And first they crossed the desert heath,
And then the mountains wild.

And in the woman's arms she lay,

That night within the forest hoar, And the next morn, with loving heart, They said farewell, as those who part To meet on earth no more.

Upon her way went Marien,
From morn till set of day,

And the peace of God that passeth word, Upon her spirit lay,

And oftentimes she sang aloud

As she went on her way.

The joyfulest song sang Marien That e'er left human tongue; The very birds were mute to hear The holy words she sung.

But now the darksome night came on,
And Marien lay her down
Within a little way-side cave,

On mosses green and brown.

And in the deepest hush of night
Rude robbers entered in;
And first they ate and drank, then rose
To do a deed of sin.

For with them was a feeble man,
Whom they had robbed, and they
Here came to foully murder him,
And hide him from the day.
Up from her bed sprang Marien,
With heavenly power endued;
And in her glorious innocence,

Stood 'mong the robbers rude.

"Ye shall not take the life of man!" Spake Marien low and sweet; "For this will God take strict account, Before his judgment-seat!"

Out from the cave the robbers fled, For they believed there stood,

A spirit stern and beautiful,

Not aught of flesh and blood.

And two from out the robber-band
Thenceforward did repent,
And lived two humble Christian men,
On righteous deeds intent.

When from the cave the robber-band
Had fled, the aged man

Rose from the floor where he was laid, And marvelling much, began.

-

"Who art thou, child? and those few words
Of might which thou hast spoken,
What may they be? My foes have fled -
And lo! my bonds are broken;
At thy few words my foes have fled,
My rigid bonds have broken!"

Then Maria 'gan to tell him how,

Through her God's power had wrought; And him from peril, nigh to death,

Thus wondrously had brought.

She told him how holy Daniel's faith
The caged beasts disarmed;
How the three righteous children walked
Through raging fire unharmed.

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