We are further indebted to some private correspondents abroad, whose aid has enabled us to increase the examples from the devotional verse of foreign poets. Our rendering of a poem by the Hungarian writer, Zrinyi, is from a literal German version.

It is inevitable that the dues of copyright should occasionally have precluded our selection of certain poems, but if any which might claim a place in this volume have been unwittingly omitted, we shall be grateful for all suggestions which will help to increase its representative character.

THE EDITORS.

LONDON, November 1899.

21

PRAYERS FROM THE POETS.

JANUARY 1.

A PRAYER OF MOSES.

LORD, thou hast been our dwelling-place in all generations.

Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever thou hadst formed the earth and the world, from everlasting to everlasting, thou art God.

Thou turnest man to destruction; and sayest, Return, ye children of men.

For a thousand years in thy sight are but as yesterday when it is past, and as a watch in the night.

Thou carriest them away as with a flood; they are as a sleep: in the morning they are like grass which groweth up.

In the morning it flourisheth, and groweth up; the evening it is cut down, and withereth.

For we are consumed by thine anger, and by thy wrath are we troubled.

Thou hast set our iniquities before thee, our secret sins in the light of thy countenance.

For all our days are passed away in thy wrath: we spend our years as a tale that is told.

A

The days of our years are threescore years and ten; and if by reason of strength they be fourscore years, yet is their strength labour and sorrow; for it is soon cut off, and we fly away.

Who knoweth the power of thine anger? even according to thy fear, so is thy wrath.

So teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom.

Return, O Lord, how long? and let it repent thee concerning thy servants.

O satisfy us early with thy mercy; that we may rejoice and be glad all our days.

Make us glad according to the days wherein thou hast afflicted us, and the years wherein we have seen evil.

Let thy work appear unto thy servants, and thy glory unto their children.

And let the beauty of the Lord our God be upon us and establish thou the work of our hands upon us; yea, the works of our hands establish thou it.

PSALM XC.

THE sudden stormes that heave me to and fro,
Had well near peirced faith, my guiding saile,
For I, that on the noble voyage go

To succour truth and falshed to assaile,
Constrayned am to beare my sailes full low,
And never could attaine some pleasant gaile :
For unto such the prosperous winds do blow
As runne from port to port to seke availe :
This bred dispaire, whereof such doubts did grow
That I gan fainte, and all my courage faile;

But now my blage, mine errour well I see,
Such goodly light King David giveth me.

HENRY HOWARD, Earl of Surrey.

JANUARY 2.

WHILE brickle houre-glasse runs, guide Thou our panting pace:

Give us foresightful mindes: give us mindes to obey What foresight tels: our thoughts upon thy knowledge stay.

Let so our fruits grow up that Nature be maintained, But so our hearts keepe downe, with vice they be not stain'd.

Let this assured hold our judgments overtake,

That nothing winnes the heaven but what doth earthe forsake. SIR PHILIP SIDNEY.

JANUARY 3.

MISERERE, DOMINE.

O THOU unknown, Almighty Cause
Of all my hope and fear !
In whose dread presence, ere an hour,
Perhaps I must appear!

If I have wandered in those paths
Of life I ought to shun;
As something loudly in my breast
Remonstrates I have done;

Thou know'st that Thou hast formèd me
With passions wild and strong;
And list'ning to their witching voice
Has often led me wrong.

Where human weakness has come short,
Or frailty stept aside,