GROUP VII.

PAGANISM OVERTHROWN BY CHRISTIANITY.

THE poems contained in this group have been selected with a view to show the effect that the birth of Christ, His life, His teaching, and the religion founded by Him, had upon the worship of false gods.

The conflict between Christianity and Paganism must necessarily have been long and severe, and the great theatre of that struggle was in Rome - "Rome that sat upon her seven hills, and from her throne of empire ruled the world." The birth of Christ is the great landmark in the history of the human race, as the whole civilized world reckons time from that event before and after.

Perhaps we shall be the better prepared to read history, both civil and religious, without prejudice and with minds open to receive truth, by a careful study of these poems.

A CHRISTMAS HYMN.

ALFRED DOMMETT.

It was the calm and silent night!
Seven hundred years and fifty-three
Had Rome been growing up to might,
And now was queen of land and sea.

No sound was heard of clashing wars—
Peace brooded o'er the hushed domain :
Apollo, Pallas, Jove, and Mars

Held undisturbed their ancient reign,
In the solemn midnight,
Centuries ago.

"Twas in the calm and silent night!
The senator of haughty Rome,
Impatient, urged his chariot's flight,
From lordly revel rolling home;
Triumphal arches, gleaming, swell

His breast with thoughts of boundless sway;

What recked the Roman what befell

A paltry province far away,
In the solemn midnight,
Centuries ago?

Within that province far away

Went plodding home a weary boor;
A streak of light before him lay,

Fallen through a half-shut stable door
Across his path. He passed- for naught
Told what was going on within ;
How keen the stars, his only thought-
The air how calm, and cold, and thin,
In the solemn midnight,
Centuries ago!

O, strange indifference! low and high
Drowsed over common joys and cares;
The earth was still but knew not why
The world was listening, unawares.
How calm a moment may precede

One that shall thrill the world forever!

"The night that erst no name had worn

To it a happy name is given;
For in that stable lay, new-born,

The peaceful Prince of earth and heaven."

To that still moment, none would heed,
Man's doom was linked no more to sever
In the solemn midnight,
Centuries ago!

It is the calm and solemn night!

A thousand bells ring out, and throw
Their joyous peals abroad, and smite
The darkness - charmed and holy now!
The night that erst no name had worn,
To it a happy name is given;

For in that stable lay, new-born,

The peaceful prince of earth and heaven,
In the solemn midnight,
Centuries ago!

THE GODS OF GREECE.

Ye in the age gone by,

Who ruled the world

SCHILLER.

I.

a world how lovely then!And guided still the steps of happy men

In the light leading-strings of careless joy! Ah, flourished then your service of delight! How different, oh, how different, in the day When thy sweet fanes with many a wreath were bright, O Venus Amathusia !

Then, the soft vail of dreams

II.

Round Truth poetic, witching Fancies wreathed;

Through all creation overflowed the streams

Of Life

and things now senseless, felt and breathed.