These opening stanzas of The Ballad of Babie Bell-describing a little life that "was but three Aprils long"-is by our American poet, ALDRICH :— How came the dainty Babie Bell Into this world of ours? The gates of heaven were left ajar : She saw this planet, like a star, Hung in the glistening depths of even— She touched a bridge of flowers—those feet, They fell like dew upon the flowers, Into this world of ours! She came, and brought delicious May! Like sunlight, in and out the leaves, The lily swung its noiseless bell, And o'er the porch the trembling vine How sweetly, softly, twilight fell! And opening Spring-tide flowers, When the dainty Babie Bell The poet-laureate of England, ALFRED TENNYSON, whose MayQueen, Idyls of the King, and In Memoriam, have won for him such high fame, has also enriched our English poetry with numerous lyrics of exquisite beauty. That fine outburst of philosophy and feeling, In Memoriam, has been compared to "a stream of a stream of song and sorrow, flowing deeply and calmly, and in the light of peaceful memories and tranquil hopes." Here is the opening stanza : - His last poem of Enoch Arden is the most touchingly beautiful of all his later productions. It is a simple story of two rival suitors for the hand and heart of Annie Lee, who all grew up from childhood together. Enoch, the sailor, at length becomes the accepted lover: he marries her, and subsequently goes on a distant voyage. Years intervene, and no tidings of him reach his wife, who mourns him as dead. Philip, the miller, meanwhile becomes wealthy, seeks again his early love-Annie, who, after many delays, and misgivings as to the fate of Enoch,-. At last, one night it chanced Prayed for a sign, "My Enoch, is he gone?" Then, compassed round by the blind wall of night, Brooked not the expectant terror of her heart, Started from bed, and struck herself a light, Then desperately seized the Holy Book, Suddenly set it wide to find a sign, Suddenly put her finger on the text "Under a palm-tree." That was nothing to her : When, lo! her Enoch sitting on a height, Under a palm-tree, over him the Sun: "He's gone," she thought-" he is happy; he is singing ₹ 'Hosanna in the highest :' yonder shines. |