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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 :—

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How came the dainty Babie Bell

Into this world of ours?

The gates of heaven were left ajar :
With folded hands and dreamy eyes
Wandering out of Paradise,

She saw this planet, like a star,

Hung in the glistening depths of even—
Its bridges, running to and fro,
O'er which the white-winged angels go,
Bearing the holy Dead to Heaven!

She touched a bridge of flowers—those feet,
So light they did not bend the bells
Of the celestial asphodels!

They fell like dew upon the flowers,
Then all the air grew strangely sweet;
And thus came dainty Babie Bell

Into this world of ours!

She

came, and brought delicious May!
The swallows built beneath the eaves;

Like sunlight, in and out the leaves,
The robins went, the livelong day:

The lily swung its noiseless bell,

And o'er the porch the trembling vine
Seemed bursting with its veins of wine:

How sweetly, softly, twilight fell!
O, earth was full of singing-birds

And opening Spring-tide flowers,

When the dainty Babie Bell
Came to this world of ours!

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 :

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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
That Annie could not sleep, but earnestly

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 :
No meaning there she closed the Book and slept ;

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

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'Hosanna in the highest :' yonder shines.
The Sun of Righteousness, and these be palms,
Whereof the happy people strowing, cried
'Hosanna in the highest!" Here she woke,

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