AWAKE ere the morning dawn-Skylark, arise! The last of the stars hath waned dim in the skies; The peak of the mountain is purpled in light, And the grass with the night-dew is diamonded

white,

eyes

Then up ere the break of day, Skylark, arise!

Earth starts like a sluggard half-roused from a

dream;

Pale and ghost-like the mist floats away from the stream,

And the cataract hoarsely that all the night long Pour'd forth to the desolate darkness its song, Now softens to music, as brighten the skies ;Then up ere the dawn of day, Skylark, arise.

Arise from the clover, and up to the cloud,
Ere the sun leaves his chamber, in majesty proud,
And, ere his light lowers to earth's meaner things,
Catch the starless effulgence of heaven on thy
wings,

While thy gaze, as thou soarest and singest, shall feast

On the innermost shrine of the uttermost east.

Up, up with a loud voice of singing! the bee Will be out to the bloom, and the bird to the

tree,

The trout to the pool, and the par to the rill,
The flock to the plain, and the deer to the hill-
Soon the marsh will resound to the plovers' lone

cries;

Then up ere the dawn of day, Skylark, arise!

Up, up with thy praise-breathing anthem alone The drowsy-head, man, on his bed slumbers prone ; The stars may go down, and the sun from the deep Burst forth, still his hands they are folded in sleep. Let the least in creation the greatest despiseThen up to heaven's threshold, blithe Skylark, arise!

THE BIRD'S NEST.

ALL blind and unfledged, see the children of song, Just broke from their egg-shell, and herding

together;

To the red-breasted minstrel the strangers be

long

To robin, the herald of winterly weather.

Wide and distant she travels to look out for food, Her piercing eye darting on this, that, and

t' other;

On the spread-wings of fondness returns to her brood,

Sweeet robin, their guardian, protector, and mother.

O, let no rude hand, while that mother 's away, Either take or destroy the beloved ones she's feeding!

And gratitude's carol will joyful repay

The heart that could not set their parent's a bleeding.

The time is near come when their clothes will

appear,

And then, tho' the world and its creatures may

slight ye,

The notes of the nestlings may break on the ear, And the song of young robin be heard to delight ye.

TO A ROBIN.

Dr. Jenner.

COME, Sweetest of the feather'd throng!
And soothe me with thy plaintive song :
Come to my cot, devoid of fear,
No danger shall await thee here:

No prowling cat, with whisker'd face,
Approaches this sequester'd place :
No schoolboy with his willow-bow
Shall aim at thee a murderous blow :
No wily limed twig here molest
Thy olive wing or crimson breast.
Thy cup, sweet bird! I'll daily fill
At yonder cressy, bubbling rill;
Thy board shall plenteously be spread
With crumblets of the nicest bread :

And when rude winter comes, and shows
His icicles and shivering snows,
Hop o'er my cheering hearth, and be
One of my peaceful family:

Then soothe me with thy plaintive song,

Thou sweetest of the feather'd throng.

THE SKYLARK.

Hogg.

BIRD of the wilderness,

Blithesome and cumberless,

Sweet be thy matin o'er moorland and lea!