HOLIDAYS AND HOLY DAYS.

THE NEW YEAR.

ALFRED TENNYSON.

I STOOD on a tower in the wet,
And New Year and Old Year met,

And winds were roaring and blowing;
And I said, "O years, that meet in tears,
Have ye aught that is worth the knowing?

"Science enough and exploring,
Wanderers coming and going,
Matter enough for deploring,

But aught that is worth the knowing?'

Seas at my feet were flowing,

Waves on the shingle pouring,

Old Year roaring and blowing,

And New Year blowing and roaring.

Joyful all ye nations rise,
Join the triumph of the skies,
With the angelic host proclaim
Christ is born in Bethlehem !

Hail the heaven-born Prince of Peace!
Hail the Sun of Righteousness!
Light and life to all he brings,
Risen with healing in his wings.

Mild, he lays his glory by;

Born, that man no more may die,
Born to raise the sons of earth,
Born to give them second birth.

CHRISTMAS CAROL.

FROM THE NEAPOLITAN. TRANSLATION ANONYMOUS.

WHEN Christ was born in Bethlehem 'Twas night, but seemed the noon of day; The stars, whose light

Was pure and bright,

Shone with unwavering ray;

But one-one glorious star

Guided the Eastern Magi from afar.

Then peace was spread throughout the land,

The lion fed beside the tender lamb;

And with the kid

To pasture led

The spotted leopard fed;

In peace the calf and bear,

The wolf and lamb, reposed together there.

As shepherds watched their flocks by night, An angel, brighter than the sun's own light, Appeared in air,

And gently said,

"Fear not; be not afraid

For lo! beneath your eyes

Earth has become a smiling Paradise!

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!

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