Upon the house-top, all abroad, The exiled Hebrew plead with God; And Zionward he made his prayer, For Zion was his evening care: "Hear the voice of supplication; "Save our sinful captive nation; "Lead us back to Zion's hill;

"Lord! THOU host the power and will!"

If thus the exile bent his knee,
Fearless of spite and tyranny,
Shall Masons shrink to give their
praise,

Through peaceful nights and happy days?

No, no, in lodge, at home, abroad, Let Masons boldly plead with God, And Zionward address their prayer, Heaven is their Zion, God is there! "Hear the voice of supplication; "Save our proud and sinful nation; "Lead us all to Zion's hill; "Lord! THOU hast the power and will!"

ROBERT MORRIS. (Published 1868.)

THE LIONS.

FAMISHED, the lions were in their strong den,

And roared appeal to Nature from the

men

Who caged them-Nature that for them had care.

Kept for three days without their needful fare,

The creatures raved with hunger and with hate,

And through their roof of chains and iron grate

Looked to the blood-red sunset in the

west;

Their cries the distant traveller oppress'd

Far as horizon which the blue hill veils. Fiercely they lashed their bodies with their tails

Till the walls shook; as if their eyes'

red light

And hungry jaws had lent them added might.

This giant's palace in the rock's dark side;

Their heads had broken through the roof of stone,

So that the light in every corner shone, And dreary dungeon had for dome blue sky.

Nebuchadnezzar, savage king, had eye For this strong cavern, and a pavement laid

Upon the centre, that it should be made A place where lions he could safely mew;

Though once Deucalions and Khans it knew.

The beasts were four most furious all. The ground

Was carpeted with bones that lay all round,

While, as they walked and crouched with heavy tread

Men's skeletons and brutes', far overhead

The tapering shadows of the rocks were spread.

The first had come from Sodom's desert plain;

When savage freedom did to him remain

He dwelt at Sin, extremest point and

rude

Of silence terrible and solitude.

Oh! woe betide who fell beneath his claw,

This Lion of the sand with roughskinned paw.

The second came from forest water'd by

The stream Euphrates; when his step drew nigh,

Descending to the river, all things feared.

Hard fight to snare this growler it appeared.

The hounds of two kings were employed to catch

This Lion of the woods and be his

match.

rolled by

I learned great lessons of eternity. Now, how this Man is named I do not know,

But in his eyes I see the heaven's glow; This man, with brow so calm, by God is sent."

When night had darken'd the blue firmament,

The keeper wished to see inside the gate,

And pressed his pale face 'gainst the fasten'd grate.

In the dim depth stood Daniel calm of mien,

With eyes uplifted to the stars serene, While this the sight for wondering gaze to meet, The Lions fawning at the Captive's feet!

VICTOR HUGO (1802-1885). Translated by MRS. NEWTON CROSLAND.