A king can mak' a belted knight, Their dignities, and a' that, The pith o' sense, and pride o' worth, Then let us pray, that come it may, As come it will, for a' that,- That sense and worth, o'er a' the earth, May bear the gree, and a' that; For a' that, and a' that, It's comin' yet for a' that, That man to man, the warld o'er, Shall brothers be for a' that! R. BURNS. THE CREATION. GREAT triumph and rejoicing was in Heaven, And the habitations of the just; to Him Of Spirits malign, a better race to bring So sang the Hierarchies: Meanwhile the Son And Spirit, coming to create new worlds. On heavenly ground they stood; and from the shore Silence, ye troubled Waves, and thou Deep, peace, Said then the Omnifick Word; your discord end! Nor staid; but, on the wings of Cherubim Uplifted, in paternal glory rode Far into Chaos, and the world unborn; For Chaos heard his voice: Him all his train Creation, and the wonders of his might. Let there be light, said God; and forthwith Light Ethereal, first of things, quintessence pure, Sprung from the deep; and from her native east To journey through the aery gloom began, Spher'd in a radiant cloud, for yet the sun Sojourn'd the while. God saw the light was good; Divided light the Day and darkness Night, He nam'd. Thus was the first day even and morn: Nor pass'd uncelebrated, nor unsung By the celestial choirs, when orient light Exhaling first from darkness they beheld; Birth-day of Heaven and Earth; with joy and shout The hollow universal orb they fill'd, And touch'd their golden harps, and hymning prais'd God and his works; Creator him they sung, Both when first evening was, and when first morn. The sixth, and of creation, last, arose With evening harps and matin; when God said, Pasturing at once, and in broad herds upsprung. Now heaven in all her glory shone, and roll'd * Her motions as the great first Mover's hand By fowl, fish, beast, was flown, was swum, was walk'd There wanted yet the master-work, the end Till twelve fair counties saw the blaze on Malvern's lonely height, Till streamed in crimson on the wind the Wrekin's crest of light, Till broad and fierce the star came forth on Ely's stately fane, And tower and hamlet rose in arms o'er all the bound less plain; Till Belvoir's lordly terraces the sign to Lincoln sent, And Lincoln sped the message on o'er the wide vale of Trent; Till Skiddaw saw the fire that burned on Gaunt's embattled pile, And the red glare on Skiddaw roused the burghers of Carlisle. MACAULAY. THE MAN WHO KILLED HIS NEIGHBOUR. REUBEN BLACK was a torment in the neighbourhood where he lived. His wife had a sharp uncomfortable look. His boys seemed to be in perpetual fear. His dog dropped his tail between his legs, and eyed him askance, as if to see what humour he was in. The cat looked wild, and rushed straight up the chimney when he moved towards her. Every day he cursed the town and the neighbourhood, because the people poisoned |