164

WE PRAISE THEE, O LORD

Round the Lord in glory seated,
Cherubim and seraphim

Filled His temple and repeated

Each to each th'alternate hymn:

"Lord, Thy glory fills the heaven, Earth is with its fulness stored;

Unto Thee be glory given,

Holy, holy, holy, Lord!"

Heaven is still with glory ringing, Earth takes up the angels' cry, "Holy, holy, holy," singing,

"Lord of Hosts, the Lord Most High.

"Lord, Thy glory fills the heaven, Earth is with its fulness stored; Unto Thee be glory given,

Holy, holy, holy, Lord!"

RICHARD MANT

165

THE PRAYERS OF ALL LIVING
CREATURES

The Hen praiseth God,

Saying, "Thou hast given me

As much intelligence

As unto the Cock;

Therefore do I praise Thee

Unto the end, which fleeth
For ever and ever!"

The Raven sayeth:

"Who prepareth the Raven his food,
When his children cry to God,
When their mother casts them out?
So He feedeth

The young ravens when they cry!"

The Parrot sayeth:

"Praise the Lord with the harp!

Praise Him with the ten-stringed nabluim!

For God hath gifted me

That I can speak His praise.

Lo! ye, the other birds

Cannot do like unto me!"

The bird Tsih sings:

"Light is sown unto the holy ones,

And joy unto those

Who are of upright minds!"

The Frog singeth a Psalm: "Praised be the majesty

Of His mighty kingdom

For ever and ever!"

The Cat sayeth

When the Mouse escapeth her
Up into a high place:
"Though thou should'st rise
Like the eagle on high,
Yea, though thou should'st nest

On high among the stars,

Yet will I bring thee down!

For I have sharp nails

To climb and to spring,

For all of which I praise the Lord!"

The Mouse sayeth,

Escaping from the Cat:

"I thank Thee, O God,

That mine enemy

Hath not rejoiced over me!"

The Dog sayeth:

"Come, let us throw ourselves down,

Let us kneel and bow

Before God, our Maker!"

The Weasel sayeth:

"Let all things which breathe

Praise the Lord through ages!

I am not of the earth,

Nor yet am I of the sea,

So I declare,

All creatures that have souls,

Praise the Lord!

That His holy name may be whole,

And say, Let Him be praised

For ever and for ever."

FROM AN OLD JEWISH CANTICLE

166

A PRAYER

O God, my Father and my Friend,
Ever Thy blessings to me send;
Let me have virtue for my guide,
And wisdom always at my side;
Thus cheerfully through life I'll go,
Nor ever feel the sting of woe;
Contented with the humblest lot,
Happy, though in the meanest cot.

FELICIA D. HEMANS

[At the age of nine]

167

BEAUTIFUL THINGS

What millions of beautiful things there must be
In this mighty world!-who could reckon them
all?

The tossing, the foaming, the wide flowing sea,
And thousands of rivers that into it fall.

O there are the mountains, half covered with snow,
With tall and dark trees, like a girdle of green,
And waters that wind in the valley below,
Or roar in the caverns, too deep to be seen.

Vast caves in the earth, full of wonderful things,
The bones of strange animals, jewels and spars;
Or, far up in Iceland, the hot, boiling springs,
Like fountains of feathers, or showers of stars.

Here spread the sweet meadows with thousands of flowers,

Far away are old woods that for ages remain ; Wild elephants sleep in the shade of their bowers, Or troops of young antelopes traverse the plain.

O yes, they are glorious, all to behold,

And pleasant to read of, and curious to know, And something of God and His wisdom we're told, Whatever we look at-wherever we go.

ANN TAYLOR