Is hanging breathless on thy fate!
We know what master laid thy keel,
What workmen wrought thy ribs of steel,
Who made each mast, and sail, and rope-
What anvils rung, what hammers beat,
In what a forge and what a heat

Were shaped the anchors of thy hope!

2. Fear not each sudden sound and shock;
'Tis of the wave, and not the rock;
'Tis but the flapping of the sail,
And not a rent made by the gale!
In spite of rock and tempest roar,
In spite of false lights on the shore,
Sail on, nor fear to breast the sea!

Our hearts, our hopes are all with thee,-
Our hearts, our hopes, our prayers, our tears,
Our faith triumphant o'er our fears,

Are all with thee,-are all with thee!

CXIV. DOUGLAS AND MARMION.

1. The train from out the castle drew,

But Marmion stopped to bid adieu :

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Though something I might plain,” he said,

"Of cold respect to stranger guest,

Sent hither by your king's behest,

While in Tantallon's towers I stayed, Part we in friendship from your land, And, noble Earl, receive my hand!”

2. But Douglas round him drew his cloak,
Folded his arms, and thus he spoke :
"My manors, halls, and bowers shall still
Be open at my sovereign's will

To each one whom he lists, howe'er
Unmeet to be the owner's peer.

My castles are my king's alone,
From turret to foundation stone;
The hand of Douglas is his own,
And never shall in friendly grasp
The hand of such as Marmion clasp."

3. Burned Marmion's swarthy cheek like fire,
And shook his very frame for ire;
And "This to me !" he said,-

"An 't were not for thy hoary beard,
Such hand as Marmion's had not spared

To cleave the Douglas' head!
And first, I tell thee, haughty peer,
He who does England's message here,
Although the meanest in her state,
May well, proud Angus, be thy mate.

4. "And, Douglas, more I tell thee here, Even in thy pitch of pride,

Here, in thy hold, thy vassals near,

I tell thee thou'rt defied!

And if thou said'st I am not peer
To any lord in Scotland here,
Lowland or Highland, far or near,
Lord Angus, thou hast lied!”

5. On the earl's cheek the flush of rage O'ercame the ashen hue of age.

Fierce he broke forth,-" And dar'st thou then To beard the lion in his den,

The Douglas in his hall?'

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And hop'st thou hence unscathed to go?
No, by Saint Bride of Bothwell, no !—
Up drawbridge, grooms!—what, warder, ho!
Let the portcullis fall."

6. Lord Marmion turned,-well was his need,-
And dashed the rowels in his steed,
Like arrow through the archway sprung;
The ponderous grate behind him rung:
To pass there was such scanty room,
The bars, descending, razed his plume.
7. The steed along the drawbridge flies,
Just as it trembled on the rise;
Nor lighter does the swallow skim
Along the smooth lake's level brim.

And when Lord Marmion reached his band,
He halts, and turns with clenchèd hand,
And shout of loud defiance pours,
And shook his gauntlet at the towers.

CXV. THE NEW YEAR.

1. Ring out, wild bells, to the wild sky,
The flying cloud, the frosty light;
The year is dying in the night-
Ring out, wild bells, and let him die.

2. Ring out the old, ring in the new,—
Ring, happy bells, across the snow;
The year is going, let him go;
Ring out the false, ring in the true.

3. Ring out the grief that saps the mind,
For those that here we see no more;

Ring out the feud of rich and poor;
Ring in redress to all mankind.

4. Ring out a slowly dying cause,

And ancient forms of party strife;
Ring in the nobler modes of life,
With sweeter manners, purer laws.

5. Ring out the want, the care, the sin,

The faithless coldness of the times;

Ring out, ring out my mournful rhymes, But ring the fuller minstrel in.

6. Ring out false pride in place and blood,
The civic slander and the spite;

Ring in the love of truth and right;
Ring in the common love of good.

7. Ring out old shapes of foul disease;

Ring out the narrowing lust of gold;
Ring out the thousand wars of old;
Ring in the thousand years of peace.

8. Ring in the valiant man and free,

The larger heart, the kindlier hand;
Ring out the darkness of the land;
Ring in the Christ that is to be.