In vain they ran, and felt, and stanched; for never truer blow

That good right arm had dealt in fight against a Volscian foo.

When Appius Claudius saw that deed, he shuddered and sank down,

And hid his face some little space with the corner of his gown, Till, with white lips and bloodshot eyes, Virginius tottered

nigh,

And stood before the judgment-seat, and held the knife on high.

"Oh! dwellers in the nether gloom, avengers of the slain, By this dear blood I cry to you, do right between us twain; And even as Appius Claudius hath dealt by me and mine, Deal you by Appius Claudius and all the Claudian line!" So spake the slayer of his child, and turned, and went his

way;

But first he cast one haggard glance to where the body lay, And writhed, and groaned a fearful groan, and then with steadfast feet,

Strode right across the market-place unto the Sacred Street.

Then up sprang Appius Claudius: "Stop him; alive or dead!

Ten thousand pounds of copper to the man who brings his head."

He looked upon his clients; but none would work his will. He looked upon his lictors; but they trembled, and stood still.

And, as Virginius through the press his way in silence cleft,
Ever the mighty multitude fell back to right and left.
And he hath passed in safety unto his woeful home,
And there ta'en horse to tell the camp what deeds are done

in Rome.

Lord Macaulay

THE TEAR OF REPENTANCE.*

ONE morn a Peri at the gate
Of Eden stood, disconsolate;
And as she listened to the springs
Of life within, like music flowing,
And caught the light upon her wings.
Through the half-open portal glowing,
She wept to think her recreant race
Should e'er have lost that glorious place!

"How happy," exclaimed this child of air,
"Are the holy spirits who wander there,

'Mid flowers that never shall fade or fall!
Though mine are the gardens of earth and sea,
One blossom of heaven outblooms them all!"

The glorious angel who was keeping
The gates of light, beheld her weeping;
And, as he nearer drew and listened,
A tear within his eyelids glistened.-

The Peri is'in search of an offering that will admit her to Paradise.

After two vain attempts to find the necessary gift to redeem her

sin and gain admittance, she on the third occasion succeeds.

Down the blue vault the Peri flies,

And lighted earthward by a glance That just then broke from morning's eyes, Hung hovering o'er our world's expanse.

Over the vale of Baalbec winging,

The Peri sees a child at play, Among the rosy wild-flowers singing, As rosy and as wild as they; Chasing with eager hands and eyes, The beautiful blue damsel-flies

That fluttered round the jasmine stems,
Like wingéd flowers or flying gems;
And near the boy, who, tired with play,
Now nestling 'mid the roses lay,
She saw a wearied man dismount

From his hot steed, and on the brink
Of a small temple's rustic fount

Impatient fling him down to drink.
Then swift his haggard brow he turn'd
To the fair child, who fearless sat,-
Though never yet hath day-beam burned
Upon a brow more fierce than that,-
Sullenly fierce,-a mixture dire,
Like thunder-clouds of gloom and fire,
In which the Peri's eye could read
Dark tales of many a ruthless deed.

Yet tranquil now that man of crime
(As if the balmy evening-time
Softened his spirit) looked and lay,
Watching the rosy infant's play;

Though still, whene'er his eye by chance

Fell on the boy's, its lurid glance

Met that unclouded, joyous gaze,

TEAR OF REPENTANCE.

As torches that have burnt all night
Encounter morning's glorious rays.

But hark! the vesper

call to prayer,

As slow the orb of daylight sets,
Is rising sweetly on the air

From Syria's thousand minarets!
The boy has started from the bed
Of flowers where he had laid his head,
And down upon the fragrant sod

Kneels with his forehead to the south,
Lisping th' eternal name of God

From purity's own cherub mouth;
And looking, while his hands and eyes
Are lifted to the glowing skies,
Like a stray babe of Paradise,
Just lighted on that flowery plain,
And seeking for its home again!

And how felt he, the wretched man
Reclining there,-while memory ran
O'er many a year of guilt and strife
That marked the dark flood of his life.
Nor found one sunny resting-place,

Nor brought him back one branch of grace ?—
"There was a time," he said, in mild,
Heart-humbled tones, "thou blessed child!
When young, and haply pure as thou,
I looked and prayed like thee; but now-"
He hung his head; each nobler aim

And hope and feeling which had slept
From boyhood's hour, that instant came
Fresh o'er him, and he wept,-he wept!
And now-behold him kneeling there,
By the child's side in humble prayer,

While the same sunbeam shines upon
The guilty and the guiltless one,

And hymns of joy proclaim through heaven
The triumph of a soul forgiven!

'Twas when the golden orb had set,
While on their knees they lingered yct,
There fell a light-more lovely far
Than ever came from sun or star-
Upon the tear that, warm and meek,
Dewed that repentant sinner's cheek:
To mortal eye this light might seem
A northern flash or meteor beam;
But well th' enraptured Peri knew
'Twas a bright smile the Angel threw
From heaven's gate, to hail that tear,-
Her harbinger of glory near!

"Joy! joy!" she cried; "my task is done,
The gates are past, and heaven is won!"
Thomas Moore (Lalla Rookh).

HOLLAND HOUSE.*

YET a few years and the shades and structures may follow their illustrious masters. The wonderful city which,

* Holland House, Kensington, now the property and residence of the Earl of Ilchester, is said by Walpole (1747) to be "a bravo eld house," which "belonged to the gallant Earl of Holland, the lover of Charles I.'s Queen." Henry Fox, the first Lord Holland, bought it in 1767, and derived his title from it. Sir George Trevelyan in his Early History of Charles James Fox (Lord Holland's third son), speaks of the place as a "guburban palace and paradise." He also refers to "the hundreds of dwellings which now fringe its northern and eastern outskirts, but which have not been permitted to invade the sacred enclosure." Sir George wrote in 1880. Now, however, Macaulay's predictions are rapidly approaching fulfilment. Not only is the House