FLORA AND THALIA. 213 



THE LILY OF THE VALLEY. 



Fair flower, that, lapt in lowly glade 

 Dost hide beneath the greenwood shade, 



Than whom the vernal gale 

 None fairer wakes on bank or spray. 

 Our England's lily of the May, 



Our Lily of the vale ! 



Art thou that " Lily of the field," 

 Which, when the Saviour sought to shield 



The heart from blank despair, 

 He showed to our mistrustful kind 

 An emblem of the thoughtful mind 



Of God's paternal care ] 



Not thus, I trow ; for brighter shine 

 To the warm skies of Palestine 



Those children of the East; 

 There, when mild autumn's early rain 

 Descends on parched Esdrela's plain, 



And Tabor's oak-girt crest ; 



* The Editor has taken a liberty (for which the beauty of the 

 language as well as the poetry must plead her excuse) of ex- 

 tracting this piece from " The British Months," a poem in 

 twelve parts, by Dr. Mant, Lord Bishop of Down and Connor, 

 recently published by Mr. Parker, West Strand. 



