THE CARDINAL POINTS. 7 



blends the regrets of the past with the anticipations of the 

 future j we exclaim 



" 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. 



*' 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. 



" Ring out old shapes of foul disease ; 

 Ring out the harrowing lust of gold j 

 Ring out the thousand wars of old, 

 Ring in the thousand years of peace. 



" 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." * 



The spectacle is majestic and impressive. Let us seek, 

 in the first place, to ascertain our position in reference to 

 the four points of the compass the four cardinal points. 

 But how is this to be done ? By day it is easy enough. I 

 have only to turn myself towards the sun when it has reached 

 the highest point of its diurnal course, and there, in front of 

 me, lies the south, in my rear the north, the east on my left, 

 and on my right the west. 



But is it possible to ascertain one's position during the 

 absence of the " orb of day ? " 



* Tennyson, " In Memoriam, " cvi. 



