Purchase of this book includes free trial access to www.million-books.com where you can read more than a million books for free. This is an OCR edition with typos. Excerpt from book: Cfoe Safe in the shelter of a lonely glen— A refuge which the distant hum of men Could reach but faintly— Untouched by human blame or human praise, There dwelt in ancient, half-forgotten days A hermit saintly. With rapture was his spirit wont to burn ; Each night of prayer was followed in its turn By prayerful morrows: He heeded not, in his exalted life, The sordid cares of men, their paltry strife, Their sins and sorrows. As he one Christmas-Eve his vigil kept, Whilst Nature 'neath her snowy mantle slept, He saw with wonder An angel standing smiling by his side, Whilst Heav'n to hosts seraphic opened wide Its gates of thunder. In silent awe the hermit bowed his head : " Fear not, my son," the angel sweetly said In accents ringing; " Our Christmas carol strive to learn by heart. And see if thou art fit to take thy part In Heaven's singing." " Glory to God ! " bright hosts of seraphs sang, " Glory to God ! " the highest Heavens rang, " To God be glory ! " " Oh. angel! " cried the hermit, growing bold, " This can I sing, for all my life has told The self-same story." The angel smiled—"And art thou then as fain To sing the second part of Heaven's strain ? " In tones sonorous The white-robed carol-singers chanted then, "Peace on the earth, and good-will unto men!"- So ran the chorus. In tearful shame the hermit bowed his head : " I cannot learn the angels' song," he said, " Nor sing it duly ; To God great glory I have ever given, But yet to save men's souls I have not striven, Nor loved them truly." The angel answered gently, " Grieve not so ! Two things compose man's duty here below— Thou hast the one done ; In this thou hast not been of grace bereft, Yet none the less thou shouldst not then have l...