To save them from false Sextus,
That wrought the deed of shame?

"Hew down the bridge, Sir Consul,
With all the speed ye may;
I, with two more to help me,
Will hold the foe in play.
In yon straight path a thousand
May well be stopped by three.
Now, who will stand on either hand,
And keep the bridge with me?"

Then out spake Spurius Lartius;
A Ramnian proud was he:

256" THE LAYS OF ANCIENT ROME.”

"Lo, I will stand at thy right hand,`
And keep the bridge with thee."
And out spake strong Herminius ;
Of Titian blood was he:

"I will abide on thy left side,
And keep the bridge with thee."

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"Horatius," quoth the Consul,

"As thou say'st, so let it be.”

And straight against that great array
Forth went the dauntless three;
For Romans in Rome's quarrel
Spared neither land nor gold,
Nor son nor wife, nor limb nor life,
In the brave days of old.

Then none was for a party;

Then all were for the state;

Then the great men helped the poor,
And the poor man loved the great;
Then lands were fairly portioned;
Then spoils were fairly sold;
The Romans were like brothers
In the brave days of old.

Now Roman is to Roman

More hateful than a foe,
And the tribunes beard the high,
And the fathers grind the low.

As we wax hot in faction,

In battle we wax cold:

Wherefore men fight not as they fought
In the brave days of old.

CASTLES IN THE AIR.

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CASTLES IN THE AIR.

JAMES BALLANTINE.

THE bonnie, bonnie bairn sits pokin' in the ase, Glowerin' in the fire wi' his wee round face; Laughin' at the fuffin' lowe - what sees he there? Ha! the young dreamer's biggin' castles in the air!

His wee chubby face, an' his tousy curly pow,
Are laughin' an' noddin' to the dancin' lowe,
He'll brown his rosy cheeks, and singe his sunny
hair,

Glow'rin' at the imps wi' their castles in the air.

He sees muckle castles towerin' to the moon.
He sees little sodgers pu'in' them a' doun;
Warlds whomlin' up an' doun, bleezin' wi' a flare,
Losh! how he loups, as they glimmer in the air!

For a' sae sage he looks, what can the laddie ken? He's thinkin' upon naething, like mony mighty men. A wee thing mak's us think, a sma' thing mak's us stare,

There are mair folks than him biggin' castles in the air.

Sic a night in winter may weel mak him cauld; His chin upon his buffy hand will soon mak him auld;

His brow is brent sae braid, so pray that Daddy Care Wad let the wean alane wi' his castles in the air.

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THE MEN OF OLD.

He'll glower at the fire, and he'll keek at the light; But mony sparkling stars are swallow'd up by Night; Aulder een than his are glamour'd by a glare,

Hearts are broken -heads are turned- wi' castles in the air.

THE MEN OF OLD.

R. M. MILNES.

I KNOW not that the men of old
Were better than men now,

Of heart more kind, of hand more bold
Of more ingenuous brow:

I heed not those who pine for force
A ghost of time to raise,

As if they thus could check the course
Of these appointed days.

Still is it true, and over-true,

That I delight to close

This book of life self-wise and new,

And let my thoughts repose

On all that humble happiness

The world has since foregone —

The daylight of contentedness

That on those faces shone!

With rights, though not too closely scanned,
Enjoyed, as far as known -

With will, by no reverse unmanned

With pulse of even tone

CLEAR THE WAY.

They from to-day and from to-night

Expected nothing more

Than yesterday and yesternight

Had proffered them before.

A man's best things are nearest him,

Lie close about his feet;

It is the distant and the dim

That we are sick to greet:

For flowers that grow our hands beneath
We struggle and aspire-

Our hearts must die, except they breathe
The air of fresh desire.

CLEAR THE WAY.

CHARLES MACKAY.

MEN of thought! be up, and stirring
Night and day:

Sow and seed- withdraw the curtain

Clear the way!

Men of action, aid and cheer them,

As

ye may!

There's a fount about to stream,

There's a light about to beam,
There's a warmth about to glow,
There's a flower about to blow;
There's a midnight blackness changing

Into gray;

Men of thought and men of action,
Clear the way!

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