Of blazing towns, and the havoc dread
Of villages burning there !

Now, break me down the walls there! They

In our work have done their part1 hat our successful casting may Rejoice both eye and heart.

Smite, stroke on stroke,

Till the cover's broke !
Ere the bell can rise from the pit below,
The mould must into pieces go.

The master may, when all is ready,

Shatter the mould, for sage is he,
But woe betide, if in fiery eddy

The hot ore is by itself set free.
With thunderous crash, blind-raging, from its

Ruptured cell, it bursts in flame,
And fiery wreck and ruin vomits,

As though from the jaws of hell it came.
Where brute force rules, unchecked by brains,
Form cannot be, mere chaos reigns;
When the populace breaks from restraint away,
Alas for their weal on that woful day!

The Good gives place to the Bad, and all

The Vices run riot, uncurbed by blame.
To rouse the lion in jungle bedded

Is perilous, fell is the tiger's tooth,
But of all dread things to be chiefly dreaded

Is man, divested of reason and ruth.
Woe to those, who hand light's heaven-sent torch

To the purblind fool! Its kindly ray Is no light for him, it can only scorch,

And cities and countries in ashes lay.

God unto me great joy has given.

Behold! Like any gulden star,
From its shell the metal kernel riven
Shows clean and smooth, not a flaw to mar.

From crown to rim it gleams,

Bright as the bright sun's beams;
The scutcheons, clear and sharp also,
The skill of the hand that limned them show.

Now, comrades all, this way, this way!
Close up your ranks, that so we may
Baptise and consecrate the Bell.
Its name shall be CONCORDIA !
Let her to all our townsmen say,
“In unity and loving concord dwell

And this be the vocation still,
The Master framed her to fulfil !
With heaven's blue canopy above her,

High o'er our toils and struggles here,
Shall she, the thunder's neighbour, hover,

And border on the starry sphere; A voice she shall be from above,

Even like the shining starry throng, That, moving, praise their Maker's love,

And lead the circling year along.
To solemn things, and only such,

Let her metallic music chime,
And let her, swiftly swinging, touch,

Each hour, the flying skirts of time !
Let her to fate an utterance lend,

Herself without a heart to feel,
And on life's change and chance attend

With evermore recurring peal.

And, as the clang dies out, that, riding

Far on the breezes, loudly boomed, So may she teach, nought is abiding,

All things of earth to death are doomed.

Now tackle to the ropes and prise

The bell up from the pit, that so
She to the realm of sound may rise,
High up aloft, where the breezes blow !

Pull, pull, lads ! See,

She waves, swings free!
Joy to our town may this portend,
PEACE the first message be she forth shall send ?

THEODORE MARTIN.

TWO MONTHS OF THE SESSION.

The fogs which have so con- putation of the chamber in which stantly enveloped London during they have taken place. the last two months have been Meanwhile, if we turn our atscarcely more dense and disagree- tention to the Lower House, the able than the political atmosphere prospect is by no means of an in which we have been living and equally satisfactory nature. In moving during the same period. fact, a parallel might not be inThe one bright spot, indeed, in the aptly drawn at the present modarkness of the horizon, has been ment between the existing House discernible in the action of that of Commons and that unhappy hereditary branch of the Legisla- country which occupies so much ture which is the object against of its time, and demands so much which the shafts of modern Radi- of its attention. Both have been calism are continually directed. disturbed by reckless and turbulent The House of Lords has been spirits: both have been more or working after a steady sensible less the prey of lawlessness and fashion, which puts to shame its disregard of constituted authority; detractors, and proves it to be both have required vigorous and more really the representative body determined action in order that of a practical people than the elec- they might be restored to the tive assembly in which it is so often condition in which honest and denounced. Since Parliament met patriotic men would desire to see on the 27th January, the peers, them. No intelligent observer without having indulged them- will deny that the character and selves with late sittings, or aban- reputation of the House of Comdoned their time-honored custom mons has grievously suffered durof getting their debates over by ing the present session, and that the sacred hour of dinner, have representative institutions have settled down to the work of the been largely discredited by the consession in sober earnest. They duct of those whose chief aim and have passed the Glebe Lands, object should have been to secure Church Patronage, Lunacy Acts an exactly contrary result. One Amendment, Justices' Jurisdic- of the worst features of the case is tion, Pluralities Acts Amendment, to be found in the encouragement Appellate Jurisdiction, Law of given to tactics which it is hardly Evidence Amendment, and other too much to call disreputable, by important bills; they have prac- persons who have held high office tically passed the Railway and under the Crown, and from whose Canal Traffic Bill, and have com- position and experience we might menced their discussion upon the have expected better things. proposed alteration in the laws It would perhaps be invidious relating to Tithes. Upon each to mention by name those memand all of these measures there bers of Mr Gladstone's late Adhas been debate and discussion ministration who, in the debates by men who understood the sub- so unnecessarily prolonged by their ject, amply sufficient for all prac- Parnellite allies, have only seen a tical purposes, and of a character legitimate occasion upon which to which has fully maintained the re- annoy and embarrass a Tory Government. There are, however, enormous importance in the eyes grave and experienced politicians of Mr Howell and his friends, and among

the Gladstonian ranks they felt justified in interposing (although it is true that the best its discussion before that for which and ablest of the Liberal leaders the House had been summoned. have severed themselves from the On the Speaker asking, in accordSeparatists); and when we see ance with the standing order of such men lending themselves to the House, whether forty memobstructionist tactics, and promot-bers endorsed the motion for ing the useless discussion of points the adjournment, the Nationalists of procedure which have already rose in a body, together with all been fully discussed and practi- the Gladstonians, save and except cally decided, we cannot but feel those on the front bench. The that we are witnessing the melan- marked and pertinacious manner choly deterioration which is habitu- in which the latter remained seatally undergone by those who keep ed would, to a suspicious mind, bad company. The scandal which have afforded proof of previous attaches to the waste of time of concert with the obstructionists, which the Ilouse of Commons has and the farce was complete when lately been guilty, reflects the Mr Gladstone subsequently rose, gravest discredit upon those who during the debate which followed, have been in any degree parties to and stated that he and his “ friends it; and although there may be near” him “ had taken no part in but a few statesmen of any posi- promoting the discussion of the tion who have been individually subject” mooted by Mr Howell, prominent in the matter, it is im- because, although they “perceived possible to acquit the front Opposi- at once that the matter was one tion bench of having, as a body, of the gravest importance, yet " either actively or passively assisted they “did not feel satisfied that it the policy of obstruction. Notably was one which ought to be brought was this the case upon one re- forward to the prejudice of all markable evening when, just as other important matters and the the House had disposed of “ ques- business before the House." But tions," and was about to enter surely, if' the tactics of obstrucupon the Procedure business, Mr tion are to be discouraged, it is not Howell moved the adjournment. by the somewhat ignoble method This gentleman had gathered from of remaining seated and silent • Truth,' or some equally reliable while those behind them facilitate source of information, that the those tactics by rising, that the Corporation of the City of Lon- official leaders of the Opposition don had improperly expended can be said to have properly discorporate funds in promoting op- charged their duty and responsiposition to the “Government of bility to the House and to the London " bill of Mr Gladstone's country. A dignified protest from Administration. The matter could Mr Gladstone, and an appeal to hardly be called one of “urgency,” his followers on behalf of the credit and could have perfectly well and character of Parliament, would waited for a month, or for three have been the only fair and reasonmonths, without any detriment to able course, in order to have acthe public interest. But, coupled quitted himself of complicity in with the opportunity which it the obstructive transaction, and to afforded for delay, it assumed an have proved the sincerity of his