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soft waters, delight?To mirror their beautiful face.
Then hurrah! for the mountain, the islet and bridge,?And fair Montreal in their midst,?With her clear sun-lit skies, that bring blessing and health, For few pleasanter cities exist.

SUNRISE.
Behold a miracle! the eastern sky?Is whispering of a new creation nigh,?As the fair dawn, with love-born joy and pride,?Is gently opening day's grand portals wide.
And see her rosy sisters tripping o'er?Land, sea and mountain, lake and pebbly shore,?Spreading th' entrancing tidings, near and far,?Of the sun's advent in his golden car.
And now through lustrous, glad, effulgent sheen,?God's presence manifest to man is seen,?As the majestic herald of his love?Enthrones himself in matchless pomp above.
And see, each rippling streamlet, mount and sod?Obeys the mandate sent to it from God,?To do the work to each by Heaven assigned,?And in its due performance joy to find.
With joy extatic all creation springs?To glad new life each his anthem sings?To the sun-god's Creator and upraise?Their thrilling melodies of morning praise.
Have ye e'er heard it echoed through the woods?By birds and insects, mountain, streams and floods??Then, say, do man's best efforts match the song?Of that harmonious, grateful, fervent throng?
Renewed and glad the denizens of earth?Obey the will of Him who calls them forth:?Obedience makes all labour doubly sweet,?And victory crowns the race with willing feet.
The great sun never wavers from his line?Of duty, in his gracious work sublime,?His grand example perfect is, as when?The Everlasting first created men.
Symbol he is of the Great Father's power,?Discoursing of it every passing hour,?As calling to new life each germ and seed,?He teaches earth to bring forth what men need.
Streams, plants and insects, animals and earth?Fulfil the role assigned to them at birth;?Soft, gentle showers in cooling streams descend?O'er verdant nature freshened joy to lend.
Planets and stars obey the law divine,?And in the pre-concerted plan combine.?To do this bidding who in ether placed?Their glorious orbs, and their grand circles traced.
And think ye mortals that a God so great?Could be unmindful of our mortal state??Ah, no, His grand unchanging laws apply?To every living creature equally.
There's not a denizen of earth, sky, sod,?But bears some message to us from our God;?The changeless laws of earth and firmament?Are with deep truths and glorious lessons blent.
The Great Eternal, ruler of the earth,?Formed laws immutable for it at birth;?Charging the realm of nature to befriend,?The race for whom he formed it, to life's end.
Grand proofs of His great love through it are found,?By those who seek them, and rich joys abound?For all who learn themselves, and the blest will?Of the Creator lovingly fulfil.

LOVE.
Immortal love! what power is thine,?To quicken and inspire!?Fabled Prometheus well might dare?To steal from heaven such fire.?For 'tis a beacon light to guide?To rapturous joy and peace,?In this our present earthly home,?And where all sorrows cease.
Thy subtle fire electrical,?In word, look, touch or kiss,?Thrills through our being to invoke?Responsive mutual bliss.?Once moved by this Herculean power,?What cannot mortals dare??Dangers else insurmountable,?They with impressment share.
Nothing on earth e'er nerved the arm?Of knight or warrior bold,?Like love of country, home, and heaven,?In the brave days of old.?No matter what man's form of words,?Uttered or written down,?If thy incisive, quickening spell,?Does not their labour crown.
And still thou reign'st supremely fair,?In homes and battle fields,?And his the arm victorious,?Who thy grand armour wields.?For they who with untiring zeal,?Thy heart-fires ceaseless feed,?Know their supernal warmth alone,?Can meet man's highest need.
But hearts e'en at the altar pledged?Oft seek for love in vain,?And hungering souls are doomed to starve,?In freezing, cold disdain.?Ah, why should mortals thus refuse?To wield that grace divine,?The chief of the blest three that heaven?Gives to make life sublime.
Some make a grave mistake, and seek?Pity beyond their home;?No friend or relative on earth?Should counsel thus to roam.?Others have cultivated minds,?Are leaders in high art,?Whilst in the little things of life,?They take no kindly part.
And yet if we investigate,?It is these little things,?Which make up human happiness,?And lasting pleasure brings.?And tastes objectionable oft,?May on life's harp-strings jar,?Producing irritation?And much domestic war.
The little word in the right place,?The gentle touches, tones,?The watchful loving sympathy,?Which for so much atones,?Are potent means which moral force?Finds it the best to wield,?For 'neath their mystic influence,?Most hearts are bound to yield.
Oh! for this love that conquers self,?That binds us to our kind,?That raises us to heaven and God,?And purifies the mind!?Ecstatic, sweet, rekindling power,
Bright altar-fire sublime,?Most precious gift to mortals given,?That will outlive all time.
The Rubicon is past when wed,?And there is no retreat,?Brave hearts should then accept the lot,?Which none but they can meet.?'Tis always wise and safe to choose?The heaven directed course?Of ruling by all-conquering love,?Than by the rod of force.
Let home be made a sacred shrine,?The best, most cherished spot,?All others then will surely be?Deserted and forgot.?Each should uphold the other self,?Before the world's keen sight;?In thus upholding, each will keep?His honour doubly bright.
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