 | Household Verses |  |
72
FIRE-SIDE VERSES.
The gladsome hearth, the gladsome
hearth,
Where social thought flows free;
Through all the shifting scenes of life
The fond heart turns to thee.
Where social thought flows free;
Through all the shifting scenes of life
The fond heart turns to thee.
The cheerful hearth, the cheerful hearth,
Where childhood's happy voice
Gladdens the twilight hour of rest,
And bids each home rejoice.
Where childhood's happy voice
Gladdens the twilight hour of rest,
And bids each home rejoice.
The holy hearth! the holy hearth!
Around whose sacred flame
Each household church doth daily bow,
To plead a Saviour's name.
Around whose sacred flame
Each household church doth daily bow,
To plead a Saviour's name.
73
The blessed hearth, the blessed hearth,
By hearts encircled round,
Whose rule of life, and on whose lips,
The law of love is found.
By hearts encircled round,
Whose rule of life, and on whose lips,
The law of love is found.
The saddened hearth, the saddened hearth,
Whence sweetest sounds are stilled;
The vacant seat, the tone subdued,
The eyes with tears oft filled.
Whence sweetest sounds are stilled;
The vacant seat, the tone subdued,
The eyes with tears oft filled.
The quenchéd hearth, the quenchéd
hearth,
Whose flame will yet arise,
Will yet impart its cheerful glow
To welcome strangers' eyes.
Whose flame will yet arise,
Will yet impart its cheerful glow
To welcome strangers' eyes.
Thus human hearths, thus human hearths,
Their daily records tell
Of human hopes—extinct, o'erthrown,
Which seemed unquenchable!
Their daily records tell
Of human hopes—extinct, o'erthrown,
Which seemed unquenchable!
There is a home, an endless home!
To it we fondly turn,
Where buried hopes, immortal made,
With purer flame shall burn.
To it we fondly turn,
Where buried hopes, immortal made,
With purer flame shall burn.
1841.
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