THE VOICE OF LOVE

From the Throne of Light, eternal

Where in majesty, supernal, Dwelleth in His innate glory, God, the gorge ous heaven's

Cornes a Voice my soûl to ravish, [King,

And its sweetness it doth lavish While its notes of symphon beauty thro' my inner beiug ring !

And that Voice doth sing for ever Oh ! it ceaseth ne ver, ne ver,

And its inelody resembleth rnuch the music of tlie choirs !

And it sings : — u True lovers never

u Can their aspirations sever, " For affectiou's flame is lighted at the Paradisial lires ! "

lu tlie quiet calm of even

When tlie stars illume the heaven, Filliug ail the distant places with a flood of softeniug light !

Or when the morn advauces

And the steed of Phœhus dances, And the purple hills are bathed in a shower of glories bright !

Or when the golden quivers

Fling their arrows on the rivers, And a web of song is woven in each linnet's silvery réel )

While the lark on feathery piuion

Soareth through liis high doiniuion, And the echoes of the valley; gather each harmonie peal !

Then that Voice keeps siuging ever; u Mortals ! true love cannot sever "Ail the silken ties which bind it fa&t within the faithful soûl ! u But shall stronger grow, aud fonder, " While the years in décades wander ' And to fruition hasten in the grand, eternal goal ! 7;

And it softly whispers : — " Sweetest

" Love is, and of thiugs completest ; u It is ever fed with nectar-drops in Paradise distilled !

" Aud it is of flowers, tlie fairest !

" Aud it is of gems, tlie rarest !' " Aud tlie soûl is palace-liglited when by love's ray it is

[filled ! '*

To that Voice, so sweetly tender,

Ail my beiug I sorreuder ) And before high heaveu, I vowthee, darling, never to forget l

Of my heart, thon art the flower —

Of my sonl, thon art the bower — Of my every thought and fancy, dear, thon art the corouet !

Jamks Joseph G-ahan. *

* This gentleman was born in Dublin, the capital of Ire! and in 1851. His father was a Repeal Wartien or organizer in the great national movement, led by famous O'Connell. His mother was the daughter of a Wicklow gentleman, who shared the fortunes of Robert Einmet and Michael Dwyer, and who, after years of exile, married a lady of Spanish birth, but of Irish descent, in the beautiful, chevalric land of the Cid- The lineal descendant of the Lords of Siol Elaich (anglicised Shillelagh), Mr. Gahan, at an early âge, became involved in political troubles in his native land

and, after an imprisonment of some hardship and duration, he was banished for life from Ireland. His early studies were directed by the Revd. Mr. Grâce of Dublin and by Mr. Stephen O'Donogbue who fell while gallantly figbting for, as both tutor and pupil believed, the cause of freedom. Mr. Gahan is known as a distinguished lecturer and forcible, but élégant speaker. He is the author of a séries of essays known as " Sketches of Ireland, " of a volume of religious poems, of "Canada" (a poem dedicated to L. H. Frechette, Esq.) and of " Vivian " a poem of much merit. He has edited several newspapers, and is now completing bis légal studies at the University of Laval. His poetical effusions are ail marked with an exquisite purity of conception and exécution, chaste and simple, and one of his compositions received the distinguished appréciation of no less a personage than Longfellow, the great American poet-

LE