more than any mythical William Tell,--for he has
ensured the boon of everlasting liberty, more to us than a whole army of
so-called heroes in conquest, patriotism, or even local
philanthropy,--for the enemies he fought and vanquished were our
spiritual foes,--the country he opened to us is the heavenly one,--the
good-doing, he inaugurated is wide as the world, and shines an electric
universal threefold light of faith, hope, and charity."

_Luther._

_Written by request, for the four-hundredth anniversary of his
birth._

"Martin Luther! deathless name,
Noblest on the scroll of Fame,
Solitary monk,--that shook
All the world by God's own book;
Antichrist's Davidian foe,
Strong to lay Goliath low,
Thee, in thy four-hundredth year,
Gladly we remember here.

"How, without thy forceful mind,
Now had fared all human kind,--
Curst and scorch'd and chain'd by Rome,
In each heart of hearth and home?
But for thee, and thy grand hour,
German light, and British power,
With Columbia's faith and hope,
All were crush'd beneath the Pope!

"God be thank'd for this bright morn,
When Eisleben's babe was born!
For the pious peasant's son,
Liberty's great fight hath won,--
When at Wittenberg he stood
All alone for God and good,
And his Bible flew unfurl'd,
Flag of freedom to the world!"

The Reverend E. Bullinger set this to excellent music; and it was
translated for Continental use into German, French, Swedish, and
Hungarian in the same metre.

As quite a cognate subject here shall be added my ballad on Wycliffe,
also written by request:--

_Wycliffe._

"Distant beacon on the night
Full five centuries ago,--
Harbinger of Luther's light,
Now four hundred years aglow,--
Priest of Lutterworth we see
All of Luther-worth in thee!

"Lo, the wondrous parallel,--
Both gave Bibles to their land;
While, the rage of Rome to quell,
Princes stood on either hand,
John of Gaunt, and Saxon John,
Cheered each bold confessor on.

"Both are rescuers of souls,
Cleansing those Augaean styes--
Superstition's hiding holes,
Nunneries and monkeries;
Both gave liberty to men,
Bearding lions in their den!

"Wycliffe, Luther! glorious pair,
Great Twin Brethren of mankind;
Conscience was your guide and care,
Purifying hear