rtesy of the
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York City]

THE SONG OF THE LARK

JULES ADOLPHE BRETON (1827-1906)

Up with me! up with me into the clouds!
For thy song, Lark, is strong;
Up with me, up with me into the clouds!
Singing, singing,
With clouds and sky above thee ringing,
Lift me, guide me till I find
That spot which seems so to thy mind!

WORDSWORTH

Can you not almost hear this girl singing? The sun is just coming up.
The lark is rising in the sky, singing! The girl has come out to work
in the fields; a peasant girl. Barefooted, barehanded, she stands
straight like a soldier of work with her head lifted to drink in the
morning air as she sings.

One morning early I was driving through the country roads in the south
of England when larks began to rise from the fields where the workmen
were, just like this lark from the French field, and how they did
sing! I stopped and listened, watching them go up higher and higher,
their song growing fainter and fainter, and then they disappeared.
Where did they go? Let us ask this French peasant girl. Do you think
that she can tell us? If she cannot, who can?

[Illustration: FIG. 29. SONG OF THE LARK. BRETON. Courtesy of the Art
Institute, Chicago]

THE HOLY NIGHT

ANTONIO ALLEGRA DA CORREGGIO (1494?-1534)

It is a wonderful story, the story of the Holy Night. The mother and
father had traveled a long way; and when they came to Bethlehem every
place was taken so they found a bed in a cave. In the night a baby boy
came to the mother, and she "wrapped Him in swaddling clothes, and
laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in an inn.
And there was in the same country shepherds abiding in the fields,
keeping watch over their flocks by night. And, lo, the angel of the
Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone around about
them; and they were sore afraid.

"And the angel said unto them, Fear not; for behold, I bring you good
tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is
born this day in the city of David, a Savior, which is Christ, the
Lord. And this shall be a sign unto you; ye shall find the babe
wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger. And suddenly there
was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God,
saying, Glory to God in the Highest, and on earth peace, good will
unto men.

"And it came to pass as the angels were gone awa