RING OUT, WILD BELLS.

RING OUT, WILD BELLS.

By ALFRED TENNYSON, |

ING out, wild bells, to the wild sky,
The flying cloud, the frosty light:
The year is dying in the night;
Ring out, wild bells, and let him die.

Ring out the old, ring in the new,
Ring, happy bells, across the snow:
The year is going, let him go;

Ring out the false, ring in the true.

Ring out the grief that saps the mind,
For those that here we see no more;
Ring out the feud of rich and poor,

Ring in redress to all mankind. —

Ring out a slowly dying cause,
And ancient forms of party strife;
Ring in the nobler modes of life,
With sweeter manners, purer laws.

Ring out the want, the care, the sin,
The faithless coldness of the times ;
Ring out, ring out my mournful rhymes,

But ring the fuller minstrel in.

Ring .out false pride in place and blood, —
The civic slander and the spite; -
Ring in the love of truth and right,
Ring in the common love of good.

Ring out old shapes of foul disease;
Ring. out the narrowing lust of gold;

- Ring out the thousand wars of old,

Ring in the thousand years of peace,

Ring in the valiant man and free,
The larger heart, the kindlier hand;
Ring out the darkness of the land,

Ring in the Christ that is to be.

— From “In Memoria”