Homer felt at once (the prince of gentlemen he) that the little outbreak, and the rebuke of it, had jarred the ease of their unexpected meeting.  How blessed is the presence of mind with which the musician of real genius passes from song to song, “whate’er the occasion be!” With the ease of genius he changed the tone of his melody again, and sang his own hymn, “To Earth, the Mother of all.”

The triumphant strain is one which harmonizes with every sentiment; and he commanded instantly the rapt attention of the circle.  So engrossed was he, that he did not seem to observe, as he sang, an addition to their company of some soldiers from above in the valley, just as he entered on the passage:—­

             “Happy, then, are they
        Whom thou, O great in reverence! 
    Are bent to honor.  They shall all things find
    In all abundance!  All their pastures yield
    Herds in all plenty.  All their roofs are filled
               With rich possessions. 
      High happiness and wealth attend them,
      While, with laws well-ordered, they
      Cities of happy households sway;
    And their sons exult in the pleasure of youth,
    And their daughters dance with the flower-decked girls,
    Who play among the flowers of summer! 
    Such are the honors thy full hands divide;
    Mother of Gods and starry Heaven’s bride!"[A]

A buzz of pleasure and a smile ran round the circle, in which the new-comers joined.  They were the soldiers who had been to hear and join the music at the Carmel-men’s post.  The tones of Homer’s harp had tempted them to return; and they had brought with them the Hebrew minstrel, to whom they had been listening.  It was the outlaw David, of Bethlehem Ephrata.

David had listened to Homer more intently than any one; and, as the pleased applause subsided, the eyes of the circle gathered upon him, and the manner of all showed that they expected him, in minstrel-fashion, to take up the same strain.

He accepted the implied invitation, played a short prelude, and taking Homer’s suggestion of topic, sang in parallel with it:—­

    “I will sing a new song unto thee, O God! 
    Upon psaltery and harp will I sing praise to thee. 
    Thou art He that giveth salvation to kings,
    That delivereth David, thy servant, from the sword. 
    Rid me and save me from those who speak vanity,
    Whose right hand is a right hand of falsehood,—­
    That our sons may be as plants in fresh youth;
    That our daughters may be as corner-stones,—­
    The polished stones of our palaces;
    That our garners may be full with all manner of store;
    That our sheep may bring forth thousands and ten thousands in the
        way;
    That there may be no cry nor complaint in our streets
    Happy is the people that is in such a case;
    Yea, happy is the people whose God is the Lord!”