GRACE BEFORE AND AFTER MEAT.
[To THE EDITOR 07 TUE "SPECTATOR.") Stn,—Possibly some of the following "Graces before meat" may be of use to your correspondent of November 8th, though they do not all conform in all points to his require- ments. Here is one by Herrick which my children say before their midday dinner:— " What God gives, and what we take, 'Tis a gift for Christ His sake. Be the meal of beans and pease, God be thanked for those and these, Have we flesh or have we fish, All are fragments from His dish. He His Church save and the King,- And our Peace here like a Spring, Make it ever flourishing."
For a singing grace to the tune of the Old Hundredth we
have :— "Be present at our table, Lord,
Be here and everywhere adored.
Theso creatures bless, and grant that we May feast in Paradise with Thee."
"G rat ias," graces or thanks for a child, I find rendered thus :— " Thank you for the world so sweet, Thank you for the food we oat, Thank you for the birds that sing, Thank you, God, for everything.'
For brief, reverent, and English examples I offer the following well-known graces : " Bless, 0 Lord, this food to our use, and us to Thy service," and "For these and all His mercies God's holy name be blessed and praised." Personally, the briefer Latin forms of " Lana Deo," " Benedictus benedicat," make the stronger appeal, the custom of "saying grace" being of remote antiquity, and obtaining among the Jews, Greeks, and Romans
in pre-Christian tinies.—I am, Sir &es R. G. HAYWARD. 23 The Grunge, Wimbledon.
Previous page
