THE sceptre in a maiden-hand,
The reign of beauty and of youth,
Should wake to gladness all the land,
Where love is loyalty and truth:
Rule, Victoria, rule the free,
Hearts and hands we offer Thee.
Not by the tyrant law of might,
But by the grace of God we own,
And by the people's voice, thy right
To sit upon thy Father's throne:
Rule, Victoria, rule the free,
Heaven defend and prosper Thee.
Thee isles and continents obey;
Kindreds and nations nigh and far,
Behold the bound-marks of thy sway,
-The morning and the evening star:
Rule, Victoria, rule the free,
Millions rest their hopes on Thee.
No slave within thine empire breathe!
Before thy steps oppression fly!
The lamb and lion play beneath
The meek dominion of thine eye!
Rule, Victoria, rule the free,
Bonds and shackles yield to Thee.
Still spreading influence more benign,
Light to thy realms of darkness send,
Till none shall name a God but thine,
None at an idol altar bend:
Rule, Victoria, rule the free,
Till all tongues shall pray for Thee.
At home, abroad, by sea, on shore,
Blessings to thee and thine increase;
The sword and cannon rage no more,
The whole world hail thee Queen of Peace:
Rule, Victoria, rule the free,
And the' Almighty rule o'er Thee.
ON THE TWENTY-EIGHTH OF JUNE, 1838.
THE orb and sceptre in thy hands they placed,
On thine anointed head a crown of gold;
A purple robe thy virgin form embraced;
Enthroned thou wert, all-glorious to behold:
Before thee lay the Book of God unroll'd;
Thy tongue pronounced, thy pen the covenant traced,
Which men and angels witness'd;
young and old, Peers, princes, statesmen, birth and beauty graced That scene of tombs and trophies.
Like life itself, the living pass'd away,
And none that met remain'd there but the dead!
-Thence to thy closet didst thou not retreat,
In secret to thy heavenly Father pray,
And cast thyself and kingdom at his feet?
ADDRESSED TO MY FRIENDS MR. AND MRS. B.
OCEAN and land the globe divide,
Summer and winter share the year,
Darkness and light walk side by side,
And earth and heaven are always near.
Though each be good and fair alone,
And glorious, in its time and place,
In all when fitly pair'd, is shown
More of their Maker's power and
Then may the union of young hearts,
So early and so well begun,
Like sea and shore, in all their parts,
Appear as twain, but be as one.
Be it like summer; may they find
Bliss, beauty, hope, where'er they roam;
Be it like winter, when confined,
Peace, comfort, happiness at home.
Like day and night,-sweet interchange
Of care, enjoyment, action, rest;
Absence nor coldness e'er estrange
Hearts by unfailing love possest.
Like earth's horizon, be their scene
Of life a rich and various ground,
And, whether lowering or serene,
Heaven all above it and around.
When land and ocean, day and night,
When time and nature cease to be;
Let their inheritance be light,
Their union an eternity.
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