H LX. But unto thee, Princess revered, a happier lot befell, To welcome back to thy fireside thy husband safe and well, A DECADE. ITH us for years affairs had run their smooth and wonted course, A bud of promise early pluck'd from off a Danish root, To blossom here and yield to us her fragrance and her fruit. LXII. And nearly ten had sped away since that affliction dire Which in his manhood's prime cut off thy loved and honour'd sire, And now it was thy brother's lot in the fast-dying year, To lie in sickness that aroused the nation's anxious fear. LXIII. The nation's hopes through those ten years had clustered round the Prince, For signs which should give promise fair of an exalted reign, LXIV. And now the frame that just before had revelled in good health, A DECALOGUE. DECADE and a decalogue! the two are close entwined, CXVI. And then with one grand impulse the nation knelt in prayer, LXVII. And that most solemn, earnest prayer from Christian lips outpour'd LXVIII. And those whose hearts had been o'erwhelmed and anxiously distress'd And life and health and strength by Him were given back again, SUMMER FLOWERS. ND during all the trying time in the sick sufferer's room A DECADE AND A SEPTENNATE. LXX. A crown worth all the diadems that mighty monarchs wear, LXXI. A woman has no worthier task than watching by the bed LXXII. And if the great Physician is her Saviour and her Lord, THE HALLELUJAH CHORUS. ND so the time of pain and care was changed to one of joy, LXXIV. And when a few more weeks had passed and birds began to sing, A special day was set apart, the Lord of Hosts to praise, LXXV. And thousands and ten thousands flocked down every busy street, LXXVI. And in the grand Cathedral on the glad Thanksgiving Day A SEPTENNATE. S clouds succeed to sunshine upon an April day, And sunshine breaking through the clouds quick chases them away, So pain and gladness, sunny smiles and wretchedness and tears Combine to form our chequer'd life in the revolving years. LXXVIII. We seem but stationary though we're always on the move, LXXIX. We spend our years and seasons as we hear a tale that's told, LXXX. And thus with ever-varying scenes well nigh seven years had fled AUTUMN SHEAVES. ND thou wast cautioned lest thy love should tempt thee to a kiss, If thou would'st clasp them to thine arms in rosy health again. LXXXII. And then it pleased the Lord of all one little lamb to take, LXXXIII. And then when to another one the news thou didst impart, LXXXIV. Too weak and womanly, alas! too tender to thy pet: The bolt was ready when thy lips and thy beloved one's met; HARVEST HOME. RINCESS, we scarce could wish for thee more fitting mode to die: LXXXVI. To be the first from the old world that should thy father meetThe first of all his best beloved that he should haste to greet; To speak to thee, perchance, of what had taken place in Heaven While here below had strangely passed those ten years and those seven : LXXXVII. And join with thee and sing once more the old familiar strain, And praise the Rock of Ages again and yet again, With no more grief to smother and no pale cheek to dry, Where God Himself doth wipe the tears from every weeping eye: LXXXVIII. And there to waive the victors' palms and sweep the golden lyres, A PATRIOT'S PALL. OR when the form of Death appeared before thy youthful eye A DECADE AND A SEPTENNATE. XC. For thy true heart ceased not to beat for thine old island home Though long ago thy nest was built beyond the ocean's foam; And Britain's sons will love thee more for that brave wish express'd That their old flag should be the pall upon thy lifeless breast. XCI. It floated o'er thy girlish head in sunshine and in shower From Windsor's grand ancestral height and gray Balmoral's tower, XCII. Then let it fitly rest on thee laid low in early death, Its folds unruffl'd and unstirr'd by e'en one single breath: Hanging despondent in the shade of yew and cypress trees Though braving for a thousand years the battle and the breeze. A LAMENT. OR never shalt thou stand again before thy mother-queen To strive, as long ago, from grief her aching heart to screen; XCIV. No more shalt tend thy little ones when smitten by disease, Or plead for them in Heaven-ward prayer upon thy bended knees: No more shall dying warrior now thy thoughtful kindness share Or friend bereft be led to Christ to lift his weight of care. XCV. No more midst scenes of havoc shall thy heart within thee burn, No more to thee shall welcome peace succeed to war's alarms XCVI. And never more shall he again upon a sick bed laid Look up to find in thee alone his constant tender aid : No more amongst the outcast ones shalt thou, Princess, be seen— "A woman unto women" come, though daughter of the Queen! THR VOICE OF THE MOST HIGH. TILL if thy lifeless body rests within the sculptured tomb, We will not wish thee back again, nor cherish thoughts of gloom: Nor mourn to see at early hour a radiant setting sun, If we but know how bright it shone until its course was run. XCVIII. And thy course has been strangely run in death as well as life, For both are to the world at large with solemn lessons rife; To peoples and to kings as well speak out the words of Heaven IN TONES THAT MEN CAN NEVER HUSH, those ten years and those seven! XCIX. For kings and queens may pass away and mingle with the dust, And councillors and warriors brave in whom they put their trust; And others may in turn arise succeeding to their fame, C. But thine, methinks, shall still survive alike on either shore, Thy mystic life shall speak, perforce, in loud and clarion tone. A LIFE'S LESSONS FOR COURT AND COUNTRY. HEN clearly sound your trumpet notes ye mystic seven-ten years: CII. Speak in the ears of potentates wherever they bear sway, And tell them of a King above Whom they must all obey; Though highly placed in earthly things, they are but subjects still, And bound by every loyal tie to do His sovereign will. CIII. Speak in the ears of princely ones of either blood or brain, And bid them from all wild excess of flesh or mind refrain; CIV. Speak of the week's engagements upon its opening page: Of six days' work and seventh day's rest speak on from age to age; CV. Ye are yourselves a decalogue, ye ten mysterious years, And through you all to minds devout the Royal Law appearsA Law so writ by God's own hand that he who runs may read, While sceptics and irrationalists can scarce forbear to heed. CVI. And like unto the angels seven that John in Patmos saw, And who with their seven trumpets stood the Most High God before, Ye seven years clearly trumpet forth in His most holy Name, And truths His holy Word contains unanswerably proclaim. CVII. Ye speak of overwhelming bliss for souls through Christ made white, CVIII. SPEAK THEN, AS WELL, LIKE HER WHOSE LIPS CAN NEVER SPEAK AGAIN, OF CHRIST THE SAVIOUR'S PRECIOUS BLOOD TO WASH AWAY SIN'S STAIN; AND WHERE SAD HEARTS ARE WRENCHED AND TORN WITH OVERWHELMING GRIEF, SPEAK OF THE MAN OF SORROWS WHO ALONE CAN GIVE RELIEF: CIX. AND ECHO THROUGH THE COMING YEARS THE VOICES OF THE PAST, NOT ONCE OR TWICE, BUT YEAR BY YEAR, WHILE TIME ITSELF SHALL LAST, AND SOUND, AS WITH ARCHANGEL TRUMP, THE WORDS OF GOD IN HEAVEN, TO ALL THE NATIONS OF THE GLOBE, YE TEN YEARS AND YE SEVEN ! |