AN INSCRIPTION FOR STRATHFIELD SAYE. THESE are the groves a grateful people gave Preyed, ere to arms the morning-trumpet called; Bating nor heart nor hope, whoe'er opposed; When such the service, what the recompence? Yet, and I err not, a renown as fair, And fairer still, awaited him at home; Where to the last, day after day, he stood, The party-zeal, that round him raged, restraining; -His not to rest, while his the strength to serve. WRITTEN IN 1834. WELL, when her day is over, be it said Every sea Was covered with her sails; in every port Her language spoken; and, where'er you went, Exploring, to the east or to the west, Even to the rising or the setting day, Her arts and laws and institutes were there, Moving with silent and majestic march, Onward and onward, where no pathway was; There her adventurous sons, like those of old, Founding vast empires*-empires in their turn With sun-like splendour. Wondrous was her wealth, The world itself her willing tributary; Yet, to accomplish what her soul desired, All was as nothing; and the mightiest kings, Drew strength from Her, their coffers from her own Up rose her armies; on the land they stood, * North America speaks for itself; and so indeed may we say of India when such a territory is ours in a region so remote; when a company of merchants, from such small beginnings, have established a dominion so absolute-a dominion over a people for ages civilized and cultivated, while we were yet in the woods. + Alluding to the battle of Waterloo. The illustrious Man who commanded there on our side, and who, in his anxiety to do justice to others, never fails to forget himself, said many years afterwards to the Author with some agitation, when relating an occurrence of that day," It was a battle of giants!" Yet ere long 'twas hers, Great as her triumphs, to eclipse them all, To do what none had done, none had conceived, An act how glorious, making joy in Heaven; • Parliament had only to register the edict of the People.-CHANNING. |