The Anglo-Saxon Race.
A RHYME FOR ENGLISHMEN.
Stretch forth! stretch forth! from the south to the north,
From the east to the west,-stretch forth! stretch forth!
Strengthen thy stakes, and lengthen thy cords,-
The world is a tent for the world's true lords!
Break forth and spread over every place,
The world is a world for the Saxon Race!
England sowed the glorious seed,
In her wise old laws, and her pure old creed,
And her stout old heart, and her plain old tongue,
And her resolute energies, ever young,
And her free bold hand, and her frank fair face,
And her faith in the rule of the Saxon Race!
Feebly dwindling day by day,
All other races are fading away;
The sensual South, and the servile East,
And the tottering throne of the treacherous priest,
And every land is in evil case
But the wide-scatter'd realm of the Saxon Race!
Englishmen everywhere! brethren all!
By one great name on your millions I call,-
Norman, American, Gael, and Celt,
Into this fine mixed mass ye melt,
And all the best of your best I trace
In the golden brass of the Saxon Race!
Englishmen everywhere! faithful and free!
Lords of the land, and kings of the sea,-
Anglo-Saxons! honest and true,
By hundreds of millions my word is to you,—
Love one another! as brothers embrace!
That the World may be blest in the Saxon Race!
TEN EXHIBITION" BALLADS.-1851.
The Family Gathering.
For happiness, unity, plenty, and peace,
And brotherhood over the world,
For loves to increase, and dissensions to cease,
And war's bloody flag to be furl'd,
Come, gather together with hearty good will,
In the warmth of a generous mind,
And bring us the best of your strength and your skill,
To bless and to better mankind!
Let quicken'd invention its secret impart
The body to succour in need;
Let taste and high breeding, and delicate art,
The mind with their melodies feed;
Let just emulation and genius be glad
To join in the liberal strife
Which seals to the world all the wealth that it had,
And adds to the blessings of life.
So, gather together! your leader and Prince,
With many a true man beside,
Has set up this standard the world to convince
That commerce and love are allied:
For Man, of all nations and kindreds, is one,
And heartily well is it worth,
Thus kindly to cause in the sight of the sun
A Family Meeting of Earth!
England's Welcome to the World.
A Voice of happy greeting to the Nations of the World!
A Flag of peace for every shore, on every sea, unfurl'd!
A Word of brotherhood and love to each who hears the call,-
A Welcome to the World of Men, a Welcome, one and all!
O children of a common stock, O brothers all around,
In kindliness and sympathy receive the joyful sound;
Old England bids you welcome all, and wins you to her shore,
To see how men of every clime may help each other more.
Old England greets you lovingly, as friend should greet a friend,
And only prays that peaceful days may never have an end;
And only hopes, by doing good, the good of all to gain,
And so Goodwill from brethren still, right gladly to attain !
Come on then to this Tournament, of Peace, and skilful Art,
Come on, fair Europe's chivalry, and play the Bayard's part!
For honour, Austria, spur away! for honour, gentle France!
For honour, Russ, and Swede, and Turk,―come on with levell❜d
lance!
Come on amain, high-hearted Spain! industrious Holland, come!
Italy, Persia, Greece, and Ind,—fill up the Nations' sum!
And chiefly with us, heart to heart, come on, and tilt for fame,
Columbia,-thou that England art in everything but name!
Not, as long since, for deeds of death, but deeds to gladden life;
Provoking each for others' good to join the generous strife!
As in those games at Pytho, or in old Nemæa's grove,
Where Græcia's best and worthiest for honour only strove.
Come, wrestle thus in peace with us, and vie for glory's prize,
Bring out your wares of rarest work, and wealthiest merchandise;
Let every Craft of every clime produce its brilliant best,
The dazzling zone of Venus, and Minerva's starry crest!
Let Science add the miracles that human reason works
When tracking out the Mind of GOD that in all Nature lurks,-
The Wonderful, that He hath made Beneficent to man,
And gives us wit to fathom it, and use it as we can!
O there are secrets choice and strange, that men have not found out,
Though up and down the earth we range, and forage round about,
The hidden things of Mercy's heart, the Beautiful-Sublime,
That GOD hath meant to cheer us on adown the stream of Time:
Adown the stream of Time, until-we reach that happier shore,
Where sin and pain come not again, and grief is grief no more;
For that, O nations, wisely strive to do all good you can,
And, gratefully as unto GOD, live brotherly with Man!
TRANSLATED INTO THIRTY LANGUAGES, 1851.
Glorious GOD! on Thee we call,
Father, Friend, and Judge of all;
Holy Saviour, heavenly King,
Homage to Thy throne we bring!
In the wonders all around
Ever is Thy Spirit found,
And of each good thing we see
All the good is born of Thee!
Thine the beauteous skill that lurks
Everywhere in Nature's works;
Thine is Art, with all its worth,
Thine each masterpiece on earth!
Yea, and foremost in the van
Springs from Thee the Mind of Man;
On its light, for this is thine,
Shed abroad the love divine!
|