 | The forest minstrel |  |
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TO THE BRITISH QUEEN. (1838.)
Queen of the ocean! Thing of power,
Beauty, and majesty combin'd;
Speeding thy course from shore to shore,
With soul of fire, and wing of wind;
Beauty, and majesty combin'd;
Speeding thy course from shore to shore,
With soul of fire, and wing of wind;
Riding upon the billowy deep,
And proudly buffeting the waves;
As fearless of the storm-wind's sweep,
The waterspout, the whirlpool's cave.
And proudly buffeting the waves;
As fearless of the storm-wind's sweep,
The waterspout, the whirlpool's cave.
Thou glorious creature, speaking forth,
The infinite majesty of mind;
Which gave thy wond'rous fabric birth,
And bade thee rule the waves and wind.
The infinite majesty of mind;
Which gave thy wond'rous fabric birth,
And bade thee rule the waves and wind.
Thou now art bathing in the sea,
Where rolled our Fulton's little boat;
How had he smiled triumphantly,
To see thy perfect fabric float!
Where rolled our Fulton's little boat;
How had he smiled triumphantly,
To see thy perfect fabric float!
Poor Fulton, while his spirit mourned,
Waking by night, toiling by day;
Derided, pitied, sneered at, scorned,
Adventurous Genius' destiny;
Waking by night, toiling by day;
Derided, pitied, sneered at, scorned,
Adventurous Genius' destiny;
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Deem'd he, amid his hopes and fears,
That every lake and noble stream
Of this broad land, ere thirty years,
Should own the potent power of steam?
That every lake and noble stream
Of this broad land, ere thirty years,
Should own the potent power of steam?
That such a glorious thing as thou,
Of peerless mould and royal name,
Shouldst cross the ocean to bestow
A splendid laurel to his fame?
Of peerless mould and royal name,
Shouldst cross the ocean to bestow
A splendid laurel to his fame?
Yet so it is. In bed of sand
Soft Indolence his name may trace;
Poor Genius, with a weary hand,
Inscribed the everduring brass!
Soft Indolence his name may trace;
Poor Genius, with a weary hand,
Inscribed the everduring brass!
Proud floating castle of the deep,
Heaven speed thee on thy homeward way;
For even thee, His hand must keep
Who holds the reins of destiny.
Heaven speed thee on thy homeward way;
For even thee, His hand must keep
Who holds the reins of destiny.
Rich emblem of the royal maid,
Whose blazoned title suits thee well,
A songstress from Columbia's shade,
A warbler of the wild-wood dell,
Whose blazoned title suits thee well,
A songstress from Columbia's shade,
A warbler of the wild-wood dell,
I bid thee God speed, and with thee bear
To her who rules by land and flood,
The echo of a woman's prayer,
Breathed in the free, eternal Wood.
To her who rules by land and flood,
The echo of a woman's prayer,
Breathed in the free, eternal Wood.
That she may find the gallant bark,
Whose onward course 'tis hers to guide
Along the current, strong and dark,
Of Time's resistless billowy tide,
Whose onward course 'tis hers to guide
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Of Time's resistless billowy tide,
Able to baffle wind and wave,
With mighty engine, gallant crew,
Impervious hull, and rigging brave,
And gilding glorious to the view;
With mighty engine, gallant crew,
Impervious hull, and rigging brave,
And gilding glorious to the view;
Steady and upright on her way,
Queen of the Ocean, as of yore;
Obedient to her gentle sway,
And bright with honour, evermore.
Queen of the Ocean, as of yore;
Obedient to her gentle sway,
And bright with honour, evermore.
May He who rules o'er ships and worlds,
Smooth the rough ocean for her prow,
And guide her safe o'er shoal and whirl,
When breakers roar beneath her bow.
Smooth the rough ocean for her prow,
And guide her safe o'er shoal and whirl,
When breakers roar beneath her bow.
For pilot's care, and helmsman's skill,
And sails and anchors, all are vain,
Unless His hand be present still,
To guide the vessel o'er the main.
And sails and anchors, all are vain,
Unless His hand be present still,
To guide the vessel o'er the main.
God speed thee! Britain's royal maid,
Thou young and lovely Queen of Hearts!
Give thee his wisdom to thine aid,
And shield thee from misfortune's darts.
Thou young and lovely Queen of Hearts!
Give thee his wisdom to thine aid,
And shield thee from misfortune's darts.
Make peace and joy thy diadem,
And wreath it high with power and fame,
While piety's resplendent gem,
Sheds o'er thy brow its heavenly flame.
And wreath it high with power and fame,
While piety's resplendent gem,
Sheds o'er thy brow its heavenly flame.
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Preserve thee humble, pure, and good,
While long and glorious years of time
Shall waft thee o'er life's stormy flood
To joy's serene and holy clime.
While long and glorious years of time
Shall waft thee o'er life's stormy flood
To joy's serene and holy clime.
| The forest minstrel | |