 | English Roses |  |
TO THE MOST NOBLE THE MARQUIS OF SALISBURY, K.G.
Great Cecil, of a stately stock
Built into England's centuried rock,
A worthy scion thou;
Thy head in England's need grown grey,
And foremost on our cosmic way,
May well with Empire bow.
Built into England's centuried rock,
A worthy scion thou;
Thy head in England's need grown grey,
And foremost on our cosmic way,
May well with Empire bow.
183
But thy stout heart, serenely sure
Of purpose and in power secure,
Hath never once been bent;
And as on some predestined course,
Untouched by fear, unmoved by force,
Thou guidest Parliament.
Of purpose and in power secure,
Hath never once been bent;
And as on some predestined course,
Untouched by fear, unmoved by force,
Thou guidest Parliament.
The farthest whisper of lone lands,
The people's will, the Queen's commands,
The murmur of the mart;
Alike art heard, and turned by thee
To make our country yet more free,
And fill a nobler part.
The people's will, the Queen's commands,
The murmur of the mart;
Alike art heard, and turned by thee
To make our country yet more free,
And fill a nobler part.
The ugly shape of shadowed ill
Is tamed by thee, and moulded still
To its true destiny;
Thou hast the statesman's prophet dower,
Which looks beyond the passing hour
Into eternity.
Is tamed by thee, and moulded still
To its true destiny;
Thou hast the statesman's prophet dower,
Which looks beyond the passing hour
Into eternity.
If others fail, thou flinchest not
From burdens which are thy grand lot,
By thee with beauty graced;
Ah, nothing little, vain or mean,
And nothing common or unclean
Is in thy record traced.
From burdens which are thy grand lot,
By thee with beauty graced;
Ah, nothing little, vain or mean,
And nothing common or unclean
Is in thy record traced.
Our charters are thy gems and gold,
And sweet in thine imperial hold
As breath of English skies;
Most gentle is thy rule and just,
And safe and honoured the proud trust
Of our old liberties.
And sweet in thine imperial hold
As breath of English skies;
Most gentle is thy rule and just,
And safe and honoured the proud trust
Of our old liberties.
But dearest is our Church, the shrine
Doth with thy homage fairer shine
Upon a broader stage;
For thou hast guarded and wilt guard
Her treasure and her Truth unscarred,
As our chief heritage.
Doth with thy homage fairer shine
Upon a broader stage;
For thou hast guarded and wilt guard
Her treasure and her Truth unscarred,
As our chief heritage.
184
And though mid cares of high intents
Thy heart to Science oft consents,
The hand is on this Realm;
And like some planet's awful sweep
Moves on our England, while we keep
A Cecil at the helm.
Thy heart to Science oft consents,
The hand is on this Realm;
And like some planet's awful sweep
Moves on our England, while we keep
A Cecil at the helm.
| English Roses | |