 | The Poetical Works of John Critchley Prince |  |
363
STANZAS,
TO THE MEMORY OF THE LATE JOSEPH BROTHERTON, ESQ., M.P.
God sent His summons down,
And a calm spirit from among us passed,—
One who has donned victoriously at last
The palm-wreath, and the crown.
And a calm spirit from among us passed,—
One who has donned victoriously at last
The palm-wreath, and the crown.
In his sad household now
They miss his presence at the evening hour,
When he was wont, with gentle, genial power
To clear each clouded brow.
They miss his presence at the evening hour,
When he was wont, with gentle, genial power
To clear each clouded brow.
In many a poor man's cot,—
Where fell his bounty like the silent dew,
Opening the fountains of the heart anew,
He will not be forgot.
Where fell his bounty like the silent dew,
Opening the fountains of the heart anew,
He will not be forgot.
In many a public place
Souls will be found his memory to revere,
For he united with good men to cheer
And help the human race.
Souls will be found his memory to revere,
For he united with good men to cheer
And help the human race.
In lecture-room or mart,—
In hall of justice, or in house of prayer,
All who beheld his welcome presence there
Knew of his guileless heart.
In hall of justice, or in house of prayer,
All who beheld his welcome presence there
Knew of his guileless heart.
364
Within the senate walls
His mild, good sense was honoured long ago;
He never lost a friend, nor made a foe,
Within those noble halls.
His mild, good sense was honoured long ago;
He never lost a friend, nor made a foe,
Within those noble halls.
Oh! when a good man dies,—
Albeit we cannot choose but shed the tear,—
Let the example of his own career
Uplift us towards the skies.
Albeit we cannot choose but shed the tear,—
Let the example of his own career
Uplift us towards the skies.
Calm, temperate, and just,
Opposed to falsehood, prejudice, and strife,
Through the long lapse of an unsullied life
He found both love and trust.
Opposed to falsehood, prejudice, and strife,
Through the long lapse of an unsullied life
He found both love and trust.
Peace to thy resting-place,
Christian, just wakened to diviner birth!
And may the seed which thou hast sown on earth
Grow in the light of grace!
Christian, just wakened to diviner birth!
And may the seed which thou hast sown on earth
Grow in the light of grace!
| The Poetical Works of John Critchley Prince | |