The bard, and minor poems By John Walker Ord ... Collected and edited by John Lodge |
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EPITHALAMIUM FOR QUEEN VICTORIA I. |
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 | The bard, and minor poems |  |
EPITHALAMIUM FOR QUEEN VICTORIA I.
FIRST VOICE.Strike the cymbal, sound the horn!
'Tis the Sovereign's nuptial morn.
Swell the trumpet, strike the drums—
'Tis the Lord's anointed comes!
SECOND VOICE.
Lo! the flag of beauty falls
Gracefully o'er Windsor's walls;
Peals St James's with the notes
Of gladness, from a thousand throats:
And the marble pillars groan
With the garlands round them thrown!
THIRD VOICE.
Hark! the silver clarions ring
Loud and joyous welcoming!
Hark! from tower and steeple swells
Music of the marriage bells:
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Rushes like a mighty tide.
FIRST VOICE
(repeated.)
Lo! in bridal robes array'd,
Albert, and the Royal Maid!—
Valiant heroes, statesmen hoary,
Names renown'd in English story;
Men of Trafalgar, and you
Who fought and bled at Waterloo;
Reverend judges of the land,
Men of station and command;
Lords, whose halls and castles swell
Through each old ancestral dell:
All, whom England calls her own,
Circle round your Monarch's throne;
Heads unbared, approach the scene
Where she comes, Britannia's Queen!
SECOND VOICE.
Through the dim Cathedral aisle
Walks the lady of the isle;
Brighter beauty spreads around
As she treads the sacred ground;
And a holy lustre glows
O'er the marble where she goes!
THIRD VOICE.
“Strike the cymbal! sound the horn!”
Welcomes for the nuptial morn;
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Wait the bridegroom and the bride:
Hush! the solemn oath is o'er—
Louder let the music roar—
Swell the notes from shore to shore!
CHORUS.
'Tis the month of Valentine,
Fairy dances, notes of mirth;
When young Cupid's roses shine,
When Titania walks the earth,
When the royal Oberon
Blesses all he looks upon.
Fairy dances, notes of mirth;
When young Cupid's roses shine,
When Titania walks the earth,
When the royal Oberon
Blesses all he looks upon.
See, the flowers are springing low,
Primrose, cowslip, violet;
Buds shoot forth on every bough,
With the crystal dew-drops wet:
And the heavens wear softer light,
Lady, for thy bridal night!
Primrose, cowslip, violet;
Buds shoot forth on every bough,
With the crystal dew-drops wet:
And the heavens wear softer light,
Lady, for thy bridal night!
Gently shield her, God of Love;
Cupid hold thy envious dart;
Spirits that through ether rove,
Banish Sorrow from her heart:
Veil, oh Moon, thy curious beams
From the Royal Maiden's dreams!
Cupid hold thy envious dart;
Spirits that through ether rove,
Banish Sorrow from her heart:
Veil, oh Moon, thy curious beams
From the Royal Maiden's dreams!
OMNES.
Joy, joy, Old England!—to thy utmost bounds
The note of joy and merriment resounds:
Millions of voices greet the happy pair—
Millions of welcomes load the burthen'd air:
Oh guard her well, young Prince, a prize is thine,
So fair, so great, ne'er graced a royal line!
The note of joy and merriment resounds:
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Millions of welcomes load the burthen'd air:
Oh guard her well, young Prince, a prize is thine,
So fair, so great, ne'er graced a royal line!
Not Tyre, with all its golden argosies
Not haughty Sidon, towering to the skies,
Not marble Babylon, not Imperial Rome,
Not Greece, nor Macedon—the world their home—
Nor these, nor Venice, Bridal of the Sea,
Possess'd, Victoria, realms so rich as thee!
Not haughty Sidon, towering to the skies,
Not marble Babylon, not Imperial Rome,
Not Greece, nor Macedon—the world their home—
Nor these, nor Venice, Bridal of the Sea,
Possess'd, Victoria, realms so rich as thee!
What lands renown'd, what plenteous fields are thine!
On them heaven's sunbeams never cease to shine.
From the cold, frosty North, to burning Ind,
Thy fame is borne in triumph on the wind;
Strange nations, creeds, and races own thy sway
Of dusky Paynim, and of swart Malay.
On them heaven's sunbeams never cease to shine.
From the cold, frosty North, to burning Ind,
Thy fame is borne in triumph on the wind;
Strange nations, creeds, and races own thy sway
Of dusky Paynim, and of swart Malay.
How great, how strong, how noble is the land
That bows, Victoria, to thy mild command.
It is the land of mountains, woods, and vales,
Of temperate seasons, and of healthful gales:
It is the land where social virtues glow,
Where justice, right, and pure religion grow;
It is the land of patriots, and the free,
The darling home of truth and liberty.
That bows, Victoria, to thy mild command.
It is the land of mountains, woods, and vales,
Of temperate seasons, and of healthful gales:
It is the land where social virtues glow,
Where justice, right, and pure religion grow;
It is the land of patriots, and the free,
The darling home of truth and liberty.
Where lives the traitor that would harm the crown?
A myriad swords would cleave the ruffian down.
The heroes of the gory fields of Spain,
Egypt, and India, still will guard thy reign;
The navies of the Nile and Trafalgar,
Still launch the thunders of resistless war;
The tenants of thy cliffs and mountains free,
Will proudly shed their dearest blood for thee:
Let foreign foemen to thy harbours run,
A million spears would glitter in the sun!
A myriad swords would cleave the ruffian down.
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Egypt, and India, still will guard thy reign;
The navies of the Nile and Trafalgar,
Still launch the thunders of resistless war;
The tenants of thy cliffs and mountains free,
Will proudly shed their dearest blood for thee:
Let foreign foemen to thy harbours run,
A million spears would glitter in the sun!
FIRST VOICE.
Festal gladness marks the day
Of fair Cupid's regal sway;
Whilst the wine-cup, glittering clear,
Stirs each loud and loyal cheer:
Echo, answering, sends reply,
And swells the chorus to the sky!
SECOND VOICE.
Bumpers three of beaded wine
For the brave St Valentine!
Maids and matrons, old and young,
Join, and let his praise be sung;
Valentine is king and lord,
Greet him to our festal board.
THIRD VOICE.
Mirth and music, let them flow!
Stir “the light fantastic toe.”
Frolic, fun, and gay delight,
Hold their carnival to-night;
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Cupid aim thy darts of love.
CHORUS.
What shall match the force of Love?
Love the god-like, Love the free.
Love controls the powers above,
Rules the earth, the air, the sea.
Far as utmost bounds of day
Love exerts resistless sway.
Love the god-like, Love the free.
Love controls the powers above,
Rules the earth, the air, the sea.
Far as utmost bounds of day
Love exerts resistless sway.
Every bird on forest bough,
Every dweller of the hill,
All that crowd the ocean-flow,
All that tenant stream or hill,
Own thy spell, thy influence prove,
Droop beneath thy lightnings, Love.
Every dweller of the hill,
All that crowd the ocean-flow,
All that tenant stream or hill,
Own thy spell, thy influence prove,
Droop beneath thy lightnings, Love.
Love can leap the cottage wall,
And its lambent flames impart;
Pierce the lordly palace-hall,
Chain the mightiest monarch's heart:
Through the earth its blessings run,
Universal as the sun.
And its lambent flames impart;
Pierce the lordly palace-hall,
Chain the mightiest monarch's heart:
Through the earth its blessings run,
Universal as the sun.
Haste, young lovers, hasten all,
Flowers and garlands hither bring—
Haste, for Cupid's self doth call,
As he floats on ambient wing;
Haste, and crown our maid divine,
Queen of good St Valentine!
Flowers and garlands hither bring—
Haste, for Cupid's self doth call,
As he floats on ambient wing;
Haste, and crown our maid divine,
Queen of good St Valentine!
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Shout, shout ye nations—bless the glorious day
That crowns with bliss our Queen, Victoria!
May all the happy spirits of the air
Unite their blessings for the royal pair!
Dryads and Hamadryads of the woods,
Resound their praises through your solitudes!
And thou, old Neptune, sound thy wreathed shell,
And all the ocean-caves thy chorus swell!
That crowns with bliss our Queen, Victoria!
May all the happy spirits of the air
Unite their blessings for the royal pair!
Dryads and Hamadryads of the woods,
Resound their praises through your solitudes!
And thou, old Neptune, sound thy wreathed shell,
And all the ocean-caves thy chorus swell!
Love, let thy purple banners wave on high,
Hope, wing thy golden rainbows in the sky,
Peace, let thy snow-drop virtues now descend—
Truth, Justice, Right, your fadeless glories lend!
Let Mirth, with all her fairy trains, lead on,
And crown with balm the royal Maiden won—
Heaven pour thy treasures on the monarch's head,
And, with sweet increase, bless the marriage bed!
Hope, wing thy golden rainbows in the sky,
Peace, let thy snow-drop virtues now descend—
Truth, Justice, Right, your fadeless glories lend!
Let Mirth, with all her fairy trains, lead on,
And crown with balm the royal Maiden won—
Heaven pour thy treasures on the monarch's head,
And, with sweet increase, bless the marriage bed!
She comes, proud scion of the Brunswick line,
Defender of the ancient faith divine;
The martyr'd spirits of the murder'd slain,
Demand the shield of her protecting reign;
Millions on millions greet the auspicious day
That fills with hope a virgin monarch's sway—
Millions on millions join the heartfelt prayer
That heaven may grant thee empire and an heir!
Defender of the ancient faith divine;
The martyr'd spirits of the murder'd slain,
Demand the shield of her protecting reign;
Millions on millions greet the auspicious day
That fills with hope a virgin monarch's sway—
Millions on millions join the heartfelt prayer
That heaven may grant thee empire and an heir!
Soft blow the winds, the sun shines brightly down—
Omen auspicious for Old England's crown!
Oh, may her future life be like this day,
Incense and balm, and festival array:
May never cloud nor storm disturb her dower—
Her reign all peaceful as this balmy hour,
And as earth's breast with Spring's first increase teems,
So fruit and foliage crown her nuptial dreams!
Omen auspicious for Old England's crown!
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Incense and balm, and festival array:
May never cloud nor storm disturb her dower—
Her reign all peaceful as this balmy hour,
And as earth's breast with Spring's first increase teems,
So fruit and foliage crown her nuptial dreams!
Life's but a passing cloud, a floating shade,
With constant wretchedness and fears dismay'd—
For thee may sunbeams dart, and flowerets bloom,
And heaven's own radiance pierce the midnight gloom!
For thee, pure good, true greatness, calm repose,
Possess thy heart, and banish all thy woes;
From thy fair side a mighty lineage flow—
Pillars of strength around thy feet to grow—
And noble blossoms cheer thy youthful prime,
To grace the British throne to endless time!
With constant wretchedness and fears dismay'd—
For thee may sunbeams dart, and flowerets bloom,
And heaven's own radiance pierce the midnight gloom!
For thee, pure good, true greatness, calm repose,
Possess thy heart, and banish all thy woes;
From thy fair side a mighty lineage flow—
Pillars of strength around thy feet to grow—
And noble blossoms cheer thy youthful prime,
To grace the British throne to endless time!
February 10, 1840.
| The bard, and minor poems | |