A birthday tribute Addressed to Her Royal Highness the Princess Alexandrina Victoria, on attaining her eighteenth year. By L. E. L. [i.e. Landon] With a portrait |
 |
 | A birthday tribute |  |
13
'Twas in a woman's reign uprose
That soul of enterprise,
Which since has borne our English flag
Through foreign seas and skies.
That soul of enterprise,
Which since has borne our English flag
Through foreign seas and skies.
Few were the first adventurous barks
That ploughed the deep—but now
What breeze but bears St. George's cross,
What shore but knows our prow?
That ploughed the deep—but now
What breeze but bears St. George's cross,
What shore but knows our prow?
And more than glory, or than gold,
May British merchants say;
Look on what blessings infinite
Have followed on our way.
May British merchants say;
Look on what blessings infinite
Have followed on our way.
To civilize and to redeem
Has been our generous toil,
To sow the seeds of future good
In many a thankful soil.
Has been our generous toil,
To sow the seeds of future good
In many a thankful soil.
Where'er to dark and pagan lands
Our path has been decreed,
Have we not brought the Christian's hope,
The Christian's holy creed?
Our path has been decreed,
Have we not brought the Christian's hope,
The Christian's holy creed?
'Tis from a woman's glorious reign
Our English isles may date
The honours of their after hours,
The triumphs of their state.
Our English isles may date
The honours of their after hours,
The triumphs of their state.
14
And yet how much remains to do,
How much is left behind!
Young daughter of a line of kings,
Much is to thee assigned.
How much is left behind!
Young daughter of a line of kings,
Much is to thee assigned.
Great changes have been wrought since first
The Roman legions stood
Beneath the ancient oaks that formed
The Druid's mystic wood.
The Roman legions stood
Beneath the ancient oaks that formed
The Druid's mystic wood.
There frown'd above the dank morass,
The forest whose long night
Of noisome and of tangled shade
Forgot the noontide's light.
The forest whose long night
Of noisome and of tangled shade
Forgot the noontide's light.
Men crowded round the victim pyre
In worship vile as vain;
And God's own precious gift of life,
Was flung to him again.
In worship vile as vain;
And God's own precious gift of life,
Was flung to him again.
We were the savages—of whom
We now can only hear;
The change has been the mighty work
Of many a patient year.
We now can only hear;
The change has been the mighty work
Of many a patient year.
The progress of our race is marked
Wherever we can turn;
No more the gloomy woods extend,
No more the death-fires burn.
Wherever we can turn;
No more the gloomy woods extend,
No more the death-fires burn.
15
The village rises where once spread
Th' inhabitable moor;
And Sabbath-bells sweep on the wind,
The music of the poor.
Th' inhabitable moor;
And Sabbath-bells sweep on the wind,
The music of the poor.
The sun sinks down o'er myriad spires
That glisten in the ray,
As almost portions of that heaven
To which they point the way.
That glisten in the ray,
As almost portions of that heaven
To which they point the way.
There is not a more lovely land
On all our lovely earth,
Than that, Victoria, which now gives
Its blessing on thy birth.
On all our lovely earth,
Than that, Victoria, which now gives
Its blessing on thy birth.
| A birthday tribute | |