Our Canadian Dominion Half a dozen ballads about a king for Canada. From the pen of Martin F. Tupper, with some prose comments |
 |
| I. |
| II. |
| III. |
| IV. |
| V. |
| VI. | No. VI.
HONOURS AND DEFENCES. |
 | Our Canadian Dominion |  |
16
No. VI. HONOURS AND DEFENCES.
A Throne,—with its titles and places and gifts,
A peerage, a Court, and all parties made one
By loyalty's wholesome romance, that uplifts
And quickens a Nation its new race to run,—
This, this is the plan to make Canada strong,
To keep her united and English and free,
To save her at once from unneighbourly wrong,
And start her aright both by land and by sea.
A peerage, a Court, and all parties made one
By loyalty's wholesome romance, that uplifts
And quickens a Nation its new race to run,—
This, this is the plan to make Canada strong,
To keep her united and English and free,
To save her at once from unneighbourly wrong,
And start her aright both by land and by sea.
We could not protect her, should perils assail;
Herself must provide both the spear and the shield,
Our distant defending would certainly fail,
Three-thousand-mile absence is too far afield:
That frontier so vast might be hard frozen in
While foes were close by and all friends far away,
And if in the fight she would go in and win,
Herself must in chief be her strength and her stay!
Herself must provide both the spear and the shield,
Our distant defending would certainly fail,
Three-thousand-mile absence is too far afield:
That frontier so vast might be hard frozen in
While foes were close by and all friends far away,
And if in the fight she would go in and win,
Herself must in chief be her strength and her stay!
Let England attract to new homes in the West
(By land she may grant, or unrented may lend)
Her emigrant poor, in such bounty well-blest,
On the good feudal rule, “What you hold you defend:”
Let Canada's Magnates be honoured and raised
By office and rank, as the chiefs of their race;
Let patriot zeal be promoted and praised,
And the name of each lordship be link'd to a place.
(By land she may grant, or unrented may lend)
Her emigrant poor, in such bounty well-blest,
On the good feudal rule, “What you hold you defend:”
Let Canada's Magnates be honoured and raised
By office and rank, as the chiefs of their race;
Let patriot zeal be promoted and praised,
And the name of each lordship be link'd to a place.
17
Toronto, Quebec, Montreal, and St. John's,
Hamilton, Halifax, Ottawa,—these,
With scores of like names, and as rich in great sons,
Might yield them their titles in varied degrees;
Let the duke, and the earl, and the baron be there,
Each in the just grade of his wealth and his worth,
And the people's free voices be glad to declare
Who best should be ranged with the nobles of earth.
Hamilton, Halifax, Ottawa,—these,
With scores of like names, and as rich in great sons,
Might yield them their titles in varied degrees;
Let the duke, and the earl, and the baron be there,
Each in the just grade of his wealth and his worth,
And the people's free voices be glad to declare
Who best should be ranged with the nobles of earth.
As War with his laurel was eager to deck
For conquests of old each illustrious name,
As Brock of Niagara, Wolfe of Quebee,
Are throned on their columns, high trophied in fame,—
So Peace has her victories too, and accords
Her olives and palms to the patriot band
Whom Canada claims for her heroes and lords
Round a Prince of the Blood as the King of her Land!
For conquests of old each illustrious name,
As Brock of Niagara, Wolfe of Quebee,
Are throned on their columns, high trophied in fame,—
So Peace has her victories too, and accords
Her olives and palms to the patriot band
Whom Canada claims for her heroes and lords
Round a Prince of the Blood as the King of her Land!
And an Order for Canada well might be found
In a star, or a cross, or a badge, or a name,
To win her respect from the peoples around,
And cheaply reward the first heirs of her fame:
So, her King, well surrounded by commons and peers,
With millions of acres to grant to free men,
Will prosper, till Earth shall have ended her years,
And stand as the child of Old England till then!
In a star, or a cross, or a badge, or a name,
To win her respect from the peoples around,
And cheaply reward the first heirs of her fame:
So, her King, well surrounded by commons and peers,
With millions of acres to grant to free men,
Will prosper, till Earth shall have ended her years,
And stand as the child of Old England till then!
| Our Canadian Dominion | |