The poetical works of Leigh Hunt Now finally collected, revised by himself, and edited by his son, Thornton Hunt. With illustrations by Corbould |
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LINES ON THE BIRTH OF THE PRINCESS ALICE. |
 | The poetical works of Leigh Hunt |  |
LINES ON THE BIRTH OF THE PRINCESS ALICE.
Though the laurel's courtly bough
Boast again its poet now,
One with verse, too, calm and stately,
Fit to sing of greatness greatly,
Granted yet be one last rhyme
To the muse that sang meantime,
If for nought but to make known
That she sang for love alone;
That she sang from out a heart
Used to play no sordid part;
That howe'er a hope might rise,
Strange to her unprosperous eyes,
Ere the cloud came in between
All sweet harvests and their queen,
Still the faith was not the fee
Nor gratitude expectancy.
Oh! the soul that never thought
Meanly, when a throne it fought,
Was it not as far above
All that's mean, with one to love?
Boast again its poet now,
One with verse, too, calm and stately,
Fit to sing of greatness greatly,
Granted yet be one last rhyme
To the muse that sang meantime,
If for nought but to make known
That she sang for love alone;
That she sang from out a heart
Used to play no sordid part;
That howe'er a hope might rise,
Strange to her unprosperous eyes,
Ere the cloud came in between
All sweet harvests and their queen,
Still the faith was not the fee
Nor gratitude expectancy.
Oh! the soul that never thought
Meanly, when a throne it fought,
Was it not as far above
All that's mean, with one to love?
Welcome then, fair new delight,
Welcome to thy fathers sight,
Welcome to thy sister, brother,
And thy sweet strong-hearted mothe,
(Faithful to all duties she
That could prosper them and thee;)
Welcome, playmate of them all,
Future grace of bower and hall,
Queen perchance of some great land
Whose kisses wait thy little hand.
Thou art come in right good time,
With the sweetest of the prime,
With the green trees and the flowers,
Orchard blooms and sunny showers,
And the cuckoo and the bee,
And lark's angelic ecstasy,
And the bird that speaks delight
Into the close ear of night.
Welcome to thy fathers sight,
Welcome to thy sister, brother,
And thy sweet strong-hearted mothe,
308
That could prosper them and thee;)
Welcome, playmate of them all,
Future grace of bower and hall,
Queen perchance of some great land
Whose kisses wait thy little hand.
Thou art come in right good time,
With the sweetest of the prime,
With the green trees and the flowers,
Orchard blooms and sunny showers,
And the cuckoo and the bee,
And lark's angelic ecstasy,
And the bird that speaks delight
Into the close ear of night.
What a world, were human kind
All of one instructed mind!
What a world to rule, to please,
To share 'twixt enterprise and ease!
Graceful manners flowing round
From the court's enchanted ground,
Comfort keeping all secure,
None too rich, and none too poor.
All of one instructed mind!
What a world to rule, to please,
To share 'twixt enterprise and ease!
Graceful manners flowing round
From the court's enchanted ground,
Comfort keeping all secure,
None too rich, and none too poor.
Thee, meantime, fair child of one,
Fit to see that golden sun,
Thee may no worse lot befall
Than a long life, April all;
Fuller, much, of hopes than fears,
Kind in smiles and kind in tears,
Graceful, cheerful, ever new,
Heaven and earth both kept in view,
While the poor look up and bless
Thy celestial bounteousness.
And, when all thy days are done,
And sadness views thy setting sun,
Mayst thou greet thy mother's eyes,
And endless May in Paradise.
Fit to see that golden sun,
Thee may no worse lot befall
Than a long life, April all;
Fuller, much, of hopes than fears,
Kind in smiles and kind in tears,
Graceful, cheerful, ever new,
Heaven and earth both kept in view,
While the poor look up and bless
Thy celestial bounteousness.
And, when all thy days are done,
And sadness views thy setting sun,
Mayst thou greet thy mother's eyes,
And endless May in Paradise.
| The poetical works of Leigh Hunt | |