 | A New Year's Eve, and Other Poems |  |
195
TO SIR SAMUEL FLUDYER,
ON THE DEVASTATION EFFECTED ON HIS MARINE VILLA AT FELIXTOW, BY THE ENCROACHMENTS OF THE SEA.
“The Sea versus Land is a cause much contended,
And is oft brought to trial, but never is ended;
For, spite of the plaintiff, his foaming and pother,
What he gains on the one hand he loses on t'other.”
And is oft brought to trial, but never is ended;
For, spite of the plaintiff, his foaming and pother,
What he gains on the one hand he loses on t'other.”
It may be thus, when thought can roam,
Yet poor the consolation
To those who trace, like thee, at home,
The marks of devastation.
Yet poor the consolation
To those who trace, like thee, at home,
The marks of devastation.
Who see old Ocean's stormy pride
Enlarging still his border,
Threatening with each successive tide
More mischievous disorder.
Enlarging still his border,
Threatening with each successive tide
More mischievous disorder.
196
Thy Eden it can ill repair,
Or disappointment sweeten,
To know thy ruthless foe elsewhere
By terra-firma beaten.
Or disappointment sweeten,
To know thy ruthless foe elsewhere
By terra-firma beaten.
It may be joy to those who claim
Some acres from his clutches:
Their lot who play a losing game
No distant triumph touches.
Some acres from his clutches:
Their lot who play a losing game
No distant triumph touches.
What to the owner must remain,
When grief strikes mere beholders?
But useless sorrow to disdain,
And calmly shrug his shoulders.
When grief strikes mere beholders?
But useless sorrow to disdain,
And calmly shrug his shoulders.
Thou art but foiled by that strong foe,
The sternest in existence,
Who taught proud Xerxes long ago
How fruitless man's resistance.
The sternest in existence,
Who taught proud Xerxes long ago
How fruitless man's resistance.
197
From whom king Canute's royal word,
His courtiers' idle plaudits,
Alike with cold indifference heard,
Gained no respectful audits.
His courtiers' idle plaudits,
Alike with cold indifference heard,
Gained no respectful audits.
By such a general to be foiled,
Proves thee no bad tactician;
By such a conqueror to be spoiled,
No abject, low condition.
Proves thee no bad tactician;
By such a conqueror to be spoiled,
No abject, low condition.
He must be more than man who seems
In such a strife victorious;
He must be less who rashly deems
Defeat like thine inglorious.
In such a strife victorious;
He must be less who rashly deems
Defeat like thine inglorious.
Never can that defeat efface
The grateful recollection
Of thy sweet spot, whose varied grace
Repaid each fond inspection.
The grateful recollection
Of thy sweet spot, whose varied grace
Repaid each fond inspection.
198
Numbers have sought that fair domain,
And, should its beauties perish,
Remembrance shall its charms retain,
Their faded glory cherish.
And, should its beauties perish,
Remembrance shall its charms retain,
Their faded glory cherish.
E'en I, but once a loiterer there,
One lay could not refuse them;
And let these hasty lines declare
How loth I am to lose them.
One lay could not refuse them;
And let these hasty lines declare
How loth I am to lose them.
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