Thy verse as fresh, as strong, as free,
Or like the music of the sea.

A varied excellence is thine,

Thou hast the smiles of all the nine,

A very Milton in thy strength.

In depth, in height, in breadth, and length.

In flexibility of tone

Thine excellence is all thine own:

Methinks, like Orpheus, with thy lute,
That thou couldst tame the fiercest brute;-

Bend to thine own its savage will,

Thou playest with such wondrous skill,

The Mauritanian lion chain,

The leopard on the Indian plain.

September 17, 1859.

LUTHER.

His was the metal of the sterling coin,
A noble man erect upon his feet;
Courage and love in him did sweetly join,

As when in one two different colours meet.

Like the fierce blast the pealing trumpet rings,

Such were the words this lion-hearted spoke; Not words indeed they were, but living things, Subduing foes at each tremendous stroke.

In earnestness of soul a very Paul,

In zeal, enthusiasm, strength of mind; Like his of Tarsus too, he had a call,

Whilst to the truth his intellect was blind

Like Paul of Tarsus, he the call obeyed,

Girt on his armour like a warrior true; The shield of faith, truth's polished glittering blade, And to the foe a loud defiance blew.

He stamped his image on all future times,
The world esteems him yet as its best friend;
Ring out his words like sweet cathedral chimes,
And with the earth's wide harmony do blend.

For man, he gave himself with all his powers,
With cheerful will submitting to his fate,
Which gave him up to solitary hours,

And to the frowns and hatred of the great.

A brave, true man, with strong and iron will, Battling for truth with all his might and main,

With wondrous fortitude, consummate skill,
Mocking at Bulls, and penalties, and pain.

And when on earth's cold lap his head he laid,
Worn out with labour, suffering, and toil,
Gladly his Master's mandate he obeyed,
As flew his spirit from its mortal coil.

His name alone gives strength to feeble hands,
Labouring for truth's great cause in many a field,
At home in England, and in foreign lands,
Fanning their courage when about to yield.

To Luther thanks for liberty and light,
Mind's victory o'er every other force,
Patience to suffer, courage on to fight,

And win the prize, like the triumphant horse.

September 19, 1859.

Hail, memory's daughter, first of all the muses,
Happy the man thee for his guide who chooses,
And offers sacrifices on thine altar,

With prayers from lips which stammer not nor falter!

Few have thy favour won, unto the bravest
And truest of mankind thy gifts thou gavest;
Thy first, best gifts unto old Homer granting,
Troy's tale divine when he in Greece was chanting.

Back to the ears of those who heard restoring,
When Helen fair with Paris went a-whoring,
Leaving her husband for the handsome stranger,
Willing with him to hazard every danger.

Bright glows his page, th' aurora borealis,
Contrasted with his colours, dark and pale is;
The seven-striped bow of summer is not brighter
Than are the pages of that blind reciter.

Th' illustrious dead still in their works are breathing, For their cold brows we laurel chaplets wreathing, Unconscious they, or wholly disregarding,

Their sense of noble worth their best rewarding.

A chosen few, scarce more than half-a-dozen,
Each unto each in mind a german cousin,
In blood and lineage though unrelated,
For one, at least a thousand summers waited.

And, like the glorious sun when day is rising,
So shone the great one on the earth's horizon,

Bright golden light unto its summits lending,
And night's dark curtain with the brightness rending.

A glorious fellowship those living wonders,
Their voices clear and strong as tropic thunders,
Large hearted men, mind with affections blending,
All their great powers for men their fellows spending.
September 30, 1859.

PRAISE.

Praise is an incense fired by love,
Prayer its sweet odour blending,

Up to the throne of God above
From loving hearts ascending.

And should that incense cease to burn,
Quenched by an act of sinning,

(As the dimmed lamp within the urn)
An evil life beginning ;

A contrite spirit shall restore
(The sinner self-accusing)
That sacred incense as before,

By sin which he was losing.