Consulted her in each emergency,

Believed her, spite of contradicting doubt :

He found a wondrous strength in that soft arm
And consolation in that loving voice.
Those tender eyes were ever brimming o'er
With sympathetic thought, and aiding love:
While hand in hand, as one, the twain walked on
From strength to strength, until the glorious end
Where reason was transformed in Paradise
To God-like wisdom; and enduring Faith
Rose in her Resurrection image, Sight.
These two that God, in judgment infinite,
Has closely, firmly, knit for mutual aid,
Let not vain man seek madly to divorce.

PART I.

HIS TRAINING AND CHARACTER.

B

I

ARDS of all nations hymn the praise
Of those, in chant and lay,

On whom the light of genius plays

With various coloured ray:

They many stirring odes indite

To consecrate the claims of might,

They kneel before success :

They robe the monarch's prosperous reign,
The conquering soldier's bright campaign
In Fancy's richest dress.

II

They dearly love to overrate

With all excess of song

Th' already recognised, and mate

Their theme with all that's strong;

Replenishing the ample store

Of him that hath, with useless more
Of truth-perverting phrase;

While, hidden from the grosser sense,
The violets of Excellence

In lowly state, but loftier worth,
Decking the dark spots of the earth,
Awake no songs of praise.

III

Nor this alone: foul deeds of crime

That Hist'ry's pages fill,

Transformed, appear as acts sublime,

When touched by strength and skill :
The life by violence made strong,

The empire grasped through force and wrong,

Evokes the approving smile:

While word-imaginations vie

With Sculpture, Painting, Poetry,

To deify the vile.

IV

Not so the bird, to whom chief power

Of minstrelsy belongs,

Who sings o'er the deserted tower
Her sweetest evensongs:

Not so the sun, who loves to pour

His radiant beams o'er every shore,

Where laden palm-trees spread and soar,
Or icebergs strew the main,

His friendly warmth and genial smile
Illume alike the rugged isle

And Rome's illustrious fane.

V

There rises one to greet our quest

In Hist'ry's early time,

Who those rare qualities possest

That make a life sublime;

The skill to weave strong words in speech,
The heart that dared to others preach
Truths they disliked to hear;

A will that ne'er by man was cowed
Or turned aside, yet humbly bowed
When God's least wish was clear.

VI

The crowd must fail to glorify
St. Stephen's mould of mind;

To merit true each soul and eye
Are closely shut or blind;
With blatant voices they applaud
The exploits of successful fraud,
And hail such crimes as right;
Wretches, who Love have set aside,
Who Justice, Mercy, have defied,
These are their life and light.

VII

The beings that avert their eyes

With cold uncaring gaze

When Sunset's richest glory dyes

Sea, Sky, in too brief blaze;

Who can unbidden turn their sight

From Nature's masterpiece of light
In gorgeous colours traced,

To keenly view the bauble-horde

That neighbouring gaudy shops afford

In Trumpery's trifling taste:

VIII

These, who but care for paltriest art,

Can scarce respect, admire,