THE

STORY OF ST. STEPHEN

AND OTHER POEMS

LONDON: PRINTED BY

SPOTTISWOODE AND CO., NEW-STREET SQUARE AND PARLIAMENT STREET

STORY OF ST. STEPHEN

AND OTHER POEMS

BY

JOHN COLLETT

formerly of Wadham College, Oxford: Author of The City of the Dead' &c.

LONDON
LONGMANS, GREEN, AND CO.

14770.

1883

2.

All rights reserved

ΤΟ

THE REV. GERARD EDWARDS SMITH,

OF ST. JOHN'S COLLEGE, OXFORD,

Aged 77.*

Associated with Dr. WILLIAM BUCKLAND in his early Geological labours.

IN keen intelligent untiring search

Of nature, thou hast spent thy long life's hours,
With frequent worship in God's sky-roof'd church
Of rocks, sea-shores, sweet foliage and flowers.

Thou wooedst knowledge as a long-sought bride,
Thy steps through science paths have oft-times trod,
And found their winding ways however wide
Converge at last, and lead thee to thy God.

Nature bestowed the sympathetic power,
Duty made more acute the sense to feel;
On all the occupations of the hour

Was stamp'd the impress of thy Master's seal.

These formed the well-knit solid radii
That firmly held thy well-constructed car,
Thus mounted, thou didst pass by easily
The ruts and stones that others' progress bar.

* Died Dec. 21, 1881, after these verses were written.