Original Poetry.

Colonist, Issue 18, 22 December 1857, Page 4

Original Poetry.

A TRIBUTE TO WELLINGTON'; ACANTICLE FOR THE TIMES. Is Paul's magnificence : Our great commander lies ;■ Trae fame illumes and gilds his tomb By countless beaming eves. Old Egypt, Greece, and Konie Ne'er piled triumphant grief, In pyramid, or arch, or,dome, O'er such triumphant chief. The wreath'of sagest plans. He won, of patience high, And cool, b'erpow'ring proinptitudo : When troops must win or die. For when his time presaged, To end longsu'ffering trust Flew forth, he sprang upon its wings And swept the foe as dust. Full loyal to the just,— .His pole of high renown, . He rolled before its tranquil face Tyrannic meteors down. As morning's sunny bre?ze Drivg3 off impending gloom, The stormy glare of thund'rous arms He chased, for peace to bloom. Where'er his service went, He marched by reason's light; Fidelity, his monument, He firmly built oh right. When spoliation's might Poured round like desert heat, And fainting realms and kings took flight Through wastes of sore defeat; Then he^ as woody screen, Or verdant palmy shade, Spread o'er them his defence serene Of safe victorious aid. Or in the fervent East Of gorgeous pomp and might,— Or Europe's scenes of chivalry; Of beauty and delight,— ••■•■■• •" He made.his country's name A word for freedom, peace, And righteous, philanthropic fame, Whose blessings cannot cease. For this did he retire ' A flame against the wind, With slow, repelled, yet winning fire, Augmenting strength behind,— Until o'er.Spain and France He could pour forth his force,— And then how dreadful his advance, — A conflagration's course! We ne'er forget the Field Ha won by forts of men, Whose breasts bo firm were Europe's shield, As ne'er were walls—till then. Like battered rocks they stood And*dripped all day with gore; There throbbing fragments fell with blood To trench survivors more! His will's determined spell Bound time to vict'rys hour, "While ranks of pounded valour fell In iron's longest show'r. . File succors file and falls, Lamented at his core, Yet all that fight's volcanic balls But shelter him the more! He felt that touch divine Whence suns through azure run, And coursed, in duty's stationed line, O'er clouding fears a sun. At last his hardihood Let loose his gathered might: ft.bounded then a conq'ring flood Of charging, whelming fight! At once it rushed on all ; The broken, scattered foe,—. Resistless as the ocean's' fall On reeling groves below. Had he been de^mi-god, In half perfections mailed, The .path his solid greatness trod Beneath his weight had failed. ■"But'stauniqhest man was he, 'Of stubborn nobleness, * That stands unmoved where gods would bo Cast down in weak distress, • His look, at ev'ry pore '■'''"? Effusing fearless rays, Was armed with beams of soul all o'er, And won successful days. ' For he had.learnt to brave ' ■■ Most famous chiefs of song,— Arid c'en his country's censures grave, Eight, whilst denounced as wrong. Such was his zealous pace, Bo faithful his employ, Vice lagged behind his earnest race", ' Or fearefl. his busy joy. Detraction's flies unclean Might cross.his duteous ■ speed, With hunger keen, for ill obscene, fßut never reached his heed. Our grateful fathers heaped His home with gems and gold; For they through him long reaped Rich harvests manifold. - When cities saw him pass All bowed to shew him grace, And ev'ry heart became a glass That glistened with his face. His head's unsullied white Just honours long adorn: That calm and clear eternal height, All shines with; heav'nly morn. . Age after age shall heir His toils and counsels wise; For these their fixed lights shall .bear O'er changing earth and skies! How happy he who may ' In.such true worth excel; Hii grave will be a covered way To glory's citadel! Well may his'statue's view With god-like mem our.land! For o'er it, care's colossus true, His guardian life did stand! He ceased to breathe:—became Diffused o'er records bright; And still he guides us by his name, Through peril's doubtful night. And time, that doth not spare The bravest or the best, In all his flight shall freshly bear Our debt upon his breast: For Wellington a grief And rev'rence most sincere; And, when he slays each famous chief, Shall bless him with a tear! .♦'** ' ' * ♦ * -, Unhappy Ind! Where whoops ,j,.~ A^rchic war and raves, — I£^.^;W^leßey"stiUtraihed-thy troops t They'd still been loyal braves 1 E,ich,chief at'duty's post Devotedly had stood; Hisequity had ruled each host, By conduct fair and good. Justice we vaunVbut wrong Insults the Sepoy's creed; From soul to soul 'tis groaned along, Till all scowl black indeed, ' Injustice !r—That's the word , For wide revolt and wo ! Oppression sharpens treason's Bword, And strikes its maddest blow! Land of the spoilers' graves, Of caste, and merchant greed,— Where coward knaves and'gory slavea In murd'rous struggles bleed! • 0 for the equal meeds Of rectitude divine! Despite of creeds, the blest right deeds That bosoms all combine 1

RECTUS. The Leading Article.—Mr. Macaulay tells us that what is now called the leading article in a newspaper seldom appeared, even after the censorship of the press expired j in 1695, unless there was a want of news! 4t-When there was a scarcity of intelligence, wlien the. Dutch mails were detained by the west wind, when the rapparees were quiet in theißog of Allen, when no. stage-coach had beefa stopped by highwaymen, when no nonjuring congregation had been dispersed by constables, when no ambassador had fiiade.-his entry with along train of coaches-and-six ? when no lord or poet had been buried in the Abbey, and when conse«jUently/it ! was difficult to filll up four scanty £ages," then the editor supplied a leading article.