WHO IS THE GREATEST 7

Observer, Volume 4, Issue 102, 26 August 1882, Page 376

WHO IS THE GREATEST?

By John Kelly.

LINES

Inspired by Sir George Cj-rey's princely gift oi his valuable Library fto the Citizens of Auet land. .■'.':.,

Who is a nations greatest son, Most worthy of the people's. praise — The highest honours, loftiest lays, That e'er by mortal man were won ? " The Soldier," (cries the ardent youth) " Who takes the field for Fatherland, Who fights for Virtue, Love, and Truth, And bears his life within his hand : Who dares all danger, shirks no toil, In foreign raid or civil broil, To niake and keep his country free : Who carves his fortune with his sword, Whose honour shines in every word,— To him shall be our best reward — Our greatest son is he !" Ah, no ! though bright the Warrior's fame, Dark ei'uelties have stained his name ; Mankind, ere long, shall banish far The memory of bloody war ; Then lost the soldier's name shall be, — Ah, no ! our greatest is not he !

Who is a nations greatest son, Most worthy of the people's praise — The highest honours, loftiest lays, That e'er by mortal man were won ? "The Author," (cries the man of mind), " Who toils in Wisdom's fair domain : Who gives, to bless all human kind, The bright creations of his brain — Whether he roves in Fiction's field, Or bids fair Science treasures yield, Or sings with Poet's fervent glee,Or sounds high Duty's trumpet-call, Or makes proud Error's strongholds fall,' He is the noblest man of all — Our gi'eatest son is he !" No ; for though peerless yet shall shine Those heroes of immortal line, This still the meed they may expect — Harsh Calumny and cold JSTcglect. Thp busy crov.'c! pviVU.dm? to- day — '.liie earth has nob.'er sons timu they!

Most' worthy of oh-: ptX'pl£?:.skaise--MBL The >>>'</fu-si' aonvrr,, loftiest lay" s~dSm That , '•'/ btf r, .■!.). ■''/.' i>,asi were toon ? " XI) o yLiii.osrn!M", 1! (cries the public voice) '■' We!! -skilled to execute and plan, Who, rising at his country's choice, Secures the common rights of man : Who watches o'er the nations fate, And safely steers the Ship of State O'er many a dark and stormy sea ; In action firm, in counsel wise, With noble purpose in his eyes, — JT.'! *»toU deserves our highest prize — Our worthiest son is he!"

' \ iso ! ihe Statesman's love of Self, Place or Pojiiion, Power or Pelf, „ «s fit't-en sunk in dt-epeat shame Tlic uMin who gained the Mob's acclaim. Though great A')d vk'j the Stafccnmun be, We ha. o a nobler son Limn lie I

Who is a nat-i'Mits yreateft su;>, Most worthy of ihc people's pr'-.rise---The highest honours. loff.ie.tf. h\>n t That e'er by mortal ■man <ccr<- ■/>£>» / " The man of philanthropic mind. " \ (Exclaims the earth's poor suffering ones), " Who loves most warmly all mankind, Is greatest of our country's sons ; "Who all life long does good by stealth, iWoret* his hand, his brain, his wealth, : . "ic-'jis such needy Vw."'"- "■* v,& : V ,i.'nd.-' Crod'a mesaea;.; •- ■■■, peaco, Sduo'Jitiorc's boony hv.. ■ ■• : ■ a* greatest is ho !' ! T- . i)w Phil.inLh.ropiofi md ' U ■ ■n;t, v -, nnd high siiaH b<: h.' - ed ; r .oiM,ii^h Odf.;"u-;ifriou's vuin -jj-' w To vulgar depths his deeds d'. o . ....10, His name shall live for aye ; yet we May claim a worthier son than he !

Wli,o is a nations greatest son, 3£o,it worth;/ of the people's praise — ■ The highest honours, loftiest lays That e'er by mortal man were won? The greatest 'rnong our noble men la he who fighfcs in troublous days ; Resigns the sword, and wields the pen ; • And then the nations fortune sways, Wifch counsel sage and firm control ; While the warm philanthropic soul In every act and word ?/e see ; A generous friend — a statesman pure — Whose law is Love — whose word is sure — His fame for ever shall endure, — Earth's noblest son is he ! Thus Rome, for Cincinnatus' name, A double meed of praise can claim ; Old England boasts her Wellington ; Columbia has her Washington ; And, evan now, Italia weeps Where her loved G-aribaldi sleeps !

Such pure, unselfish wort as theirs Bach patriot soul the noblest deems, And ranks them high as Q-lory's heirs, Of T'hom tho world scarce worthy seems ! And our young land, Zealandia blest, Enshrines ona name among the rest. O, Q-BSY ! that highest praise is thine, Who could'st bo worthily combine The Warrior, vith untarnished sword ; The Statesman, eloquent in word ; Tho warm Philanthropist and true ; The Author, netting forth to view, With Learning's power and Fancy's grace, Th« annals of a noble race, ■'._-. WJkv of a better day, |£b?o doomed to wth.es and decay ! , - soldier's ehinit^f.&ladd may rust, lie buried in* the 'dust y

Thy eloquence., may>nioVe no mos^ffltiS ': Senate and people, as of yore"}" v'^ffffjSl But this, %hj last and^cro.wx»iag^£^^^a| . Shall ever keep tty-farae.intacti .*- «'^^||^| While. Auckland stands, her aona- slM ''llllß . Thy memory in affection deep •■ ,^l^^H And unborn thousands, ages teric6 v -v"-"^« Shall bless thy rich, munificence ' - ' ' '^Sl^B Which gaye to them a priceless storVS^S Qf knowledge and of 'curious lore.' ''"•". '^f^« Those mental breasiirea, which' refined "^vfl Enlarged, and filled thine owa great in'sii^s^B Thou freely yielcl'st, that all may shaw^'''^ The glorious blessings which they bear' ' ~8 Our highest praises hast thon won ' M r Though sung in.voeak andfalierinnl , a . New Zealand, with one voice, io-dau^' 1 Proclaims thee as her greatest son / a Auckland, August 19, 1882. . I