Commemorative Feelings, or Miscellaneous Poems.

THE OLIVE WOOD.

OCCASIONED BY HEARING THAT A BATTLE HAD BEEN
FOUGHT ON THE CONTINENT IN AND NEAR A WOOD
OF OLIVES.

ALONG the wood, and light upon the breeze, Sweet Concord whisper'd her soft harmonies, And sung ærial hymns at evening's close, Till all was hush'd in still and calm repose. When lo! a solemn murmur through the wood Sudden arose, and midst the foliage stood The Goddess Peace. Roused with the quick alarm, She came to guard her favourite haunt from harm; For, as she sweetly slept amid the shade 'Neath a green canopy of olive made, A blood‐stain'd banner waved around her head, And instant tinged each leaf and branch with red.

"Ah me!" she cried "will War nor ever cease? "For ever must it chase the sleep of Peace? "Here, even here, in this my loved retreat, "Must I the horrors of the battle meet? "Must I in this my cherish'd loved domain "Hear but the wounded, and but view the slain? "O all ye powers who succour human life, "Grant me to quell this war's inhuman strife!"

Then from on high an ample branch she tore, And straight the quick‐form'd wreaths in haste she bore To each opposing chief; then graceful said, As the wreathed foliage at their feet she laid, "O spare these horrors in this hallow'd wood, "Nor bathe the haunts of Peace in human blood!

"Take these meek offerings, bid this warfare cease, "For every leaf that moves, here whispers­Peace! "O take these olive wreaths your brows to bind; "These sacred boughs were rear'd to BLESS MANKIND."

Resistless was her speech, her form, her air, So merciful, so mild, so heavenly fair! The Goddess conquer'd, saw the battle cease, While every breeze that blew soft whisper'd­Peace.