The Violet: A Romaunt [pp. 246-247]

246 The Violet: A Romaunt. [Arait,
youth in wild, and foolish, and sometimes crimi-'
nal enterprises, and having most unexpectedly
arrived at the head of the Republic, he successfully essayed to overthrow the form of government that he had solemnly sworn to uphold.
Ambition of a guilty sort fills his heart, perjury
has stained his lips, and his hands are dyed in
blood. He has treated his country as he has
done his mistress-sought her favors to betray
her. But his doom is-to come, he cannot escape
it. If the great Napoleon was stricken down,
how can the little Napoleon stand? And when
he falls, no tears will bedew his bier, no tongue
will move to defend his name. The nation that
he betrayed will spurn his dead body, the friends
of murdered thousands will utter vengeful imprecations on his soul, and the press that now
he has chained up in slavish silence will raise a
black column of obloquy to his memory. And
history that will delight to pay an appropriate
tribute to Prince Albert for his domestic virtues,
and his civic usefulness, will utter her irreversible sentence upon Bonaparte who has displayed
abilities far greater than his friends believed he
possessed, only to accomplish such wickedness
as his enemies did not suppose him capable of.
I will close this article with one brief suggestion, which if not wise, is at least original. In
an article upon Queen Victoria, I suggested that
if the English nation ever meant to deliver themselves from the costliness of an unnecessary
throne (to say no more) a better opportunity
would never be afforded than at the death of the
Queen. (Sero in caelum redeat.) Now suppose
Prince Albert survives her. Let me, as an American, who, of course, know better than any Englishman can do, what sort of stuff is good to
make a President of, having assisted at the making of many a one-let me take the liberty of
nominating, through the columns of the Messenger, for the first President of the British Isles,Prince Albert. And what if he should be made
President for life? The English are fond of
doing important things gradually, and a President for life would be a good intermediate between a constitutional monarch, and an elective
President of the right sort. Mly nominee, 1 am
persuaded, would not abuse his powers and
would, by his.diligence, prudence and skill, set a
most admirable example for all succeeding Presidents of the British Republic.
S. L. C.
Bon Gaultier in his Eastern Serenade thus hits off the
introduction of. Oriental phrases into English verse "The jewelled amaun of thy zemzem is bare,
And the folds of thy palampore wave in the air. Come, rest on the bosom that loves thee so well,
Mly dove! my phingari! my gentle gazelle "'
THE VIOLET: A ROMAUNT.
BY ALTON.
INSCRIBED TO FANNY.
I.
It was the hour when Cynthia's zone
Endymion's trembling heart inflamed,
TI'hat lithe Titania, fri-om her throne,
This sacred mandate thus proclaimed:
Ye Fays and Sprites, extend your wings,
And where, amid the shady dells,
The blooming realm of Flora springs,
Exert your most enchanting spells.
II.
There breathe to all this fond command,
Committed to your rusty powers:Titania, with her fairy hand,
Would now create a Queen-of-Flowers;
And bids the humblest of the fen
Its presence to our care intrust,
That all within her smiling glen,
The choice may see and deem it just.
III.
Scarce was the gentle mandate made,
When on the wing her subjects whirred,
And instantly, within the glade,
The claim of every Flower was heard:
There blushed the Rose in conscious pride
Of beauty none might dare deny,
The while the Lily, at her side,
Reposed in cold security.
IV.
Thus every Rival, in its turn,
Believed'twas destined for the crown,
And, in its vanity, would spurn
The claims of all who sought the throne.
But when the whole expectant train
Had passed before Titania's eyes,
And each, at length, beheld how vain
Their several hopes to win the Prize;
V.
The Fairy's brow in sadness fell,
As thus she spoke in anxious phrase:
One plant hath lingered in the dell The VIOLET hath not met my gaze.
Just at this moment, from beneath
A shelving leaf that none had seen,
The modest Violet, o'er the heath,
Had looked to see what flower was Queen.
VI.
But in that single glance was all
That could the Fairy's heart inspire,
As thus her voice was heard to call
The culprit with dissembled ire:What ho, thou disobedient one!
Would'st thou provoke Titania's frown?
Receive the gem thy charmshave won,
For modesty is Beauty's crown.
246
The Violet: A Romaunt.,
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