Memories of Canada and Scotland, Speeches and Verses | Page 3

States arise, may He?Whose potent hand yon river owns?Smooth their great future's shrouded Sea!
PROLOGUE.
GOVERNMENT HOUSE, March 1879.
A moment's pause before we play our parts,?To speak the thought that reigns within your hearts.--?Now from the Future's hours, and unknown days,?Affection turns, and with the Past delays;?For countless voices in our mighty land?Speak the fond praises of a vanished hand;?And shall, to mightier ages yet, proclaim?The happy memories linked with Dufferin's name.
Missed here is he, to whom each class and creed,?Among our people lately bade "God speed;"?Missed, when each Winter sees the skater wheel?In ringing circle on the flashing steel;?Missed in the Spring, the Summer and the Fall,?In many a hut, as in the Council Hall;?Where'er his wanderings on Duty's hest?Evoked his glowing speech, his genial jest.?We mourn his absence, though we joy that now?Old England's honours cluster round his brow,?And that he left us but to serve again?Our Queen and Empire on the Neva's plain!
Amidst the honoured roll of those whose fate?It was to crown our fair Canadian State,?And bind in one bright diadem alone,?Each glorious Province, each resplendent stone,?His name shall last, and his example give?To all her sons a lesson how to live:?How every task, if met with heart as bold,?Proves the hard rock is seamed with precious gold,?And Labour, when with Mirth and Love allied,?Finds friends far stronger than in Force and Pride,?And Sympathy and Kindness can be made?The potent weapons by which men are swayed.?He proved a nation's trust can well be won?By loyal work and constant duty done;?The wit that winged the wisdom of his word?Set forth our glories, till all Europe heard?How wide the room our Western World can spare?For all who nobly toil and bravely dare.
And while the statesman we revere, we know?In him the friend is gone, to whom we owe?So much of gaiety, so much which made?Life's duller round to seem in joy repaid.?These little festivals by him made bright,?With grateful thoughts of him renewed to-night,?Remind no less of her who deigned to grace?This mimic world, and fill therein her place?With the sweet dignity and gracious mien?The race of Hamilton has often seen;?But never shown upon the wider stage?Where the great "cast" is writ on History's page,?More purely, nobly, than by her, whose voice?Here moved to tears, or made the heart rejoice,?And who in act and word, at home, or far,?Shone with calm beauty like the Northern Star!
Green as the Shamrock of their native Isle?Their memory lives, and babes unborn shall smile?And share in happiness the pride that blends?Our country's name with her beloved friends!
A NATIONAL HYMN.
GOVERNMENT HOUSE, March 1880.
From our Dominion never?Take Thy protecting hand,?United, Lord, for ever?Keep Thou our fathers' land!?From where Atlantic terrors?Our hardy seamen train,?To where the salt sea mirrors?The vast Pacific chain.?Aye one with her whose thunder?Keeps world-watch with the hours,?Guard Freedom's home and wonder,?"This Canada of ours."
Fair days of fortune send her,?Be Thou her Shield and Sun!?Our land, our flag's Defender,?Unite our hearts as one!?One flag, one land, upon her?May every blessing rest I?For loyal faith and honour?Her children's deeds attest?Aye one with her, &c.
No stranger's foot, insulting,?Shall tread our country's soil;?While stand her sons exulting?For her to live and toil.?She hath the victor's guerdon,?Her's are the conquering hours,?No foeman's yoke shall burden?"This Canada of ours."?Aye one with her, &c.
Our sires, when times were sorest,?Asked none but aid Divine,?And cleared the tangled forest,?And wrought the buried mine.?They tracked the floods and fountains,?And won, with master-hand,?Far more than gold in mountains,?The glorious Prairie-land.?Aye one with her, &c,
O Giver of earth's treasure,?Make Thou our nation strong;?Pour forth Thine hot displeasure?On all who work our wrong!?To our remotest border?Let plenty still increase,?Let Liberty and Order,?Bid ancient feuds to cease.?Aye one with her, &c.
May Canada's fair daughters?Keep house for hearts as bold?As theirs who o'er the waters?Came hither first of old.?The pioneers of nations!?They showed the world the way;?Tis ours to keep their stations,?And lead the van to-day.?Aye one with her, &c.
Inheritors of glory,?O countrymen! we swear?To guard the flag whose story?Shall onward victory bear.?Where'er through earth's far regions?Its triple crosses fly,?For God, for home, our legions?Shall win, or fighting die!?Aye one with her, &c.
RIVER RHYMES
1. We have poled our staunch canoe Many a boiling torrent through; Paddling where the eddies drew, Athwart the roaring flood we flew.
Chorus--
Dip your paddles! make them leap,?Where the clear cold waters sweep.?Dip your paddles! steady keep,?Where breaks the rapid down the steep.
2. Where the wind, like censer, flings
Smoke-spray wider as it swings,?Hark! the aisle of rainbow rings?To falls that hymn the King of kings.
3. Lifting there our vessel tight,
Climbed we bank and rocky height,?Bore her through thick woods, where light?Fell dappling those green haunts of Night.
4. O'er the rush of billows hurled,
Where they tossed and leaped and curled,?Past each wave-worn boulder whirled,?How fast we sailed, no sail unfurled!
5. Laughs from parted lips and teeth
Hailed the