Poems of English Heroism from Brunanburh to Lucknow; from Athelstan to Albert, Collected and Arranged, with Notes Historical and Illustrative

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1895 edition. Excerpt: ... XLIX. ALBERT THE GOOD. i And indeed He seems to nic Scarce other than my own ideal knight, "Who reverenced his conscience as his king; Whose glory was, redressing human wrong: Who spake no slander, no, nor listen'd to it; Who loved one only and who clave to her--" Her--over all whose realms to their last isle, Commingled with the gloom of imminent war, The shadow of His loss drew like eclipse, Darkening the world. We have lost him: he is gone: We know him now: all narrow jealousies Are silent; and we see him as he moved, How modest, kindly, all-accomplish'd, wise, With what sublime repression of himself, And in what limits, and how tenderly; i Not swaying to this faction or to that; Not making his high place the lawless perch Of wing'd ambitions, nor a vantage-ground For pleasure; but thro' all this tract of years Wearing the white flower of a blameless life, Before a thousand peering littlenesses, In that fierce light which beats upon a throne, And blackens every blot: for where is he, Who dares foreshadow for an only son A lovelier life, a more unstain'd, than his? Or how should England dreaming of his sons Hope more for these than some inheritance Of such a life, a heart, a mind as thine, Thou noble Father of her Kings to be, Laborious for her people and her poor--Voice in the rich dawn of an ampler day-Far-sighted summoner of War and Waste To fruitful strifes and rivalries of peace--Sweet nature gilded by the gracious gleam Of letters, dear to Science, dear to Art, Dear to thy land and ours, a Prince indeed, Beyond all titles, and a household name, Hereafter thro' all times, Albert the Good.- Texnyson, Idylls of the King: Dedication. NOTES. I. "Constantinus, King of the Scots, after having sworn allegiance to Athelstan, allied...