The Press.
London, England, 1857-03-07 00:00:00

THE PRESS.

MARCH 7, 1857.

We sincerely hope that the Government will not consider itself
finally bound to the decision of Sir CHARLES WooD on the subject of a
new Franklin Expedition. There are a set of stereotyped phrases
going about upon this, as upon many other subjects, to which people
give in their adhesion without due consideration. Because it is very
unlikely that Sir JOHN FRANKLIN, or any of his crew, survive, is no
reason why we should not do our utmost to convert the doubt into a
certainty. That the search is attended with much danger, and little
hope, is no worse than can be said of all these Arctic expeditions,—
with this distinction, however, that our object in the present case
is the,rescue of a certain number of human lives, and was in
others merely the gratification of scientific curiosity, without much
idea that the result would ever benefit mankind. Further
than this, the danger of a new expedition is much diminished, even if
the expectation of a favourable result is not increased, by the con-
traction of the area over which the search is to be directed. As to
saying that it is on that very area that Sir JOHN and his companions
encountered those hardships which led to their destruction, this is
nonsense A ship's crew arriving there well found in everything
which such a situation demands, would be in a very different position
from men who had just struggled there after undergoing the most
desperate sufferings. We see no sound reason for refusing this final
investigation, and we do trust that Lady FRANKLIN'S affectionate
anxiety will meet with support from the Government of a naval and
commercial people.

THE IVORY GATE.

Stint geminte sumni ports: quarum alters fertur
Cornea; qua veris heals datur exitus umbris ;
Altera eandenti perfects °aerie elephanto;
bed false ad enema mittuut insomnia manes.
" When, loved by poet and painter,
The sunrise fills the sky—
When night's gold urns grow fainter
In depths of an umber dye—
When the morn-breeze stirs the curtain,

Bearing an odorous freight—
Then visions strange, uncertain,
Pour thick through the Ivory Gate."

V. Smith with Persian attar
His tresses thinks perfumed ;
Strange hopes his fancies flatter—
For he dreams that Herat's doomed.
He is girt with Eastern splendour,
And slaves at his bidding wait ;
And eyes that are (lark and tender
Glance soft through the Ivory Gate !

Lord Cranworth, who, like Saturn,
His children all devours,
Has a dream of a different pattern,
Which gives him Lyndhurst's powers—
Which gives him Brougham's decision,
And Campbell's strength of pate—
And at Bethell he smiles derision ;
'Tis a dream of the Ivory Gate !

Panmure sleeps on in rapture,
He dreams of another war ;
There are lots of towns to capture,
And Dowb's provided for.
He can feed the troops on refuse ;
But in full Field Marshal's state
He sees his various nephews—
'Tis a dream of the Ivory Gate !

Pelides, rash conjecturer
Of things which are not true,
Bold and conceited lecturer,

Has his fair visions too.
With wondrous self-possession
He talks at an easy rate
Of making a " good impression "
False dream of the Ivory Gate !

But of dreams a strange collection
Before the Premier nit ;
He thinks he's the perfection
Of statesmanship and wit.
His zeal for England's glory,
His coolness in debate,
Are to lire in the nation's story—
Vain dream of the Ivory Gate !

PALMERSTON'S MARCH.
March! march ! plausible Palmerston !
Hapless Premier, to the country go down.
March has its Ides for you; ill-luck abides fur you ;
What will your " cry" be, in Tiverton town?
" I've spent your rhino, men !
Shattered the Chinamen !
Kept on the Income Tax—shaken the starch
Out of stiff-looking Persians ;
What noble diversions!"
How will they answer you ? P4VIEBSION MARCH