The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1896-01-26

the time, in which he said of Tennyson,
None of us know this gentleman or his
poems" And therefore ne went on to re-
mind Rogers very delcately, that the
Queen, as a lady, has not quite the free
dom. perhaps. in the naming of a laureate
which King might have. 70 tell the
truth, one does hope that queens might
do better than Charles III would do, or
George ". And so this curious note, an
autograph from a Prime Minister, asked
whether Mr. Tennysons writings were of
such tone and tenor that a queen might
have him on her poetical staff
Tennyson has made the place a hard one
for any other man to fill. If we think OF
the laureate simply as the writer of lyrics
which shall illustrate the national history
we are compelled at once 10 remember the
Charge of the Six Hundred" and enc or
two other poems Of Tennyson's which will
live as long as any lyrics in the language
live. 1t is to be said, to Mr.. Tennyson's
credit, that the gift of the laurel, and his
subsequent elevation, as 1t is called, to the
peerage, never seemed to check the sponta-
neous work of his genius
Mr.. AIstin's poems, as iar as people know
them, carry us back rather to the older and
more mechanical form of laureate lyrics Mr.
Austin's history may be severely abridged
from that convenient chronicle Men of
the Time in the following words: He was
born in 1895, he was educated at the Ro-
man Catholic College at Stonyhurst. He
published anonymously a poem called
Randolph" at the age of eighteen, and
has devoted his life to literature. THE
Season, Satire appeared in 1861. and
there are thirteen other volumes of poems
published in the nine years between 1881
and 1880. There are also three novels and
vindication of Lord Byron. occasioned by
Mrs. Stoves attacks. He represented the
Standard newspaper at the Ecumenical
Council, and was special correspondent of
that journal in the Franco-Prussian war.
He has written several Tory pamphlets.
ne last Of which was letter to Lord Bea-
consield in 1877. Macmillans have pub
lshed, or announced for publication, his
poetical works in six volumes
In matters of poetry there is not much to
be gained by studying Mr.. Austin must
give up writing Tory pamphlets and set
hlmself 10 odes now for the rest Of his life.
American readers look back with good
deal of interest to Mr. William White
heads odes of the period of the American
revolution. On the 4th of June, 177s, thirty
ence, this poet laureate addressed "the
Western gales" in the following words:
Why, therefore, in yon dubious sky,
with outspread wing and eager eve
On distant scenes intent,
Slts expectation in the air?
why do alternate hope and fear
suspend some great event?
Can Britain fail? The thought were vain .
The powerful empress of the main
But strives to smooth tn unruly Hood
And breads conquest stained with blood"
On New Years day. 1776, Britain was ly-
ing on some white rocks which guard her
coast. observant Of the parting day." and
she scarce could check the rising sigh,
And scarce could stop the tear which
trembled in her eye.'
''Sheathe, sheathe the sword which thirsts
.(She cried) deceived, mistaken men;
Nor let your parent Ger the flood
send forth her voice in vain.
Alas! no tyrant she
She courts you TO be free;
submissive hear her soft command,
NOR force unwilling vengeance from par
worse odes than Mr.. Whitehead wrote.
Whitehead was succeeded by Thomas
Wharton, whom we are afraid our readers
have forgotten. His successor was Henry
James Pye who died in 1913. and was sue
ceeded by Southey. the Prince Regent, to
his credit, insisting that some poet of rep
utation should be appointed. Byron said
or Pye that he was "eminen.ly respecta-
BILE in everything but his poetry
People remember him in connection with
the admirable parody on such poetry as his
in the Rejected Addresses" But. really,
the first of those addresses was regarded
as an imitation OF Fitzgerald and not Of
Pye. The following lines, however. are too
good not to be quoted whenever one gets
a chance:
Bless every man possessed OF aught to
give;
Long may Long Tilney Wellesley Long Pole
live;
God bless the Army. bless their coats OF
scarlet;
God bless the Navy. bless the Princess
Charlotte:
God bless the Guards. though worsted Cal
liza scott;
God bless their pig-tails. though they're
now cut of:
And OH in Downing street should old Nick
revel,
England's Prime Minister, then bless the
deyil!'
EDw. E. HALE.
Copyright by Edward Il. Hale.)
Very True.
Philadelphia Press.