Page images
PDF
EPUB

Yet I'd have you know the fact
In its bearings all exact,
That the greatness of the act

You may grafp;

When the leffons, none may fpurn, You have been compelled to learn, And amid the grapes difcern

Where's the afp.

When this goodly man was old,
On a night fo wet and cold,
As towards his home he ftrolled,
He efpied,

In the bitter London street
Lving, drenched with rain and fleet,
A poor girl with naked feet,
Who had died

Of the cruel, cruel cold,
If this fage, fo worn and old,
Had by accident not strolled
Where the lay.

He was torn by illness' wrack,
His old joints were fit to crack,
But he bore her on his back

[blocks in formation]
[blocks in formation]

At his bearing checked their mirth --
Grew to recognize his worth,
As a Prince upon the earth,
Fit to rule:

And beneath the bearish fkin
Saw the lovely foul within,

And were proud to claim him kin-
Aye, the best!

In their hearts they made him room, And shed tears above the tomb Where he waits the crack of doom With the bleft.

Oh! my little fairy girl,

Of my household chain the pearl,
Of this gentle-hearted churl
Learn the life!

Learn, like him, to ftand the test,
And the husband shall be bleft,
Born to clasp thee to his breaft
As a wife!

[graphic]

The Annual Dinner of the Club is held in November. The following Legend was Sung on the Evening of November 21st, 1862.

A LEGEND OF THE GATE.

WRITTEN BY HAIN FRISWELL, Esq.,
Founder of the Urban Club,

AND SUNG BY MR. PAGET,

At the Annual Dinner, November 21st, 1862.

In the good old days, when our land was young, And this Parish a wood full green,

From Palestine, counting their beads as they fung,

Some Priestly Knights were seen :Like two Cavaliers, in the novels of James, Each mounted a stalwart steed;

With lance and fword they had played fome games,

In the Chriftian's time of need.

Now refting awhile in a weary state,
They ftaid on the site of St.John's Gate.
Led perhaps by the hand of Fate,
They refted where stands old St. John's
Gate.

"Let us build us a caftle," the leader cried,
"On this spot fo pleasant and green;
"And here fhall our holy Order abide
"For many long years, I ween."

So they built and raised a dwelling fair,
A caftle with moat and wall;
And called their Soldier-priests to prayer
In the vast and echoing hall.

For many long years they lived in state,
Keeping watch and ward in this old
Gate.

As years rolled on they kept their state,
These priestly knights of the St John's
Gate

And one prior plotted; the next prior schemed,
As wily as priors could be,

Till bluff King Hal, - faith's defender deemed, Cried "No prieftly Knights for me,

"To the Prior's house I have prior right,

[ocr errors][merged small]

So he finished the job without debate.
By bolting them out of the good old
Gate.

And the Prior and Brothers, in dole
ful strait,

Marched chanting away from St. John's
Gate.

Next the old house fell into fad decay,

As one Lord or another lived here; Hall, chapel, and tower, all crumbled away, 'Till the brave old Gate stood bare. And in place of the Monks came a Knight of the Prefs,

With learning's magic lamp; And the old stairs creaked, well they might, I guess,

'Neath the Doctor's heavy tramp.

Of effay, and preface, and Commons' debate.

They fet up the types in St. John's Gate; And the printers' lamp of nights fo late, Shone out like a star at St. John's Gate. Knight, Priest, Doctor, and Press are all gone, But ftill jolly nights have we, For we're merry and wife, and dull forrow we fcorn,

When we meet 'neath this old roof tree; If no lances of iron, we've pens of steel, We can borrow the vifor of Art, And our Knights of the Bufkin can make us feel

That each man but plays his part.

So while years pass by we'll fit in state,
And think o'er the past at the brave
old Gate.

For many a year may it be our fate,
Our CLUB to flourish, at St John's Gate.

SONG,

WRITTEN BY JOHN OXENFORD, ESQ.,

For the occafion of the Anniversary Dinner (in honour of Shakespeare's Birthday) held at

THE URBAN CLUB, ST. JOHN'S GATE,

APRIL 23rd, 1863.

THE MUSIC COMPOSED AND SUNG BY MR. THORP PEEDE.

This day was Will of Stratford born,

And British hearts will not forget

To celebrate the glorious morn

Of that bright fun which never fet.
Our land, fince Shakespeare firft drew breath,
Three hundred years has older grown,

But ere his name has neared its death,

Full thrice three thousand will have flown.

From peace to war, from war to peace,
We've past, seen monarch rise and fall,
Seen dynasties begin and cease,

Seen William's name endure through all.
As when our mortal features change,
The mind remains a perfect whole,
So Shakespeare, to corruption strange,
Lafts as old England's youthful soul.

Though narrow has our ifle become,

And Britons other fhores must seek,
One link still binds them to their home,-

The tongue that Shakespeare fpoke, they fpeak.

They bid his verse immortal ring,

Through every corner of the earth;

And back to recollection bring

The land that gave their Shakespeare birth.

A PART SONG,

WRITTEN BY HAIN FRISWELL, ESQ.,

For the occafion of the Anniversary Dinner
(in honour of Shakespeare's Birthday) held at
THE URBAN CLUB, ST. JOHN'S GATE,
APRIL 23rd, 1863.

SUNG BY

THE MUSIC COMPOSED BY MR. W. WATSON:
MESSRS. HOLMES, THOMAS, WATSON, AND PAGET.

Upon the Tomb of Shakespeare let us lay
Our votive wreath, a tribute to his fame;
Take hence the cypress, but oh, bring the bay,
For Poet-Conqueror in the Ifthmian game.
Far hence be Melancholy, Grief, or Gloom;
'Tis not for him we shed the crystal tear;
Clad with grave Wisdom, let us near his tomb,
Or jocund fmiles, unto his muse most dear.
Dear is his fame to England, and his name
Shall hallowed be in ages yet unborn;
His is the greatest glory, free from stain

Of widowed wives, or orphans left forlorn.
High priest of fong; no stalwart captain he,
No plotting minifter, no flave of place;
But calm above the throng, he smiles to fee
The Mufes' students lift their fong of Peace :
Let "gorgeous Tragedy come sweeping by,"
To teach how Hero died, or Monarch fell;
Or rofy Comedy with sparkling eye,

Or Paftoral Mufe:-each fhall his glory tell.
With joyous ode, or "native wood-note wild,"
Make the hills echo with a mufic fhrill:
Ring out the name of Nature's favourite child,

Sweet Shakespeare:-England's darling, our fweet Will!
Sweet Will! Sweet Will.

Our Shakespeare! England's glory, our sweet Will.

SONGS.

BY DR. J. E. CARPENTER,

From "SHAKESPEARE; an Ode for the Tercentenary of Shakespeare's
Birthday, and recited by the Author at the Banquet of the
Urban Club, 23rd April, 1864."

Prefident, Dr. Westland Marston. Vice-Prefident, J. Crawford Wilfon, Efq.

[blocks in formation]

THE BIRTHPLACE, THE HOME, AND THE GRAVE OF THE BARD.

All hail to the fhrine, for the spot must be holy

That cradled in infancy genius and worth;

Oh! what though the roof may be humble and lowly,

It fhelter'd the gem that thone proudeft on earth.

'Tis not 'mid the gay halls of riches and splendour
The home of true genius alone can be found,

But in dwellings like thofe, where our homage we render,
With heaven above them, and nature around.

CHORUS.

Then hail to the fhrine, be it hallowed, for never

Shall we, who sweet Shakespeare have learnt to regard.
Forget the dear fcene where the Avon runs ever-

The birthplace-the home - and the grave of the bard.

That nation can ne'er be debafed or degraded,

Whofe people ftill cherish, with feelings of pride,

The fpots that the halo of Genius pervaded

The home where it dwelt, the place where it died.

Then perish the flave who with rude hands would fever
The relics of him who made language divine;
May they stand like his fame, which endureth for ever,
That millions unborn may still visit the shrine.

CHORU 3.

Then hail to the shrine, be it hallowed, for never
Shall we, who sweet Shakespeare have learnt to regard,
Forget the dear fcene where the Avon runs ever-
The birthplace-the home- and the grave of the bard.

E

« PreviousContinue »