an anthology of australian verse-第3部分

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but　a　collection　of　his　ballads　　〃Sea　Spray　and　Smoke　Drift〃　

brought　very　little　praise　and　no　profit。　　Marcus　Clarke　came　to　Melbourne

in　1864；　and　soon　afterwards　began　to　write　for　‘The　Argus'　and　other　papers。

About　the　same　time　the　presence　of　R。　H。　Horne；　the　distinguished　author

of　〃Orion〃；　in　Melbourne　lent　a　lustre　to　that　city；

which　was　for　the　time　the　literary　centre　of　Australia。

Horne　corresponded　with　Kendall；　and　contributed　to　a　paper

edited　by　Deniehy　in　Sydney　　‘The　Southern　Cross'　（1859…60）。

He　was　the　presiding　genius　of　the　literary　gatherings

at　Dwight's　book…shop　in　Melbourne；　and　no　doubt　exercised

a　beneficial　influence　upon　the　writers　around　him。



In　1870；　after　a　series　of　crushing　disappointments；　Gordon　committed　suicide。

His　dramatic　end　awakened　sympathy　and　gave　an　additional　interest

to　his　writings。　　It　was　soon　found　that　in　the　city　and　the　bush

many　of　his　spirited　racing　ballads　were　well　known。　　The　virile；

athletic　tone　of　his　verse；　which　taught

　　

　　　　〃How　a　man　should　uphold　the　sports　of　his　land

　　　　And　strike　his　best　with　a　strong　right　hand

　　　　　　　And　take　his　strokes　in　return〃　

　　

and　the　practical　philosophy；　summed　up　in　the　well…known　quatrain　

　　

　　　　〃Life　is　mostly　froth　and　bubble；

　　　　　　　Two　things　stand　like　stone；

　　　　Kindness　in　another's　trouble；

　　　　　　　Courage　in　your　own〃　

　　

appeal　strongly　to　Australians。　　Gordon's　work　cannot　be　considered

as　peculiarly　Australian　in　character；　but　much　of　it　is　concerned

with　the　horse；　and　all　of　it　is　a…throb　with　the　manly；　reckless　personality

of　the　writer。　　Horses　and　horse…racing　are　especially　interesting

to　Australians；　the　Swinburnian　rush　of　Gordon's　ballads　charms　their　ear；

and　in　many　respects　he　embodies　their　ideal　of　a　man。

There　are　few　Australians　who　do　not　know　some　of　his　poems；

even　if　they　know　no　others；　and　his　influence　upon　subsequent　writers

has　been　very　great。



Brunton　Stephens；　who　came　to　Queensland　in　1866；　wrote　there　a　long　poem

called　〃Convict　Once〃　which；　when　published　in　London　in　1871；

gained　high　praise　from　competent　critics；　and　gave　the　author

an　academic　reputation。　　A　little　book　of　humorous　verses

issued　in　Melbourne　in　1873　almost　immediately　became　popular；

and　a　later　volume　of　〃Miscellaneous　Poems〃　（1880）；　containing　some

fine　patriotic　utterances　as　well　as　many　in　lighter　vein；

established　him　as　one　of　our　chief　singers。



The　first　important　poem　from　New　Zealand　　Domett's　〃Ranolf　and　Amohia〃　

was　published　in　London　in　1872。　　Domett　spent　thirty　years　in　New　Zealand。

He　wrote　a　good　deal　of　verse　before　leaving　England　and　after　his　return；

but　〃Ranolf　and　Amohia〃　is　the　only　poem　showing　traces

of　Australian　influence。　　It　is　a　miscellany　in　verse　rather　than　an　epic；

and　contains　some　fine　descriptions　of　New　Zealand　scenery。



The　death　of　Kendall　in　Sydney　in　1882　closed　what　may　be　regarded

as　the　second　literary　period。　　He　had　published　his　finest　work

in　〃Songs　from　the　Mountains〃　（1880）；　and　had　the　satisfaction　of　knowing

that　it　was　a　success；　financially　and　otherwise。　　Kendall's　audience

is　not　so　large　as　Gordon's；　but　it　is　a　steadily　growing　one；

and　many　readers　who　have　been　affected　by　his　musical　verse

hold　the　ill…fated　singer　in　more　tender　regard　than　any　other。

He　lived　at　a　time　when　Australians　had　not　learned　to　think　it　possible

that　any　good　thing　in　art　could　come　out　of　Australia；

and　were　too　fully　occupied　with　things　of　the　market…place

to　concern　themselves　much　about　literature。



Several　attempts　have　been　made　to　maintain　magazines　and　reviews

in　Sydney　and　Melbourne；　but　none　of　them　could　compete　successfully

with　the　imported　English　periodicals。　　‘The　Colonial　Monthly'；

‘The　Melbourne　Review'；　‘The　Sydney　Quarterly'；　and　‘The　Centennial　Magazine'

were　the　most　important　of　these。　　They　cost　more　to　produce

than　their　English　models；　and　the　fact　that　their　contents　were　Australian

was　not　sufficient　in　itself　to　obtain　for　them　adequate　support。

Newspapers　have　played　a　far　more　important　part　in　our　literary　world。

‘The　Australasian'；　‘Sydney　Mail'　and　‘Queenslander'　have　done　a　good　deal

to　encourage　local　writers；　but　the　most　powerful　influence

has　been　that　of　‘The　Bulletin'；　started　in　Sydney　in　1880。

Its　racy；　irreverent　tone　and　its　humour　are　characteristically　Australian；

and　through　its　columns　the　first　realistic　Australian　verse　of　any　importance

　the　writings　of　Henry　Lawson　and　A。　B。　Paterson　　became　widely　known。

When　published　in　book　form；　their　verses　met　with　phenomenal　success；

Paterson's　〃The　Man　from　Snowy　River〃　（1895）　having　already　attained

a　circulation　of　over　thirty　thousand　copies。　　It　is　the　first

of　a　long　series　of　volumes；　issued　during　the　last　ten　years；　whose　character

is　far　more　distinctively　Australian　than　that　of　their　predecessors。

Their　number　and　success　are　evidences　of　the　lively　interest　taken

by　the　present　generation　here　in　its　native　literature。



Australia　has　now　come　of　age；　and　is　becoming　conscious

of　its　strength　and　its　possibilities。　　Its　writers　to…day　are；　as　a　rule；

self…reliant　and　hopeful。　　They　have　faith　in　their　own　country；

they　write　of　it　as　they　see　it；　and　of　their　work　and　their　joys　and　fears；

in　simple；　direct　language。　　It　may　be　that　none　of　it　is　poetry

in　the　grand　manner；　and　that　some　of　it　is　lacking　in　technical　finish；

but　it　is　a　vivid　and　faithful　portrayal　of　Australia；　and　its　ruggedness

is　in　character。　　It　is　hoped　that　this　selection　from　the　verse　that　has　been

written　up　to　the　present　time　will　be　found　a　not　unworthy　contribution

to　the　great　literature　of　the　English…speaking　peoples。











William　Charles　Wentworth。







　　Australasia





Celestial　poesy！　whose　genial　sway

Earth's　furthest　habitable　shores　obey；

Whose　inspirations　shed　their　sacred　light；

Far　as　the　regions　of　the　Arctic　night；

And　to　the　Laplander　his　Boreal　gleam

Endear　not　less　than　Phoebus'　brighter　beam；　

Descend　thou　also　on　my　native　land；

And　on　some　mountain…summit　take　thy　stand；

Thence　issuing　soon　a　purer　font　be　seen

Than　charmed　Castalia　or　famed　Hippocrene；

And　there　a　richer；　nobler　fane　arise；

Than　on　Parnassus　met　the　adoring　eyes。

And　tho'；　bright　goddess；　on　the　far　blue　hills；

That　pour　their　thousand　swift　pellucid　rills

Where　Warragamba's　rage　has　rent　in　twain

Opposing　mountains；　thundering　to　the　plain；

No　child　of　song　has　yet　invoked　thy　aid

'Neath　their　primeval　solitary　shade；　

Still；　gracious　Pow'r；　some　kindling　soul　inspire；

To　wake　to　life　my　country's　unknown　lyre；

That　from　creation's　date　has　slumbering　lain；

Or　only　breathed　some　savage　uncouth　strain；

And　grant　that　yet　an　Austral　Milton's　song

Pactolus…like　flow　deep　and　rich　along；　

An　Austral　Shakespeare　rise；　whose　living　page

To　nature　true　may　charm　in　ev'ry　age；　

And　that　an　Austral　Pindar　daring　soar；

Where　not　the　Theban　eagle　reach'd　before。

And；　O　Britannia！　shouldst　thou　cease　to　ride

Despotic　Empress　of　old　Ocean's　tide；　

Should　thy　tamed　Lion　　spent　his　former　might；　

No　longer　roar　the　terror　of　the　fight；　

Should　e'er　arrive　that　dark　disastrous　hour；

When　bow'd　by　luxury；　thou　yield'st　to　pow'r；　

When　thou；　no　longer　freest　of　the　free；

To　some　proud　victor　bend'st　the　vanquish'd　knee；　

May　all　thy　glories　in　another　sphere

Relume；　and　shine　more　brightly　still　than　here；

May　this；　thy　last…born　infant；　then　arise；

To　glad　thy　heart　and　greet　thy　parent　eyes；

And　Australasia　float；　with　flag　unfurl'd；

A　new　Britannia　in　another　world。









Charles　Harpur。







　　Love





She　loves　me！　　From　her　own　bliss…breathing　lips

　The　live　confession　came；　like　rich　perfume

　From　crimson　petals　bursting　into　bloom！

And　still　my　heart　at　the　remembrance　skips

Like　a　young　lion；　and　my　tongue；　too；　trips

　As　drunk　with　joy！　while　every　object　seen

　In　life's　diurnal　round　wears　in　its　mien

A　clear　assurance　that　no　doubts　eclipse。

And　if　the　common　things　of　nature　now

　Are　like　old　faces　flushed　with　new　delight；

Much　more　the　consciousness　of　that　rich　vow

　Deepens　the　beauteous；　and　refines　the　bright；

　While　throned　I　seem　on　love's　divinest　height

'Mid　all　the　glories　glowing　round　its　brow。







　　Words





Words　are　deeds。　　The　words　we　hear

May　revolutionize　or　rear

A　mighty　state。　　The　words　we　read

May　be　a　spiritual　deed

Excelling　any　fleshly　one；

As　much　as　the　celestial　sun

Transcends　a　bonfire；　made　to　throw

A　light　upon　some　raree…show。

A　simple　proverb　tagged　with　rhyme

May　colour　half　the　course　of　time；

The　pregnant　saying　of　a　sage

May　influence　every　coming　age；

A　song　in　its　effects　may　be

More　glorious　than　Thermopylae；

And　many　a　lay　that　schoolboys　scan

A　nobler　feat　than　Inkerman。







　　A　Coast　View





High　'mid　the　shelves　of　a　grey　cliff；　that　yet

Riseth　in　Babylonian　mass　above；

In　a　benched　cleft；　as　in　the　mouldered　chair

Of　grey…beard　Time　himself；　I　sit　alone；

And　gaze　with　a　keen　wondering　happiness

Out　o'er　the　sea。　　Unto　the　circling　bend

That　verges　Heaven；　a　vast　luminous　plain

It　stretches；　changeful　as　a　lover's　dream　

Into　great　spaces　mapped　by　light　and　shade

In　constant　interchange　　either　'neath　clouds

The　billows　darken；　or　they　shimmer　bright

In　sunny　scopes　of　measureless　expanse。

'Tis　Ocean　dreamless　of　a　stormy　hour；

Calm；　or　but　gently　heaving；　　yet；　O　God！

What　a　blind　fate…like　mightiness　lies　coiled

In　slumber；　under　that　wide…shining　face！

While　o'er　the　watery　gleam　　there　where　its　edge

Banks　the　dim　vacancy；　the　topmost　sails

Of　some　tall　ship；　whose　hull　is　yet　unseen；

Hang　as　if　clinging　to　a　cloud　that　still

Comes　rising　with　them　from　the　void　beyond；

Like　to　a　heavenly　net；　dr