of Sermione (the Latin Sirmio), where Catullus had his country house, is about three miles and a half to the east of Desenzano. There are some slight remains of an ancient building on the edge of the lake, said to belong to the poet's villa; and on a hill near by are fragments of Roman baths. Row us out from Desenzano, to your Sirmione row! So they row'd, and there we landed - 'O venusta Sirmio!' There to me thro' all the groves of olive in the summer glow, There beneath the Roman ruin where the purple flowers grow, Came that Ave atque Vale' of the Poet's hopeless woe, Tenderest of Roman poets nineteen hundred years ago, 'Frater Ave atque Vale '- as we wander'd to and fro Gazing at the Lydian laughter of the Garda Lake below Sweet Catullus's all-but-island, olive-silvery Sirmio! HELEN'S TOWER [Written at the request of my friend, Lord Dufferin.] Inscribed on the walls of a tower erected in 1860 by the Earl of Dufferin on his estate near Belfast, as a tribute to his mother, the late Countess of Gifford, and named after her. The fourth line refers to a poetical inscription on the tower, written by Lady Gifford to her son. Later, in 1861, 'Helen's Tower' was privately printed by Lord Dufferin. It was also printed in Good Words' for January, 1884, before it appeared in the Tiresias' volume. HELEN'S TOWER, here I stand, In earth's recurring Paradise. For the first version of this song, which appeared in the London Examiner for February 7, 1852, see the Notes. FIRST pledge our Queen this solemn night, With stronger life from day to day; God the traitor's hope confound! To this great cause of Freedom drink, my friends, And the great name of England, round and round. To all the loyal hearts who long To keep our English Empire whole ! To all our noble sons, the strong New England of the Southern Pole! To England under Indian skies, To those dark millions of her realm! To Canada whom we love and prize, Whatever statesman hold the helm. Hands all round! God the traitor's hope confound! To this great name of England drink, my friends, And all her glorious empire, round and round. |