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Lorsque le document est trop grand pour dtre reproduit en un seul clich6, il est film6 d partir de Tangle sup6rieur gauche, de gauche d droite, et de haut en bas, en prenant le nombre d'images ndcessaire. Les diagrammes suivants illustrent la mdthode. srrata to pelure, >n d n 32X 1 2 3 1 2 3 4 5 6 sK.; I I RECEEATIONS. By E. a. STAFFORD, A.B. TORONTO: WILLIAM BRIGGS, 78 & 80 Kino Stiikkt East. MONTREAL : C. W. COATES. HALIFAX : S. F. HUESTIS. i P S S4>? 7 T22 R4- 69951 V TO THE EKTERED, according to the Act of Parliament of Canada, in the jear One thousand eight hundred and eighty-three, by the Bbv. E. A ST..FORD, A.B., in the Office of the Minister of Agriculture. BY THE AUTHOR. T22R4 69951 J j TO THE FRIENDS BELOVED, WHO, WITH APPRECIATIVE KINDNESS, AND PATIENT FORBEARANCE, HAVE ATTENDED UPON MY MINISTRY IN THE EAST, ON THE EVE OF MY DEPARTURE FOR THE GREAT NORTH-WEST, THESE LINES, WRITTEN AS A PASTIME, BUT NONE THE LESS THE GIFT OF MY HEART, ARE AFFECTIONATELY DEDICATED BY THE AUTHOR. PREFACE. I ASSUME the same responsibility for the contents of tliis book, as the boy who whistled in school, and excused the impropriety by saying, "It whistled itself." I liave been gravely informed that afterward that boy was taken in hand, and straightened up. So with these poems. Poetical composition is the most fascinating recreation I know ; but no large portion of my life has been devoted to recreations of any kind. However, after these lines had forced themselves into a welcome existence, they were taken in hand, and received what labour their author was capal)le of, to give them a finish so artistic as hoped to please the readers' taste. Though written in the first person, the longest piece is no more autobiographical than a work of sympathy and imagination must necessarily be. The last in the book took form some years ago, as a burlesque on the invincibility of ignorance and of precon- VI PHKFACE. ceiveject's recollection of his world not realized in fact. Law of change and progress — penalty of all who do not conform to it. The subject's disappointment. Some things eternal, as changes of seasons — day and night. Changes in other things more painful by contrast — describes a mound, spring, and woodland ; also, shade trees which have overgrown inscrip- tions in bark — so life overgrows men's ideas. Things that never change appear different to the eye of age. Illustrations of feeling affecting appearance. Distances shorter. Affection feels change most. New faces in school-room and church. Enters the churchyard — Reflections on some who lie there — he stands like an old tree. Sad remembrances destroy his plea- sure. Sorrow natural, though not despairing. Love hopes for resurrection, weeps for present loss. Subject leaves ceme- tery — Distance between him and the gate thereof less than once. Appeal for help from God ; and confidence in the futuro. Wk RECREATIONS HOMEWARD. From gorgeous scenes, where nature proudly spreads Her spangled canopy above our heads, Her grandeur far, her beauties round our feet, And wildest forms with mingling colors meet, — From all the ecstasy of ripened art, The gazer's eye will turn at times apart, His soul o'erflowed with deep and mastering sense Of constant, unrelieved magnificence ! The ear of richest harmonies would tire. The heart consume itself in rising fire, When rapture burns, or griefs with furnace heat. Unchecked by cooling blasts, their waves repeat. When borne on swelling tides of joy or pain. How glad we welcome lesser depths again ! 12 RECREATIONS. As deep in life would ceaseless pleasure wear As strokes of flail, or fangs of sleepless care ; Alike from stately pompc or lowly toil Released, our bending natures back recoil. From every field — the worst not more than best, — Where hard defeat has crushed, or fortune blest ; And down from highest flight, we fainting come, The rest to seek which e'er abides at home. Who would not turn from clash of constant strife. From all insatiate greeds that grow with life, Whose worldly aim our finer sense betrays. And nearer nature live in childlike ways ? Outborne in life, as o'er a stormy sea, A lifted signal backward summoned me ; Fatigued with work, my winds were longings strong. For rest and change, that swept me swift along ; My father's house enchained my steadfast eye, The star of promise shining in my sky. My haven reached, where life's first years were spent, And, memory's pages backward turned, I went Through flying scenes of other days once more. The curtain raised from all I was before, — HOMEWARD. 13 In brook and tree some memory was stored, And house and hill, in fluent language poured Their treasured tales, and pictured forms again, Myself to raise before myself, as when The country's own, I lived a guileless boy, Whose wildest dream of all-sufficing joy Ne'er soared beyond his narrow world's set bounds. Nor thought of fame but in his humble rounds ! Beside the oft-deserted rural street. Along the sunny, sloping green, where meet The thronging tokens of the buried past, That teemed with pleasures all too glad to last, I walked, where once, through length'ning summer day, I watched the travellers passing on their way, — The farmer's waggon, freighted down with grain. Slow-moved by heavy beasts in laboring pain, — The lumbering coach that daily passed along. And wonder woke in every gazing throng, — The light calash, with birdlike speed that flew, And in its wake the shouting children drew, — The grand barouche, in pomp and vain display. With bearded men, and bright-robed ladies gay. u RECREATIONS. In memory's records crowned with fame the day ! And heedless horsemen galloped past in pride, Nor deigned a glance on footmen at their side. With Fancy's eyes again I them pursue, Till o'er yon hill they sink beyond my view, As when in gilded day-dreams, long ago. Their world I pictured which I could not know. And to my infant thought removed so far. They might have been the natives of a star ! My childish thoughts, revolving in my brain. Impatient pressed, the doors to ope, in vain, Of that great world, in mystery robed, unknown. With wonders crowded, how unlike my own ! Did there the earth feel changes I had seen. Leave banks of flowers, and June's luxuriant green- Through dreary months enfold herself in snow. While icy bonds restrained the river's flow ? Did stately trees, wide-branching, skyward tend. With grateful shade o'er weary toilers bend. And leaves and fruits with liberal grace bestow 1 Did sky to earth its blazing marvels show, And wealth of glories day and night unfold. Display its gems as once to seers of old 1 HOMEWARD. Did passing clouds on earth their substance pour, And maddened waters lash the girding shore 1 Where field and flood are wed in gorgeous scene Did spacious valleys stretch the hills between ? Where sunset tints in various shades appear Did forests make thr arching sky seem near *? Were thoughts and feelings colored here as there 1 Did forms of men a common aspect wear ? Fell there a heritage of guileless truth — A pledge for future years — on wayward youth ? 15 Impatient zeal, that onward spurs a child In reckless dash at truth, conjectured wild. And strove with questions deep, in useless pain, The yawning gulf to pass — a height to gain. Of worldly knowledge, years alone can reach, And, lisping, sought what none but sages teach : But oft repulsed, I, wearied, watching stood, Until the years — an ever flowing flood, — In sluggish current slowly by me passed, And broke the bonds of infancy at last. The open gates, on active life thrown wide. From boyish projects turned my thoughts aside; To higher duties called, proclaimed me man. 16 RECREATIONS. And ill another school my course began, — To read that greater world's mysterious book, And fathom depths where once I might not look. In cheerful willingness the call I heard, Was onward led as by some guiding word ; In many mines of toil the hidden vein Was sought and worked, and yielded up its gain ; In winding paths, that oft the shaded rill Of pleasure crossed, and up the rugged hill I toiled, till Fame, her banner high unfurled. Revealed to thought the ever-widening world ! And while I plowed and sowed, the good I sought So tilled my busy hands, so tilled my thought, I every plaint of weariness ; uppressed, Nor paused the busy wheels of life for rest. But earnest sought a world of wider bounds ; Like as the bending shrub, in circling rounds, With growing age to towering heights will climb. Nor feels decay till long beyond its prime : So I in upward striving Iiigher grew. While grasping, worldly aims, obscured the true — Seemed lower down at every height attained. And only poorer felt the more I gained, — HOMEWARD. 17 And mad Ambition, goading onward still, For all but selfish objects lost my will ! For this the common lot of men who ]>end Their strength and truth, to reach no higher end Than place and name in thoughts of those who pay At golden shrines the worship of a day. I both of human joy and sorrow learned, — That virtue weeping, — truth by malice spurned, — And merit slighted where pretence is crowned, — Lost by the good, a prize the selfish found, — The goal of honor bought by brilje of gold, A bantering conscience in the market sold, — Religion's name the diadem of pride,— And fashion followed as a faultless guide, Are all deforming marks deep wrought in life Of men who crowd the earth in echoing strife : And as, when loud the angel's trumpet call. Through earth and heaven resounds, to summon all. From bursting graves shall rise the quickened dead, So shall the right exalt its honored head ; And all its forms, ascending with their Lord, Shall sit enthroned, and next to him adored ! So shall the weak arise though trampled down, B IS RECREATIONS. Success to honest failure bears a crown, — Tlie troubled dreamer wakes to glad surprise, And light shall o'er the night of sorrow rise. Where near a grave, beneath the willows, sits A crushed and weeping household, o'er them flits A liijfht as thrown from ancfel's sun-lit wini]:, Down speeding, hope and comfort there to ])ring ; And grief remits its lien on breaking hearts, — When suns of promise rise the cloud departs, — The darkened path at last leads from the wood — Joy like the morning bursts on all the good ! While thus the truth unveiled my world of dreams. And nearer lirought what far from childliood seems. In long succession, constant crowding cares Had o'er me cast their deeply woven snares, And closed my eyes to marks that age betrayed ; While flying years no conscious record made : As light the thought of pains when heir is born, — As dancing maid forgets approaching morn, — As one who toils, nor feels his waste of strength, Upborne by hope, no more the lingering length, And heavy tread of anxious years is known, To thought and sense with pleasure overgrown. TIOMEWAKD. 19 When smiling fortune lends her constant aid To one who seems for fame hy nature made, Who, armed in panoply of strength, pursues What paths of enterprise his needs may choose,— And rakes his gold from sands in every stream, With larger hand than promised hopes extreme? ; Whose heart remains an open treasure store, And gladly shares with need, nor wants for more ; Whom fond affections added bliss has crowned With sweet content ; and household joys surround ; Who bends his strength, inflamed by knowing zeal, To seek with high and low, the pul)lic weal, "^ And burdens bears of church and rising state; Who girds upon his arm a growing weight Of power, and round him, like an atmospliere, A swelling tide of influence, kind, severe, In spreading circles flows ; and into laws Combine his words, in every righteous cause ; Who stands in rank with kings uncrowned, who think, — What cup of pleasure deeper may he drink. Or purer rapture draw from earthly springs 1 High raised in thought above all trivial things, Uncounted o'er him pass the fleeting years,-- ' A wheeling cycle but a day appears ! 20 liECRKATIONS. Tliouf,'h If'ss tho lioiiorod stamp of my degree, And humhler, Nature's kind designs for me, And lower heights my shining triumphs scaled, And more the hopc^ful ventures tried that failed ; No less I lost the register of time, My mind inflamed hy soaring dreams sublime ; And hent in yoke of overriding cares That passive drove me far as wisdom dares. Like one who seeks for gems in many lands. And flies obedient where a chance commands. The home of childhood's mirth, so long unseen, As song unsung, must have forgotten been ; Jiut came a timely holiday that oped The floor of pleasure wider than I hoped — A pass, that frowning mountains lay between — 'Mid jiriuted folios a pictured scene — A bar across my path — a wayside stone — Where wearied sits the traveller, alone — A V>eckoning hand, that checked my onward pace — A voice that warned aloud, my way retrace : And, more than all, a rising impulse strong. Like rush of tidal waters swept along. High lifting on their crest my flying bark. With steadfast movement, guided toward my mark ; IIOMEW.Mll). 21 My strangely-veering course returniiig o'er, And homeward bound, witli quiet days in store Of burdens eased — with rest for weary feet, And forms beloved, mid fading scenes to greet. But, time and change ! O sleepless, ruthless pair ! Where'er men flee, they trace your footsteps there ; Your hands are spread o'er nature's smiling fac< ! Your rugged touch appals our trembling race ! In birth of fruit all bloom and fragrance die ! While summer breathes, the winter's hosts are iii