University of California • Berkeley 
 
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CONGEATITLATORT ODE 
 
 TO 
 
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 THE PEINCE AND PRINCESS OF WALES. 
 
 RECITED IN THE SHELDONIAN THEATRE, 
 
 COMMEMORATION, 1863. 
 
 OXFORD : 
 PRINTED AND PUBLISHED BY J. VINCENT. 
 
 1863. 
 
 /U 
 
ADVERTISEMENT. 
 
 A notice having been issued, calling on the Undergraduates 
 of Oxford to welcome their Royal Highnesses the Prince and 
 Princess of Wales, on their visit to this ancient University, in 
 Poems (both Latin and English) of that class for which the 
 University is so justly celebrated, the author of the following 
 effort conceived the idea of competing for the honour of thus 
 representing the Foeticsil genius loci. 
 
 To this end he carefully studied the various Poems which 
 have obtained prizes in the University, from its foundation 
 down to the present time. The following Poem is the result 
 of this course of reading. 
 
 But, as the time for sending in the compositions arrived, he 
 was seized with a misgiving that, in the hurry of decision by 
 the Examiners, the true merits of the Poetry might escape 
 aotice. Beauties of a higher class are not always visible on 
 the surface. He has therefore rather chosen to appeal to the 
 appreciative taste of a discriminating Public. 
 
** Liber ius si 
 
 DixerOy si quid forte jocosius^ hoc mihi juris 
 
 (Jum venid dahis^ 
 
 HoR. Sat. I., iv., 103. 
 
CONGRATULATORY ODE. 
 
 Hail to the Princess and the Prince of Wales ! 
 Through all our cloistered groves and wooded vales 
 Our soft-tongued welcome breaks upon the lea, 
 Or floats to where, upon the silent sea. 
 The sun is setting in the golden west 
 And many a ship is tossed on Ocean's breast. 
 While round thy keel the ruddy dolphins play 
 And speed the willing bark upon its way. 
 
 SJC ^ 5jC 3|C 5JC 
 
 * * * * * 
 
 Welcome to Oxford Prince and fair Princess ! 
 In iiianly grace and maiden loveliness. 
 Awhile we cast aside our drearie books 
 And bask for one brief hour in beauty's look?. 
 
6 
 Those smiling looks that ever fond and gay 
 Seem like the reflex of perpetual May, 
 What time the silver shadows of the Moon 
 Flitting a moment fade away too soon, 
 And on the silent pinions of the breeze 
 Our jocund cheers re-echo through the trees. 
 Fair Cloacina^ shouts in pensive glee, 
 And wakes her fretted lyre to melody. 
 The glorious Nine throng humbly in her wake 
 And fondly wreathe their garlands for your sake. 
 
 So welcome ! — such as thou hast never known — • 
 One-half be Alberts^ th' other all thine own ; 
 And let it on the balmy sether float 
 In cheers like those that greet the second boat, 
 When IsW Sons on Isis strive to gain 
 But one more place and o'er the river reign, 
 
 * Cloacina^ Guardian Nymph of the Cherwell. 
 
'Ere yet in Summer nights of leafy June 
 Mseandering murmurs of the midnight Moon 
 Proclaim that eve hath orbed into night 
 And sleeps on streams of molten chrysolite. 
 
 Let his roll her tuneful flood along. 
 And Gherwell murmur with responsive song, 
 And softly droop her willows as she goes 
 Down to fair Isis which to seaward flows. 
 Another and another welcome yet ! 
 Shall Oxford e'^er her loyalty forget I 
 No ! while the rabid rabble round us raise 
 The cheer of homage and the shout of praise, 
 Our classic taste another method chooses — 
 Songs of Parnassus and the Hymns of Muses. 
 
8 
 Farewell ! if haply some secluded spot, 
 Not unremember'd and forgotten not. 
 Shall fondly call to mind our welcome here 
 That, through the joys and sorrows of the year, 
 Shall shine like some fair star from heaven's dome 
 Through the bright splendour of your regal home, 
 Forget not then that Oxford welcomed ye 
 In these sweet strains of classic poesie ! 
 
 THE END.