fu-.a. SONNETS. BY REV. GEORGE T. S. FARQUHAR, M.A., CANON AND PRECENTOR OF S. NINIAN's CATHEDRAL, PERTH. WITH INTRODUCTORY VERSES BY RIGHT REV. CHAS. WORDSWORTH, D.D., D.C.L., BISHOP OF S. ANDREWS, ETC. " With stammering lips and insufficient sound I strive and struggle to deliver right The music of my nature." Mrs. Browning. PERTH : . COWAN & CO., PRINTERS AND PUBLISHERS, 1890, LOAN STACK Contents. PAGE PREFATORY SONNET THE SONNET'S CHARM . 9 PERTH CATHEDRAL SONNETS- LATIN VERSE BY BP. OF S. ANDREWS - 12 TRANSLATION OF SAME - - 12 ON THE PROSPECT OF SEEING THE CATHEDRAL COMPLETED 13 PRAYER FOR THE CATHEDRAL IN 1 887 - 14 BUILDING BEGUN, 1888 - - - - 15 A REPLY TO SANBALLAT, GESHEM, AND TOBIAH - - 1 6 ON SEEING THE MASONS AT WORK, 1 888 - 17 SUGGESTED BY THE VERY REV. THE PROVOST'S ILLNESS - 1 8 WHILE WATCHING THE MASONS AT WORK, 1889 - 19 OUR POINT OF VIEW EXPLAINED TO POSTERITY, 1889 2O SONNETS FROM THE FRENCH- LOVE AND SONG 23 LOVE'S ENTRANCE 24 LOVE'S VICTORY 25 LOVE'S PATHOS 26 LOVE'S CROWN - 27 MUSICAL SONNETS- MUSIC AND I - - 31 MUSICAL SIGHT 32 ON FIRST HEARING MUSIC BY CLEMENTI 33 MENDELSSOHN 34 MDME. N, NERUDA AT A VIOLIN RECITAL - 35 584 PAGE ECCLESIASTICAL SONNETS- HIGH CHURCH - 39 RITUALISM - 40 ALTAR LIGHTS - - 41 IN THE PULPIT 42 A COACH DRIVE THROUGH GLENCOE - 43 SUGGESTED BY THE ESTABLISHED AND FREE ASSEMBLIES, 1889 - 44 ON THE CONSTANT APPOINTMENT OF STRANGERS TO IMPOR- TANT SCOTCH LIVINGS - - 45 SONNETS OF NATURE- BLINDNESS AND VISION 49 A MESSAGE FROM THE OCEAN - 50 LOTUS-EATING - 5 1 AUTUMN - 52 IN THE ROMAN AMPHITHEATRE AT FREJUS - - 53 EPISTOLARY SONNETS TO THE BISHOP OF S. ANDREWS - - 57 TO HIS FAMILY ON THE DEATH OF THE VERY REV. PROVOST BURTON - . 58 ON BEING ASKED TO CONTRIBUTE TO A LITERARY SOCIETY 59 SONNETS OF THE INNER LIFE THE GREAT REBELLION - - 63 " EXPERIENTIA DOCET " - - 64 LIFE'S LESSON - . . _ 65 IN A MOMENT OF DISCOURAGEMENT - - 66 " BLESSED ARE THE MEEK " - - - 67 ON READING THE " CONFESSIONS " OF S. AUGUSTINE - 68 " IN THE WORLD BUT NOT OF IT " - - - 69 MY AMBITION - .... 70 ON ENTERING MY THIRTY-THIRD YEAR - 71 preface. IN presenting these verses to a wider public than the few who have already seen them in manuscript, I will not at- tempt to explain or defend them. I hope that they will explain and defend themselves. It may, however, save some readers trouble if I state that, though the Sonnets are naturally arranged in groups and numbered, every one in the volume was composed in- dependently of all the others, and forms a complete whole by itself. This, indeed, ought always to be the case with Sonnets. It may also be as well, lest this little book should fall into the hands of even one person who does not know what a Sonnet is, to explain the laws to be observed in this kind of poetry. Its most essential rules are as follows: (i.) The Sonnet must consist of fourteen lines. (2.) These must fall into two groups of four lines each, followed by two of three each. (3.) In the first eight lines only two rhyme sounds are allowed, and are only allowed in the following order, i.e., lines i, 4, 5, 8 must rhyme together, and lines 2, 3, 6, 7 must also rhyme together. (4.) In the last six lines, three rhyme sounds are allowed, and may be arranged in any order, it being prefer- able that a rhyming couplet should not come last. This is the normal form of the Sonnet. But there is also another, called the Shakespearian, on the model of which several of the following have been composed. 1 This consists, not like the former, of eight lines followed by six, but of three sets of four lines followed by a rhyming couplet. In this species the rules for rhyming are not so strict. Unless these rudi- mentary rules are understood, it is not very easy to enter into the spirit of a Sonnet. I can scarcely hope to have here shewn myself complete master of so elaborate and delicate a form of poetical com- position, but yet, as Shakespeare says, " Lean Penury within that Pen doth dwell That to his subject lends not some small glory." 2 A few of the following have already appeared in the Scottish Guardian and one or two in the Perthshire Adver- tiser and Perthshire Constitutional, but the great majority are here printed for the first time. Finally, I must express my sincere thanks to the Bishop of S. Andrews for speaking an encouraging word with regard to the first group of these Sonnets. GEORGE T. S. FARQUHAR. 20 BALHOUSIE STREET, PERTH, April so, 2890. 1 Namely those on pages 35, 42, 52, 66. 2 Sonnet Ixxxiv. PREFATORY SONNET. prefatory Sonnet THE SONNET'S CHARM. LET those whose hearts with the world's noise are filled, Unloose the current of their fluent mind ; Let them their fancies of each passing kind Pour out in floods of talk that ne'er are stilled. To me it rather seems that God, who willed That man should be to the dread future blind, Yet, hastening conscious thither, wished to find Our spirits in expectant quiet skilled. This, then, is wisdom, that we pass through life Not running riot 'mid earth's restless strife, But gravely pondering what the years have taught Hence, too, the Sonnet's charm, for 'tis the choice Of those who love not ceaseless flow of voice, But brief and pregnant words full charged with thought. Dedicated TO VERY REV. V. L. RORISON, M.A., PROVOST OF THE CATHEDRAL. SONNETS ON THE BUILDING OF S. NINIAN'S CATHEDRAL, PERTH, WITH INTRODUCTORY VERSES, BY RIGHT REV. CHAS. WORDSWORTH, D.D., D.C.L., BISHOP OF S. ANDREWS, ETC. 12 Ad G. T. S. R, S. Niniani apud Pertham Prcecentorem et Poetam. SALVERE jubeo te, Poeta jam noster. O si quod olim in Conditore Thebano, Lapides canendo qui movere callebat, Accidere posset, te canente tarn belle ! Turn quam repente surgeret Cathedralis Perfecta moles ; tumque cordibus gratis Quot vota ccelo solverentur exsultim ! Et qui Poeta es, Conditor fores noster. EPISCOP. SANCT. ANDR. Translation of the same. To G. T. S. F, PRECENTOR AND POET OF S. NINIAN'S CATHEDRAL, PERTH. ALL hail to thee, who art become our bard ! O ! that Amphion's wonder-working lyre, Which built the walls of Thebes, might be transferred To thee, who sing'st so sweetly ! All entire How swiftly then would our Cathedral pile Rise up ! How full would the exulting strain Of thanks to Heaven be raised ! And thou, meanwhile, "Building the lofty rhyme," would'st build our Fane ! Bp. OF S. ANDREWS. 13 Ipertb Catbefcral Sonnets, IRo, I* ON THE PROSPECT OF SEEING THE CATHEDRAL COMPLETED, 1886. THROUGH many tribulations must we go Before to Heaven's high kingdom we attain : Nor must our feet reluctantly disdain To tread the footsteps of our Master's woe. By this the patient Church was taught to grow : Through many griefs her upward path hath lain : Nor least in Scotia hath she suffered pain, Deprest and to "a shadow's shade" brought low. But see ! God breaks her Scottish gloom at last : At His command the long black night departs And the blue day returns. Awhile remain To us, dear life ! for here approacheth fast The gladness longed for by our prayerful hearts The hope to see S. Ninian's full-grown Fane ! 14 pertb Catbe&ral Sonnets, IRo, 2, PRAYER FOR THE CATHEDRAL IN 1887. PREVENT us, Lord, with Thy continual aid In whatsoe'er we do : but chiefly now Advance the work, for which full many a vow Ascends to Thee. May offerings still be made For Thy dear sake, until, securely laid, We see the last stone on the topmost row Of these Cathedral walls, that all may know A debt of love has here to Thee been paid. And let not sin make void our future hours With empty rites, but kindle brightly here In many souls the Faith's authentic flame. Add here one more to Zion's own true towers : O'er this new Fane shed grace so rich and clear That it may spread the glory of Thy Name ! 15 pettb Catbebral Sonnets, 1Fl