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 FRIDGES, Robert S. 
 Brittarmia Victrix. 
 
 CT 
 
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 1 
 

 
 LIBRARY 
 UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA 
 
 R iv
 
 TZritannia Victrix 
 
 by 
 
 UpBE^T BRIDGES 
 
 Poet Laureate 
 
 Nov. 23 , igi8
 
 /9/S 
 
 Oxford University Press 
 
 London Edinburgh Glasgow New York 
 
 Toronto Melbourne Cape Town Bombay 
 
 Humphrey Milford Publisher to the University
 
 BRITANNIA VICT%IX 
 
 Careless wast thou m thy pride , 
 Queen of seas and countries wide. 
 Glorying on thy peaceful throne : — 
 Can thy love thy sins atone f 
 What shall dreams of glory serve , 
 If thy sloth thy doo?n deserve, 
 When the strong relentless foe 
 Storm thy gates to lay thee low ? 
 
 Careless, ah ! he saw thee leap 
 Mighty from thy startled sleep, 
 Heard afar thy challenge ring: 
 ^Twas the world's awakening. 
 
 Welcome to thy children all 
 Rallying to thee without call 
 Oversea, the sportive sons 
 From thy vast dominions \ 
 Stern in unset or defence, 
 Terrible in their confidence
 
 Dauntless wast tho unfair gdddess, 
 Neath the cloud of thy distress ; 
 Fierce and mirthful wast thou seen 
 In thy toil and in thy teen ; 
 While the nations looked to thee y 
 Spent in world-wide cigony. 
 
 Oft, throughout that long ordeal 
 Dark with horror-stricken duty, 
 Nature on thy heart would steal 
 Beckoning thee with heavenly beauty , 
 Heightening ever on thine isle 
 All her seasons'* tranquil smile j 
 Till thy soul anew converted. 
 Roaming cter the fields deserted 
 By thy sorrow sanctified, 
 Found a place wherein to hide. 
 
 Soon fresh beauty lit thy face, 
 Then thou stood* st in Heaven* s high grace , 
 Sudden in air on land and sea 
 SwelPd the voice of victory. 
 
 Now when jubilant bells resound 
 And thy sons come laurel- crowned, 
 After all thy years of woe 
 Thou no longer canst forgo, 
 Now thy tears are loosed to flow.
 
 Land, dear land, whose sea-built shore 
 Nurseth warriors evermore y 
 Land, whence Freedom far and lone 
 Round the earth her speech has thrown 
 Like a planet* s luminous %pne, — 
 In thy strength and calm defiance 
 Hold mankind in lovers alliance ! 
 
 Beauteous art thcu, but the foes 
 Of thy beauty are not those 
 Who lie tangled and dismayed: 
 Fearless one, be yet afraid 
 Lest thyself thyself condemn 
 In the wrong that ruirPd them. 
 
 God, who chose thee and upraised 
 y Mong the folk, (His name be praised] ) 
 Proved thee then by chastisement 
 Worthy of His high intent, 
 Who, because thou could? st endure, 
 Saved thee free and purged thee pure, 
 Won thee thus His grace to win, 
 For thy love forgave thy sin, 
 For thy truth forgave thy pride, 
 Queen of seas and countries wide, — 
 He who led thee still will guide.
 
 Hark I thy sons, those spirits fresh 
 D early housed in darling fleshy 
 Thy full brightening buds of strength , 
 Ere their day had any length 
 Crushed) and fallen in torment sorest^ 
 Hark ! the sons whom thou deplorest 
 Call; — I hear one call; he saith: 
 cc Mother^ weep not for my death ; 
 'Twas to guard our home from hell, 
 'Twas to make thy joy I fell 
 Praising God y and all is well 
 What if now thy heart should quail 
 And in peace our victory fail \ 
 If low greed in guise of right 
 Rout and rive thy gathered mighty 
 And thy power mankind to save 
 Fall and perish on our gravel 
 On my grave, whose legend be 
 Fought with the brave and joyfully 
 Died in faith of victory. 
 Follow on the way we won ! 
 Thou hastfoundy not lost thy son." 
 
 November 23.
 
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