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And therefore； lingering in a land of lawn；
I； standing here； a singer of the dawn；
With gaze upturned to where wan summits lie
Against the morning flowing up the sky …
Whose eyes in dreams of many colours see
Page： 130
A glittering vision of the years to be …
Do ask of thee； Calliope； one hour
Of life pre…eminent with perfect power；
That I may leave a song whose lonely rays
May shine hereafter from these songless days。
For now there breaks across the faint grey range
The rose…red dawning of a radiant change。
A soft； sweet voice is in the valleys deep；
Where darkness droops and sings itself to sleep。
The grave； mute woods； that yet the silence hold
Of dim； dead ages； gleam with hints of gold。
Yon eastern cape that meets the straitened wave …
A twofold tower above the whistling cave …
Whose strength in thunder shields the gentle lea；
And makes a white wrath of a league of sea；
Now wears the face of peace； and in the bay
The weak； spent voice of Winter dies away。
Page： 131
In every dell there is a whispering wing；
On every lawn a glimmer of the Spring；
By every hill are growths of tender green …
On every slope a fair； new life is seen；
And lo！ beneath the morning's blossoming fires；
The shining city of a hundred spires；
In mists of gold； by countless havens furled；
And glad with all the flags of all the world！
These are the shores； where； in a dream of fear；
Cathay saw darkness dwelling half the year！
Note：According to that eminent authority； Mr。R。H。Major；
and others； the Great Southern Land is referred to in
old Chinese records as a polar continent； subject to the long polar nights。
These are the coasts that old fallacious tales
Chained down with ice and ringed with sleepless gales！
This is the land that； in the hour of awe；
Page： 132
From Indian peaks the rapt Venetian saw！
Note：Marco Polo mentions a large land called by the Malays Lochac。
The northern coast was supposed to be in
latitude 10＇degree＇S。 （Vide Bennett； and others。
Here is the long grey line of strange sea wall
That checked the prow of the audacious Gaul；
What time he steered towards the southern snow；
From zone to zone； four hundred years ago！
Note：Mr。 R。H。Major has discovered a map of Terra Australis
dated A。D。 1542； and bearing the name of Le Testu；
a French pilot。 Le Testu must have visited these coasts
some years before the date of the chart。
By yonder gulf； whose marching waters meet
The wine…dark currents from the isles of heat；
Strong sons of Europe； in a far dim year；
Faced ghastly foes； and felt the alien spear！
There； in a later dawn； by shipless waves；
The tender grasses found forgotten graves。
Note：The sailors of the Duyfhen； a Dutch vessel which
entered Carpentaria； in A。D。1605； were attacked by the
natives。 In the fray； some of the whites were killed。
No doubt； these unlucky adventurers were the first Europeans
buried in Australia。 （Vide Woods； and others。）
Page： 133
Far in the west； beyond those hills sublime；
Dirk Hartog anchored in the olden time；
There； by a wild…faced bay； and in a cleft；
His shining name the fair…haired Northman left；
Note：Dirk Hartog left a tin plate； bearing his name；
in Shark's Bay； Western Australia。 It was last seen in
A。D。1803。
And； on those broad imperial waters； far
Beneath the lordly occidental star；
Sailed Tasman down a great and glowing space
Whose softer lights were like his lady's face。
In dreams of her he roved from zone to zone；
And gave her lovely name to coasts unknown；
And saw； in streaming sunset everywhere；
The curious beauty of her golden hair。
Note：Abel Tasman's love for Maria Van Dieman is well known。
Tasmania； and many of the islands and points on
the N。W。 coasts of Australia were named after her。
By flaming tracts of tropic afternoon；
Where in low heavens hangs a fourfold moon。
Here； on the tides of a resplendent year；
Page： 134
By capes of jasper； came the buccaneer。
Note：Dampier。
Then； then； the wild men； flying from the beach；
First heard the clear； bold sounds of English speech；
And then first fell across a Southern plain
The broad； strong shadows of a Saxon train。
Near yonder wall of stately cliff； that braves
The arrogance of congregated waves；
The daring son of grey old Yorkshire stood
And dreamed in a majestic solitude；
What time a gentle April shed its showers；
Aflame with sunset； on the Bay of Flowers。
Note：Botany Bay
The noble seaman who withheld the hand；
And spared the Hector of his native land …
The single savage； yelling on the beach
The dark； strange curses of barbaric speech。
Exalted sailor！ whose benignant phrase
Shines full of beauty in these latter days；
Page： 135
Who met the naked tribes of fiery skies
With great； divine compassion in his eyes；
Who died； like Him of hoary Nazareth；
That death august … the radiant martyr's death；
Who in the last hour showed the Christian face
Whose crumbling beauty shamed the alien race。
In peace he sleeps where deep eternal calms
Lie round the land of heavy…fruited palms。
Lo！ in that dell； behind a singing bar；
Where deep； pure pools of glittering waters are；
Beyond a mossy； yellow； gleaming glade；
The last of Forby Sutherland was laid …
The blue…eyed Saxon from the hills of snow
Who fell asleep a hundred years ago。
In flowerful shades； where gold and green are rife；
Still rests the shell of his forgotten life。
Far； far away； beneath some northern sky
The fathers of his humble household lie；
But by his lonely grave are sapphire streams；
And gracious woodlands； where the fire…fly gleams；
Page： 136
And ever comes across a silver lea
The hymn sublime of the eternal sea。
On that bold hill； against a broad blue stream；
Stood Arthur Phillip in a day of dream：
What time the mists of morning westward rolled；
And heaven flowered on a bay of gold！
Here； in the hour that shines and sounds afar；
Flamed first old England's banner like a star；
Here； in a time august with prayer and praise；
Was born the nation of these splendid days；
And here this land's majestic yesterday
Of immemorial silence died away。
Where are the woods that； ninety summers back；
Stood hoar with ages by the water…track？
Where are the valleys of the flashing wing；
Page： 137
The dim green margins and the glimmering spring？
Where now the warrior of the forest race；
His glaring war…paint and his fearless face？
The banks of April and the groves of bird；
The glades of silence and the pools unstirred；
The gleaming savage and the whistling spear；
Passed with the passing of a wild old year！
A single torrent singing by the wave；
A shadowy relic in a mountain cave；
A ghost of fire in immemorial hills；
The whittled tree by folded wayside rills；
The call of bird that hides in hollows far；
Where feet of thunder； wings of winter are …
Of all that Past； these wrecks of wind and rain；
These touching memories … these alone remain！
What sun is this that beams and broadens west？
What wonder this； in deathless glory dressed？
Page： 138
What strange； sweet harp of highest god took flame
And gave this Troy its life； its light； its name？
What awful lyre of marvellous power and range
Upraised this Ilion … wrought this dazzling change？
No shining singer of Hellenic dreams
Set yonder splendour by the morning streams！
No god who glimmers in a doubtful sphere
Shed glory there … created beauty here！
This is the city that our fathers framed …
These are the crescents by the elders named！
The human hands of strong； heroic men
Broke down the mountain； filled the gaping glen；
Ran streets through swamp； built banks against the foam；
And bent the arch and raised the lordly dome！
Here are the towers that the founders made！
Here are the temples where these Romans prayed！
Here stand the courts in which their leaders met！
Here are their homes； and here their altars yet！
Here sleep the grand old men whose lives sublime
Page： 139
Of thought and action shine and sound through time！
Who worked in darkness … onward fought their ways
To bring about these large majestic days …
Who left their sons the hearts and high desires
Which built this city of the hundred spires！
A stately Morning rises