POETRY.
"ET IN ARCADIA EGO."
" Soy, Scholar,•hast thou seen Oxford? "
Thus sought the countrymen who throng the page Of him, the singer-craftsman,. who first took The Oxford of all ages for his own, And wove delights for us her cons since born.
The question echoes, but the answer lingers; "There came to me a vision of a winding street, With grey roofs and the sound of many belle."
And dreamingly I told those Kentish men, "I have seen Oxford."
Say, Scholar, host thou seen Oxford?
The question rings adown the ages, And we answer it as best we may, With sounding pride, or learning's gravity, Or the calm certainty of a matchless love.
"The Kingdom of Gad shall be revealed," Says one, her golden-tongued lover,?
"To him to whom all ages Are as the streets of his own city," And yet we answer, musingly, " I have seen Oxford."
Say, Scholar, hest thou seen Oxford?
The question echoes 'cross the sandy wastes Of Egypt, o'er the islands fair Of Greece, and up those deadly heights Where fell our noblest; 'Death the orchard trees Of France, or o'er the friendly deep.
And there comes no answer bat a sigh, A wavering thought of the grey roofs, The fluttering gown, the gleaming oars, And the sound of many bells.
Till love of England steel our voice once more, And we can make reply, unfalteringly, " I too have seen Oxford." E. L.
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