POETRY.

A LAY AFTER MACAITLAY.

FAST by the Tory standard, O'erlooking all the war, Famed S-l-sb-ry, of H-ti-Id, Sate in his first-class car.

By the right wheel rode 11-nd-lph,

Prince of the Jingoan name, And by the left false H-cks B-ch, That wrought the deed of shame.* But when the face of B-rtl-tt Was seen among the foes, A laugh that rent the firmament From all the camp arose.

Among them was no mortal But yawned at him and hissed, No child but screamed out "Question," And wanted him dismissed.

But the country's mind was mixed, And the country's thought was doubt, And darkly looked it at the In, And darkly at the Ont.

"The election will be on us Before the year goes down ; What if one way vote the surds And the other way the town ?"

Then outspake mighty Gl-dst-ne, The Captain of the free :— " The end of work comes some day To all men—even to me. And how can work end better Than facing all the odds Of Self, and Class, and Privilege, And Mrs. Grundy's gods And for the mother-country, Where Progress may not rest, And for the poor who nurture Stirs-el babies at the breast ; And for the unparted Empire, Whence England's greatness came, To save her from falsepl-clis B-ch That wrought the deed of shame ?

On for the Cause, dear country, With all the hope ye may ; I, with two more to help me, Will face the foe to-day. On Tory paths a thousand May well be stopped by three; Now who will stand on either hand, And fight the Cause with me ?"

Then ontspake steady H-rt-ngt-n,— Patrician proud was he :— "Lo, I will stand at thy right hand, And fight the Cause with thee." And ontspake fiery Ch-mb-rl-n,— Of burgher-blood was he :— " I will abide on thy left side, And fight the Cause with thee."

"Bold Gl-dst-ne," quoth the Coantry, "As thou say'st, so let it be."

And hand-in-hand they took their stand, The steadfast Liberal three.

They laughed at ranks divided, In battle waxed not cold, And fought together as men fight Who guard the creed of old.

Now, while the three were tightening

Their harness on their backs, And Gl-dst-ne was the foremost man

To take in hand his axe, A rush for the new Commons

Came forth in goodly show—

Seine thought the pace a fittlejfast, And some a little slow.

Some were who would be foremost To lead a fierce attack ; Some pressed in passion forward, Some held in caution back : But backward both and forward

Stand firm in one array— r` We suppose our contributor means the expulsion of Sir Stafford Northcote.— ED. Spectator. J

And to the good old arm of steel Rallies once more the commonweal, And the old warrior's clarion-peal Rings out again to-day.

Long shall his name be stirring.

The ranks which so led he,

As the trumpet-blast that cries to them

To strike for Liberty ; And men remember ever, Whoe'er her standard rears, 'Tis his who fought the Cause so well, Hard on his fourscore years. H. IL