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While August sings the advent of the Spring；
And in the calm is heard September's wing；
The lordly voice of song I ask of thee；
High； deathless radiance … crowned Calliope！
What though we never hear the great god's lays
Which made all music the Hellenic days …
Page： 128
What though the face of thy fair heaven beams
Still only on the crystal Grecian streams …
What though a sky of new； strange beauty shines
Where no white Dryad sings within the pines：
Here is a land whose large； imperial grace
Must tempt thee； goddess； in thine holy place！
Here are the dells of peace and plenilune；
The hills of morning and the slopes of noon；
Here are the waters dear to days of blue；
And dark…green hollows of the noontide dew；
Here lies the harp； by fragrant wood…winds fanned；
That waits the coming of thy quickening hand！
And shall Australia； framed and set in sea；
August with glory； wait in vain for thee？
Shall more than Tempe's beauty be unsung
Because its shine is strange … its colours young？
No！ by the full； live light which puts to shame
The far； fair splendours of Thessalian flame …
By yonder forest psalm which sinks and swells
Like that of Phocis； grave with oracles …
Page： 129
By deep prophetic winds that come and go
Where whispering springs of pondering mountains flow …
By lute…like leaves and many…languaged caves；
Where sounds the strong hosanna of the waves；
This great new majesty shall not remain
Unhonoured by the high immortal strain！
Soon； soon； the music of the southern lyre
Shall start and blossom with a speech like fire！
Soon； soon； shall flower and flow in flame divine
Thy songs； Apollo； and Euterpe； thine！
Strong； shining sons of Delphicus shall rise
With all their father's glory in their eyes；
And then shall beam on yonder slopes and springs
The light that swims upon the light of things。
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
Th