: Recollections of a Long Life by Stoughton John - Clergy England Biography; Stoughton John 1807-1897

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Prelude vii On the Trail of the Lion 3 The Gibbet-Song 28 The Scar 48 To England: A Forecast 56 War 60 Clio 66 Ave Pax 68 Alpha 70 Omega 71 Greatness 72 Peter Cronje 82 Christian De Wet 84 Oom Paul 85 Cecil Rhodes 87 Chamberlain 89 Salisbury 90 Peace Pending 92 Peace 96 After 99 Christian De Wet 101 Sine Die 103 A Concordance 104

PREFACE.

Most of the verses in this little volume were conceived and written, if not quite finished, at the time of Cronje's surrender at Paardeberg.

A certain doubt, however, as to any message of theirs, though modestly set off by a belief in their polemic and literary value, has, I think now, unduly delayed their advent into the crowded world of print; and, though the present juncture of a heralded, but, by no means, perfected peace, be perhaps not a very opportune moment for their publication, I have yet thought well to give them forth; the more, since what so be the outcome of the negotiations pending, and whichsoever be the motive of the stronger party thereto--whether a bitter, though slowly realized necessity, or, a trick of pure heart, or, say, tardy insight and charity, both--be this as it may--the long, though fruitless attempt on England's part to compel a surrender by the South African republics of their political existence, illustrating and upholding, as no modern exhibition of this kind has done, how rampant is still in Man, and collective Man especially, a tacit faith in the bigger fist, or, euphemistically speaking, the predatory law of nature--this, I repeat it, can never, it seems to me, be sufficiently reprehended; and a hearty condemnation of it may, therefore, fitly form the theme of conscientious, if necessarily, censorious verse: with which contention the following pieces are frankly submitted, even at this late day of a stupendous struggle of moral Right--whatsoever its intellectual grounds and equipment--against an aggressive and overweening Might, whose partial defence allowed, rests, after all, and as already maintained, its wider base on purely material force, on that callous and objective expediency, which History, in her account of human odds, evermore reveals, and, far too often, glaringly condones.

NEW YORK, May, 1902.

Since the above was set down, Peace has at last gone forth, and of a pace with the better drift and traditions of England; but even so, there seems no valid ground why these Lyrics should not be heard, as an exponent in brief--inadequate, if you like, yet human no less--of a, for a long time, not to be forgotten broil, if, indeed, the sad imp of Contention has had his last say about it.

November, 1902.

PRELUDE.

Out of rare heart-deeps flowing, Primer than thought-spring founts, Upward, 'gainst vaster knowing, Lightsome the Song-word mounts.

And athrob with some faith etern, From Being's deep-violed strings, Draweth, to heaves that burn, The advent and sooth of things.

Invokes unto Song, where the still Hopes go, The Spirit's immutable law.

BOER WAR LYRICS.

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