F. T. P.
_July_, 1889




THE VISIONS OF ENGLAND


PRELUDE


_CAESAR TO EGBERT_

1

England, fair England! Empress isle of isles!
--Round whom the loving-envious ocean plays,
Girdling thy feet with silver and with smiles,
Whilst all the nations crowd thy liberal bays;
With rushing wheel and heart of fire they come,
Or glide and glance like white-wing'd doves that know
And seek their proper home:--
England! not England yet! but fair as now,
When first the chalky strand was stirr'd by Roman prow.

2

On thy dear countenance, great mother-land,
Age after age thy sons have set their sign,