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Seaman: To Mr Alfred Austin
Some sixteen further autumns bound their sheaves;
With hope deferred wild battle he had waged,
And written books. At last the laurel leaves
Were disengaged.
Felicitations, bursting through his bowers,
Came on him hoeing roots. With mild surprise,
'Leave me alone,' he said, 'among my flowers
Tobotanise.'
The Prime Elector, Man of Many Days,
Though Allan's 1 Muse adorned the Liberal side,
Seizing the swift occasion, left the bays
Unoccupied.
The Peer that followed, having some regard
For humour hitherto accounted sin,
Produced a knighthood for the blameless bard
Of proud Penbryn.
At length a callous Tory Chief arose,
Master of caustic jest and cynic gibe,
Looked round the Carlton Club and lightly chose
Its leading scribe.
And so with heaving heart and happy tears
Our patient Alfred took the tardy spoil
Though spent with sixty venerable years
Of virtuous toil.
And ever, when marsh-marigolds are cheap
And new potatoes crown the death of May,
If memory serve us, we propose to keep
His natal day.
1 Radical member for Gateshead.
290
SIR OWEN SEAMAN