EGGS AND OLIVES.

Otago Witness, Issue 2299, 24 March 1898, Page 63

EGGS AND OLIVES.

1889-91. Necdum omnis abacta Pauperies epulis regum ; na-m vilibus ovis Nigrisque eat olei3 hodie locus. Uor. Sat. n, 2, Ulf-6. TO HBNKIK- IBSEN.* I st here in my study, hear the roar j Of great gray waves that rush upon the shingle Fast and more fast : why hasbe they to tha shore ? Would Ocean old wibh Earth his beiDg mingle ? Away, my Soul ! while thus his suit he presses And she lies trembling neath his rough cares3ts. Away, my £oul ! Hie thee to Empress Rome, 'So lo ty Miiuchen — seek all Europe over : ' Perchance the Porcelain City's now his horne — Seek, seek until thou'sfc found the Poet-rover. Then fold thy wiugs about thee, tired with winging Across the World, and break forth into singiog:— " Poet ! I have Mfc my home ifar beyond the white Bea-foam — Land cf forest;, lake and fiord, Precipices glacier-scored, Wuow-clad peaks and water-leaps, Caverns wherein Echo sleeps, Yefc unroused by woodmaa'a stefcl Oc tramp of tourist's iron heel — Land like that northern home of Thine Tho' other p.tars above ib shine. l( Half around the globe I've flown, Ibsen, for this, for this alone To hear Thy voice, to see Thy face, j To speak with Thee a little space. Loye hath brought me, love to one Who doeth nobly, and hath done 1 His whole lite tbro' heroic things ; Whereof the fame fco Heaven rings— | To Heaven as should be, for thence cxvae The oil that feeds Thy Spirit's flams. " God-sent idol-breaker, hear Words of comfort and good cheer ! Past the mountain of the sea O'er which I came this night to Thee Lies New Zetland, joung and brave, Free and life-lull as the wave That ever rolls-upcn her beaches — That ever tho same secret teaches To him whose Soul is tuted so lb vibrates to tha.o ebb and flow. ! " Theie at last hath come the sound I Of Thy sbroDg speech, and welcome found : i There are ineu who flad their needs i 111-supplied by mouldy creeds, Priestly lies aad old-world stories — Ashes cold of ancient glories : There are men wbo will be men ; Driving plough ov wielding pan, Boldly for themselves they think And trora i»o conclusion shrink. " There ara men ghost-haunted still Whcm new thoughts with terror fill : Spectres — hunted otherwhere Perchance ! to that free soil repair ; | Spectres in so fair disguise They would cheat the keenest eyes i And appear like augels sent | From Heaven with loving, pure intent ; I Hard we press them— long 'twill ba j Ere we claim the victory. " Think, O Ibsen, post-heart, Who Tib-day the for* most art Of all thy Norway's valiant sons— Shslt-be with Earth's mighty ones Hereafter ranked ; think how ouu Souls Upieap~ as rouad about us rails Tna thander of Thy words which make The gilded Social Pillars' shake AncT goblins flee ;/and bid mankind' Worship the royalty of mind. " Ibsen, I love Thee ; weighty word Few othsr msn save Thee have heard— Thee and our noble English Bard, Browning, who dealeth many s hard Stroke in this glorious strife of ours And far above his fellowa towers — In might a Thor ! That love maybe Little to some, yet unto Thee Who well it 3 rarity must know, Will be a welcome thing I trow." And then, my Soul, break off and wait hia word, Eagerly patient, standing still before him ; And if the song of thee have leastwise stirred The depths of him, a quick thrill will run o'er him, And he will smile upon thee ; while he smileth Away, and see that naught thy speed beguileth. For ah ! no human face forever wears The smile the Soul, once learning, ever weareth ; The daily bihterne«s, crosses, cares, However lightly for them all one carefch At hearo, the brow is knit, the eye is shaded ; Return, 0 Soul, ere Ibsen's smile hath faded. Marsyas. [* Sunday the 20th' of March, being the great Norwegiarf poet'i' birthday, it has seemed to me appropriate to publish this small tribute to his mighty genius in the present issue of the Times.— M.] ____ mmara __ >- __ nTO OUR CUSTOMERS. Chamberlain's Cough Remedy is the besb cough syrup wo have over used ourselves or in our families. W. H. King, Isaac P. King, and many others in this vicinity have also pronounced it the beab. All we want is for people to try ib, and they will be convinced. Upon honour, there ia no better that we have ever tried, and we have used many kinds. — R. A. Blake and Son, General Merchants, Big Tunnel, Y», gold by all leading ch.em.ist9-