THE END OF WAR.

Observer, Volume 7, Issue 236, 21 March 1885, Page 4

THE END OF WAR.

(Written for the Observer.) Doubt not that Peace will grace the earth : The struggle for it gives War birth, And modern means and modern aims For progress War's extinction claims. Yet admiration fills our hearts When heroes great perform their parts, jSTor does this unromantic age Scorn deeds adorning hist'ry's page. 'Mid dark-skinned hordes in torrid clime, Fearless of treachery or crime, Their good his wish, his faith his shield, Gordon his marv'lous power did wield. Fanatic zeal impelled his foe, The Mahdi, flushed with victory's glow, To prove the strength of Khartoum's wall — His fame would thrive on Gordon's fall. Repulsed in all his bold attacks, And losing still his bravest blacks, He hears that Britain's dreaded host Comes slow advancing. Is all lost ? Then stratagem must be employed ; T'.;c garrison must be decoyed. If there are traitors in the town, 1 They must be hired to bring it down. There were ; and by his crafty wiles Mahomed Ahmed led his files Victorious through the opened gate, And soon with bloodshed was elate. Poor Gordon ! bravest of the brave, The feai'less, spotless, none could save ; Pie met his fate at treach'rous hands, His men fell fighting- murd'rous bands. From El Metemmeh, steaming fast, Came Wilson's gunboat — here at last ! Approaching Khartoum's captured town — Its sudden fall as yet unknown. The flush of expectation spread O'er upturned faces, and the thread Of talk was e'er upon the theme How Gordon's face with joy would gleam, When, as they glided swiftly on, Dread musketry rang out upon The river, and the cannon's boom Warned them to flee a threat'ning doom. Then knew they that the foe had won The city, and in haste to shun The bands that harassed their escape, Their boat an island's shore did scrape. But gallant Beresford, at hand, Beat off the foe and made a stand, Till, rescued by his bold' address, Back with him to the camp they press. O, England ! such a day for thee May fate ne'er bring again — to see Thy promised vict'ry snatched away Through vacillation's vain delay. . And such a mail the world has lost i As nations weep for; loved by most — E'en by his foes respected — praised, And monuments to such are raised. Not stone nor graven brass are fit, But in his deeds his mem'ry Avrit Tells future ages how the great Shine forth, despite unwelcome fate. Doth England sorrow for his death? Ay ! called on by his latest breath, Her grief is not unmixed with shame, Because her statesmen bear much blame. Yet glorious shines her lustrous reign, Her Empire is not on the wane, For Australasia proves her worth With forces from the ends of earth. What though the Russ, with fell design, March on across the appointed line — Back he shall go, in. sore defeat, Unless he wisely first retreat. And when he shall attempt again To wrest a port, to reach the the main, Whether in Turkey he may choose, Or Asia Minor meet his vit-ws, Let him beware, for in himself, His own disease shall mar his pelf. And fleeing to his frigid clime A shattered wreck, throughout all time, His enrph-e gone, his prestige lost, liis lot shall be eternal frost. A. C-

"MvLove" is the title of one of the most ' beautiful set of waltzes we have heard for some tinie, which has been sent to us by the publisher, Mr VV. E. Hears, for notice. The composer is one of our best known professors of music (W. H. Webbe) whose portrait we gave a fortnight since. The introduction, unlike most modern waltzes, is very short, containing but six bare. The individuality of the composer strikes the listener in the opening strain, taken from his exquisite little song, "My love I Love Thee Best/ Wo perceive the airs in Mie first, number in the waltz are ati exact reproduction from the song named. The first melody is of a sad character, and is followed by a pretty scherzo movement (each bar of which begins with triplets) ; ending with a bold melody, which makes an immediate impression on the hearer. The V second part opens with a yery sweet refrain, / weird, yet impressive, and, as in the first part, a light and sparkling movement is introduced, making a pleasant contrast. The third number begins with a scherzando movement, and again another striking melody is brought in, making in all no less tban twelve distinct melodies, each of them bearing the stamp of originality. We do not. knowof any of the most popular waltzes th. t contain such a store of melody as "My Love.* We may add, at the request of the publisher, that the following songs and ballads, written by Mr W. ft. Wills, are being set to music by the indefatigable professor, and will be published in -V 0 due course — " Madaleine," on airs taken from " " My Love " waltz ; " Motherland •" and " The Messenger of Death." Mr Webbe has also on hand a revised edition of his well-known Fantasia on the popular American air, " The Old Folks at Home," and several hymn tunes, including a " Salutavis " and " Tanlum Ergo." In addition to tho above, perhaps the most important to be mentioned is a Didactic work for elementery students, which has nearly reached completion. We have no doubt as to the waltz, "My Love," becoming popular in a very short time.