Chapter I: Preface

The poems in this volume have been written at various periods of a busy life, and are widely separated in date of composition. Most of the minor poems have appeared in Canadian periodicals, and some of them have the local colour of the city in which they were written. The poem most recent in date is _Marguerite_, which has been written under conditions more favourable than the rest, and which appears now for the first time. The poems have been inspired by the history and the scenery of Canada, and in collecting them, and in issuing and publishing them, the author hopes to put in permanent literary form some of the natural and social aspects which are peculiar to this country.

MONTREAL, Nov., 1886.

CONTENTS.

PAGE.
PREFATORY NOTE 4
SONNET TO LOVE 6
MARGUERITE, OR THE ISLE OF DEMONS 8
EUDORA 79
THE VOICE OF THE AGES 88
THE WOODLAND WALK 90
THE STREET WAIF 94
THE SONG OF A GLORIFIED SPIRIT 100
BOUND TO THE WHEEL 103
THE APPLE WOMAN 106
ON MOUNT ROYAL 111
MAIDEN LONGINGS 117
ASPIRATION 119
THE HAWK AND THE SPARROW 123
CELESTINE 129
TO A YOUNG LADY 131
BETRAYED 134
EPITHALAMIUM 137
IN THE WOODS OF ST. LEON 147
THE LOVER’S DREAM 149
THE HEROES OF VILLE-MARIE 153
CHANGE ON THE OTTAWA 161
THE BLIND MINSTREL OF THE MARKET PLACE 167
TO W. H. MAGEE 173
LINES ON RECOVERING FROM ILLNESS 178
HALLOWEEN IN CANADA 181
ETHEL 192
KEATS 195
THE CRISIS 198
IN MEMORY OF JOSEPH GUIBORD 201
“IT MOVES” 204
SUPERSTITION 207
VIGER SQUARE 208
1881 210
DESPONDENT 211
THOMAS D’ARCY McGEE 213
THE NEWS-BOY 215
CHARLES HEAVYSEGE 219
BOOKS 222
THE DRUNKARD 224
A NIGHT ON THE SKATING RINK 227
JACK FROST’S HAPPY DREAM 231
MONTREAL CARNIVAL SPORTS 234
PETER WIMPLE’S COURTSHIP 242
FEAR OF BLINDNESS 269
UNKNOWN 271
FLORAL ENVOY 273
ON THE DEATH OF A VETERAN JOURNALIST 276
HEART-HUNGER 277
TO A YOUNG AUTHOR ON HIS BIRTHDAY 278
TO G. I., AT STRATFORD-ON-AVON 279
MERCY 280
LOVE AND DEATH 281

MARGUERITE.

PREFATORY NOTE.

The story narrated in the following poem is one of the most touching of the many romantic legends of the early history of Canada. Some foundation in fact it undoubtedly has, for it forms the basis of one of the stories in the collection of Queen Margaret of Navarre, written while the chief actors in the tragedy were alive. The version of Queen Margaret differs from that of Thevet in many respects. He gives for his authorities Roberval and the unfortunate Marguerite herself.

Parkman, in the first volume of his admirable series of histories—the Pioneers of New France—gives the story as related by Thevet. The subject readily lends itself to poetical treatment, and, if the heroine in the poem is made to put a more favourable construction upon her conduct than the chronicler, it is surely no more than, as the narrator of her own story, she might have a right to do. The harsh and tyrannical character of Roberval is drawn in dark lines by Parkman. His cruelties, in the short lived colony at Cap Rouge, were such than even the Indians were moved to pity for his victims. On his return to France he was assassinated at night in the streets of Paris, probably by the hand of one who had suffered from his tyranny.

In these prosaic days of ocean steamers, cable telegraphs and light-houses, it is difficult to realize the mystery which, in old days, enshrouded the shores of the Western continent. The imaginations of the daring sailors who in their little vessels explored the stormy seas of the West, teemed with stories of dangers, spiritual as well as physical. In those days of supernaturalism, Satan might well stand guard over the great world, where, until then, he had held undivided sway. This Isle of Demons was one of his outposts. On Wytfliet’s Map (1597), _I. de las Demonios_ is laid down to the North of Newfoundland, but too far out of Roberval’s course to be the island of our story. It is necessary to the narrative that the island in question should be in the regular route of vessels, and, as the earliest course of sailors to the Gulf of St. Lawrence was by the straits of Belle Isle, some of the islands which shelter the harbours of Labrador would probably have been the scene of the events narrated. Jean Alphonse of Saintonge, who was Roberval’s first pilot, no doubt indicates the island of our heroine’s trials under the name of _Isles de la Demoiselle_ in latitude 50° 45′, and he says there is a good harbour there. This name clung for a long time to the locality and is found on many old maps. To-day the most important of the group is known as Grand Meccatina Island.

SONNET.

O Love! thou art the soul’s fixed star, whose light—
A rapture felt through all the rolling years,—
Absorbs with silent touch the mourner’s tears,
A guide, a glory through our mortal night;—
All other passions, be they dark or bright,
All high desires are but thy subject spheres,
And captive servitors, whose pathway veers,
Obedient to thine all-pervading might;—
And therefore I no hesitation make
In choosing thee, a theme accounted old,
Yet ever young, and for poor Marguerite’s sake
I trust some kind remembrance to awake
That shall in tenderest clasp her story hold,
Even as a rose a drop of dew doth fold.

MARGUERITE

OR THE ISLE OF DEMONS.

The interior of a Convent in France: Group of Nuns
listening to Marguerite narrating her adventure.

1545.