Volume 101 — Gilbert à Beckett.

"Wearing the white flower of a blameless life."

GILBERT the Good! Title, though high, well earned By him through whose rare nature brightly burned The fire of purity, Undimmed, unflickering, like some altar flame Sky-pointing ever. Friend, what thought of blame Hath coldest heart for thee? A knightly-priest or priestly-knight wert thou, Man of the radiant eye and reverent brow; Chivalry closely knit With fervent faith in thee indeed were blent; Thought upon high ideals still intent, And a most lambent wit. Serene, though with a power of scathing scorn For all things mean or base. Sorrow long borne, Though bowing, soured not thee. Bereaved, health-broken, still that patient smile Wreathed the pale lips which never greed or guile Shaped to hypocrisy. A saintly-hearted wit, a satirist pure, Mover of mirth spontaneous as sure, And innocent as mad; Incongruous freak and frolic phantasy Were thy familiar spirits, quickening glee And wakening laughter glad. Dainty as Ariel, yet as Puck profuse Of the "preposterous," was that wit, whose use Was ever held "within The limits of becoming mirth." His whim Never shy delicacy's glance could dim, Or move the cynic grin. But that fate's hampering hand lay on him long He might have won in drama and in song A more enduring name. But he is gone, the gentle, loyal, just, Whence all these things fall earthward with the dust Of fleeting earthly fame. Gone from our hoard, gone from the home he loved! With what compassion are his comrades moved For those who sit alone With memories of him! Gracious memories all! A thought to lighten, like that flower, his pall, And hush love's troubled moan. Farewell, fine spirit! To be owned thy friend Was something to illume the unwelcome end Of comradeship below. A loving memory long our board will grace, In fancy, with that sweet ascetic face. That brow's benignant glow.

If Cleric Congresses could only care A little less for the mere Church and Steeple, Parochial pomp and power in lion's share, And have one aim—to purify the People, They need not shrink from Disestablishment, Or any other secular enormity; Unselfish love of Man destroys Dissent, True Charity provokes no Nonconformity.