MY LATTICE

AND OTHER POEMS BY FREDERICK GEORGE SCOTT Author of “The Soul’s Quest, and Other Poems,” “Elton Hazlewood,” etc. TORONTO: WILLIAM BRIGGS. C. W. Coates, Montreal. S. F. Huestis, Halifax. 1894.

Entered according to the Act of the Parliament of Canada, in the year one thousand eight hundred and ninety-four, by William Briggs, Toronto, in the office of the Minister of Agriculture, at Ottawa.

CONTENTS.

{1}

MY LATTICE.

{4}

SAMSON.

{9}

IN VIA MORTIS.

{14}

THOR.

{31}

THE FEUD.

THE FRENZY OF PROMETHEUS.

{40}

NATURA VICTRIX.

{47}

THE ABBOT.

DION. A POEM. ARGUMENT.

Dion, of Syracuse (408-353 B.C.), philosopher, was a near relative, through his wife Arete, of the tyrant Dionysius the Second, by whom he was banished. He took up his residence at Athens, but on hearing that the tyrant had seized his son and given Arete in marriage to another, with a small and faithful force he returned to Syracuse, captured the place and drove Dionysius into Ortygia, a fortress within the city walls. As soon as their oppression was relieved, the suspicious Syracusans began to fear the power of Dion, although he had nobly refused to make concessions to Dionysius when urged thereto by the passionate appeals of Arete and her son, held captive in Ortygia. On hearing of a plot formed against him among the citizens, by Heracleides, without taking revenge on the thankless city, Dion withdrew to Leontini, but only to be speedily recalled to rescue the people a second time from the ravages of Dionysius, who had charged out upon the town as soon as Dion had withdrawn. Again Dion returned to Syracuse, and this time

succeeded in routing the tyrant from his stronghold and restoring peace. With{62} a magnanimity equal to his valour he pardoned Heracleides and his confreres. On breaking into the deserted fortress at the head of his troops, Dion, after years of separation, found his wife Arete. Dion naturally succeeded to the throne of the deposed monarch, but his reforms and the severity of his manners and rule rendered him unpopular with his fickle fellow-townsmen, and plots were formed for his assassination. He scorned to take precautions against attack, and so fell a victim to his valour. He was surrounded on the day of the festival of the Koreia, in his apartment in the palace, by a band of youths of distinguished muscular strength, who endeavoured to throw and strangle him. But the old warrior proving too strong for them, they were obliged to send out one of their number through a back door to procure a sword. With this, Dion, a man in many ways too great for his age and circumstances, was despatched.

{72}

LOVE SLIGHTED.

{74}

ANDANTE.

{75}

SORROW’S WAKING.

{76}

ON AN OLD VENETIAN PORTRAIT.

{78}

OLD LETTERS.

{80}

VAN ELSEN.

{81}

IN MEMORIAM.

James William Williams, Lord Bishop of Quebec, Died April 20th, 1892, Aged 66 years.

{82}

THE EVERLASTING FATHER.

{84}

THE STING OF DEATH.

{86}

TE JUDICE.

{88}

THE TWO MISTRESSES.

{89}

IN THE WOODS.

{90}

CALVARY.

{93}

AT LAUDS.

{94}

IN THE CHURCHYARD.

{95}

THE CRIPPLE.

{96}

A NOCTURNE.

{99}

SONNETS.

{100}

{101}

TO MY WIFE.

{102}

A CYPRESS WREATH.

I.

{103}

II.

{104}

III.

{105}

COLUMBUS.

{106}

IDOLS.

{107}

SOLOMON.

OUT OF THE STORM.