A Welcome to Alexandra.
[Composed on the occasion of the arrival of Her Royal Highness Princess Alexandra, 7th March, 1863.]
And London ope’d her portals wide;
Her kingliest streets throughout were deck’d
With love, and joy, and intellect,
To welcome forth the Danish bride—
Fair Princess Alexandra.
She, one of Europe’s daughters, meet,—
Betroth’d to England’s fairest son,—
We hail’d! and hail’d as should be done!
In joy-clothes garb’d, we went to greet
Fair Princess Alexandra.
She left her parents weepingly,—
The parting gave her bosom pain,
But hope re-cheer’d her o’er the main,
For Edward ’waited anxiously
Fair Princess Alexandra.
With all the splendour could be shown,
Her happiness we strove t’enhance;
And when we caught her first bright glance,
Admir’d her as Britannia’s own,—
Fair Princess Alexandra.
Throughout the land, around the coast,
The British heart lept lovingly;
For on our eastward silvery sea,
A goodly ship bore safe its guest,—
Fair Princess Alexandra.
When now the good ship came in view
Gravesend, her banners waved on high,
And shouts reverb’rated the sky,
As favouring zephyrs waft anew
Fair Princess Alexandra.
Then every eye was stretch’d afar,
And every tongue was tipp’d with bliss;
In every feature happiness:
All long’d to see proud Denmark’s star—
Fair Princess Alexandra.
She came! the beauteous bride was met:
Her royal lover sought her hand,
And welcom’d her in Britons’ land!
The host that saw can ne’er forget
Fair Princess Alexandra.
Light as a fairy treads the bowers,
And as an angel wings the sky,
So, with her Edward, passed by—
Upon a sprinkling of sweet flowers—
Fair Princess Alexandra.
The speedy trav’ler,[30] whizzing ’long
As cautiously as tho’ aware
Whose lives depended on its care,
Bore safely—in the royal throng—
Fair Princess Alexandra.
The stately cortège wound its way;
A thousand banners fann’d the air,
And perfumes ’rose from ladies fair:
All London seem’d at holiday,
For Princess Alexandra.
The City bountifully plann’d
Its duties t’wards the stranger-child—
Its commerce paus’d—and kindly smil’d,
And stretch’d its unmatch’d gen’rous hand,
For Princess Alexandra.
From steeples high a thousand tongues—
Whose joyous sounds speak far away
The only tribute they can pay—
Peal’d forth their complimental songs
For Princess Alexandra.
Westward[31] pass’d the cavalcade;
Whilst music, in its happiest strain,
Accompanied the gladsome train;
Ten thousand voices serenade
Fair Princess Alexandra.
The clouds were wrestling with the sun:[32]
Aloft their rev’rent tears were stay’d,
Respectful to the virtuous maid;
Then gently christen’d her our own—
Fair Princess Alexandra!
The whizzing “trav’ler” sped again
The fair enchantress of our isle,
Unto that kingly domicile,[33]
Wherein awaited our bless’d Queen
For Princess Alexandra.
The Castle gates with joy unfold;
The noble host their way did wend;
Fair Flora, Queen of Flowers, did send
Her perfumed rarities untold,
For Princess Alexandra.
The grand old tower[34] smiled in the gale—
As tho’ it knew its hope had come—
And seem’d to whisper, “Welcome home!—
Britannia’s sons shall guard thee well,
Fair Princess Alexandra!”
Night graciously prolong’d the hour—
In honour of its queenly guest,
’Til Weariness demanded rest,
And beckon’d to her peaceful bow’r—
Fair Princess Alexandra.
[30] Their Royal Highnesses, and the ladies and gentlemen in attendance, travelled by railway to London, where, at the Bricklayers’ Arms Station, they were received by the Corporation of the City with great joy and magnificence.
[31] The route taken was over London Bridge, King William Street, Cheapside, by St. Paul’s, Ludgate Hill, Fleet Street, Strand, Pall Mall, St. James’s Street, Piccadilly, Hyde Park, Edgware Road, thence to Paddington.
[32] The morning was only partially fine. About half-past four o’clock it began to rain. The evening was very wet.
[33] Windsor Castle.
[34] The Round Tower.
