Page:History and characteristics of Bishop Auckland.djvu/192

 HISTORY OF BISHOP AUCKLAND. 165 VIL Why doth thy lonely tower tell forth the time. When men nor heed nor hear the warning aonnd Y Why waste the solemn music of thy chime On hearts in slumber bound f ▼lU. It is because thou art a church, to tell How fast the end of all things comes along, And, though men hear thee not, thy voice doth swell Each night more clear and strong : IX. Content the few that watch should hear, and feel Secure their Mother doth not, cannot sleep ; And, as they hear, the gracious dew doth steal Into their soul more deep. X. Or some young heart, that hath been kept awake By chance or by his guardian Angel's skill, Some serious thoughts unto himself may take From sounds so dread and stUL XI. If there be none to hear, no hymn of praise, Or voice of prayer, to join thy chant be given. There is no sleep above, and thou mayest raise Thy patient chimes to Heaven. The year 1841 was principally spent in travelling with his pupiL They passed through France into Northern Italy, and down the Adriatic en route for Greece, and extended their journey to Constantinopla Of this journey he left a record in the volume entitled " Sights and Thoughts in Foreign Churches and amongst Foreign Peoples." * It obtained considerable praise in one of the serials of the day, the writer of which observed that " Mr. Faber writes with a discursive and fanciful pen." In 1842 he was appointed by his own college Rector of Elton, in Huntingdonshire. This year was also marked by the issue of another volume of poetry, entitled " The Styrian Lake." After taking possession of his benefice, in 1843, he made a second journey abroad. Italy was this time the object, and especially Rome, which he bad never seen. It was during the papacy of Gregory XVI., who admitted him to an audience. When he came back to England, at the end of 1843, he went to reside at Elton, and during his two years' residence at that placet (his brother says), "he worked indefatigably, and won the affections of his people in a manner peculiar to himself. I may say this with truth, for in that particular department of attraction I have rarely, if ever, met with his equal It was the same in afber years, and there are many, very many, at this moment who cannot mention his name without tears of affection-" Another poem was published by him about this time, "Sir Lancelot; a Tale of the Middle Ages." He also wrote about then many of those beautiful hymns to which he gave the name of " The Rosary," afterwards published by Richardson and called " The Life of our Lord." In every Catholic Church wherever the English language is spoken the use of Father Faber's hymns is ahnost universal. Some of them, as " The Pilgrim of the Night," and " The Land beyond the Sea," are widely circulated as sacred songs. Many are to be found in Protestant collections. Among others, " Hymns Ancient and Modem" contains several, and the " Hymnal Noted" no ^ This work appeared in 1842, and was dedicated to William Wordsworth, Esq., "in affectionate remembrance of maoh personal kindness, and many thonghtfol conversations on the rites, prerogatives, and doctnnes of the Holy Church." t When Mr. Faber notified to Wordsworth his intention of accepting the Rectory of Jfilton, his reply wps, " I do not say yon are w^ong ; bat England loses a poet" And on another occasion, when staying at Elton, Wordsworth remarked that " if it was not for Frederick FabePs devoting himself so mnoh to his sacred calling, he would be the poet of his ag&" Digitized by Google