Afric’s Greeting to Her Royal Highness Alexandra, Princess of Wales, on Her Wedding Day, March 10, 1863
Royal Lady! O’er the ocean
Afric’s greeting speeds to thee!
Borne on sighs of fond emotion;
Full of loyal, true devotion;
Honest, candid, open, free,
Just what Britons’ love should be.
Fresh from every heart and hand;
Warm as is our sunny land;
Hopeful as the future life
Must be, of our Albert’s wife;
Full of frank and honest pride,
As thy husband at thy side
Must be, owning thee as bride.
Lady! o’er Britannia’s sea
Afric’s greeting speeds to thee!
Lady! though we are not near thee—
Far by wave and storm exiled:—
Twofold is the love we bear thee—
Love of parent and of child.
Parent’s love, for thy youth still hath
Claim to parent’s anxious care;
Child’s love, for when Heaven willeth
Thou that honoured throne must share;
Then, as now, our hearts will greet thee,
Though far distant be the day;
For we love our peerless Sov’reign
And would keep her while we may.
That pure reign which comes before thee,
Crowned by virtues erst unknown,
Teaches thee a golden secret
Ne’er before to monarchs known.
Teaches thee the golden secret,
Won by virtue from above,
How to rule a loyal people And retain their fervent love.
Imitate it! Emulate it!
Thus our hopes of thee fulfil;—
Thus thy great and loyal people
Will be great and loyal still.
Thus, dear lady, o’er the sea
Afric hopes and prays for thee!
H. W. Bidwell.
Grahamstown, May 1863.