Government
(Golder Project subject term)
Represented in
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On Pride.—An Epigram in The New Zealand Survey
- How vain is pride! It adds no joy to life, / However much ambitious ’tis to rule; / While ’tis the principle of every strife; / And often proves its patron—“quite a Fool!”
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Condolence in The New Zealand Survey
- Great hopes has she for future good, / Seeing he trained his youths to virtue’s cause, / Her princes and her kings; / Corruption checking in the bud, / Aspirants bending to respect the laws, / Bespoke great future things! / Yea, grand events of vast import / To the advancement of the world at large, / As the commands of Heaven! / May such console, and cheer her heart, / While th’ honors feeling of so great a charge, / In worth immortal given! / Now, future generations shall / Look back and pay respect to all his worth / Avowed for imitation; / A grand criterion this of all / That’s great or good, in heaven or earth, / Or worthy in a nation!
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The Death Warrant in The New Zealand Survey
- “Alas!” she sighed, while Justice stern / The duty urged as “must be done!” / While pity made her bosom yearn / O’er the poor captive’s fate undone! / “Must such be so?” she sighed, when press’d, / (The law would not evaded be) / As stirr’d the emotions of her breast, / The tears bedew’d the sad decree!
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In Memorium in The New Zealand Survey
- A gala day it was! from every spire / Rang loud aclaim, as echoing the joy / Of grateful hearts to Him who has the power / T’ award all vict’ries; sealing thus the fate / Of the disturber of each nation’s weal, / While forcing him from turmoils to retire!
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Signs of the Times in 1853 in The New Zealand Survey
- “Oh! for an honest man, whose aim / Is simply for the public good, / Apart from selfish views!”—Embued / They’re so with innate self-esteem— / Though all most honorable seem / And complaisant,—(ah! that’s their care), / ’Tis question, Sir, if such they are / When put to test? Now in this age, / Ye well may act the ancient sage, / Who lit his candle in broad day, / And staff in hand went on his way; / With full intent the world to scan, / To try and find an honest man! / ’Tis thus, dear Brother, I’d advise / To save from glamour your weak eyes,
- when long / Debates upon each side succeed, / As to destroy each others creed; / Or from your mind have yours erased, / Until you’re made to look amazed
- ’Tis their calling: as it calls / New arguments to work upon / Our unaccustomed thoughts, whereon / We have not yet consider’d,—hence / We’re forced to follow in the dance; / Or else gulp down, what we might puke, / If wrong we for the right mistook;— / True!—thus we by experience / Are made to learn, or gather sense, / For future guidance in the art / Of Government;—
- Thus, much concern’d, my thoughts I task,
- Some petifoggers long will draw / Their faces, while the ambiguous law / Expounding; while their versions bland / As genuine,—having full command / Of smoothest terms—they’d down one’s throat / Well butter’d cram!—And, sure, why not? / They see their interests are affected;— / Besides,—(what must not be neglected)— / Promotion, with increase of fees, / Lies that way, well to be respected,
- Might from their brains unfittingly / Some selfish crotchet fondly draw, / And next concoct it into law, / Which might prove worse than crocodile / Devouring of its dam!—
- Or if our legislators will, / When they begin to try their skill / At making laws, be like some rooks, / Who favour best themselves!—or books / In babies’ hands, turn’d upside down / When feigningly they lessons con; / Or if, when in some hot dispute, / They either will themselves confute / Instead of fierce opponents; or / Give cause to lengthen out a war / Of opposite opinions, more / Than needful, to clear up some point,— / Though simple, yet with knotty joint, / Grown harder, as ’tis clad with words,
- Or if our Superintendents next, / Will prove a never failing text, / To much of obloquay in store, / Such as was spent on Governor; / Whose worth they could not comprehend, / Though oft he proved a special friend— / While never from the poor man’s mind / Shall they his memory rescind, / Who wish, as they their scorn disgorge / Such may but equal good Sir George!
- How clashing int’rests are at war, / As each his neighbour would debar / From all those precious liberties, / Fancied or real, said t’ arise / From this our new born Constitution, / With quite as firm a resolution
- But you, perhaps, like me, are awkward / In what concerns yourself; and backward, / Through some false modesty, or bother!— / Well, then—could we employ another, / Whom we judge honest, full intent
- Thus soaping well the list’ning crowd; / He in their ears can bawl aloud, / “Oh! how I love the working man!”*— / Aye! love him?—Surely!—that’s the plan / To gain his flatter’d favours:—though / ’Tis on the hustings, a mere show, / Their special ends to gain!—and then
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The Two Guides in The New Zealand Survey
- How blest when Reason gains to rule, / She’s sure to keep her charge with honor, / As her endeavors ne’er befool / That precious truth, of which she’s owner! / But oh! when Passion bears the sway, / What troubles oft come rolling o’er us; / For when constrain’d his powers t’ obey, / We but assent to painful sorrows!
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England’s Hope in The New Zealand Survey
- Thus, with the spirit of his youth, / Observant and improving; / He must be fervent for the truth, / The nation’s weal behoving! / So loyal hearts his worth shall prize, / While counc’llors good are near him; / Combining all in enterprise, / No base intrigue may fear him. / Yea, this we may engage in truth, / He’ll ne’er be the subborner / Of wicked acts ’gainst public faith, / But keep from such a corner!
- Such spirit growing with his years, / And knowledge right increasing, / While preparations ’mongst his peers, / ’Mid studies good increasing, / For that great trust—his future lot, / The ruling such a nation;— / Such spirit well informed, I wot / Must fit the situation!
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Canto Fifth in The New Zealand Survey
- Though these surrounding scenes, where’er the eye / Of observation turns, have undergone / Great revolutions buried in the past: / Another of importance yet awaits; / Nay, is it not in progress even now?— / It is not always revolutions come / With sudden change, as of an earthquake’s shock; / Or, as in politics, when discontent, / Through insurrection, long in secret hatched, / Bursts forth in civil war, o’erturning all
- When, over all, in universal sway / Shall peace and plenty mutually reign! / However such a state may be desired, / ’Tis but as embryo—imperfect yet, / And will be, through a long progressive stage, / Until that time appointed has arrived! / But as at first, “the earth must be subdued!” / So the command is still imperative / For ev’ry such a country, wild as this, / Through generations all, as the first step / Of man’s advancement to a higher sphere; / While, even there, his rudimental task / Begins,—but who can tell where such may end!
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Canto First in The New Zealand Survey
- But can such various foreigners return / Each to his home, without some idea fresh, / By observation drawn from what to him / Is novel, worthy imitation? While / Through self-examination, as recurrs / To him his by-gone history, he discerns / Much that needs mending, and much to be chang’d / From present state of things, to introduce / A healthier atmosphere in what concerns / Th’ affairs domestic and political, / As all true patriots would, who have at heart / The welfare of their country.
- And Superstition fain would hide the head / Convinced of folly in its rigid rites / Of formal services, and outward show, / Where mammon more is served than Him who claims / The humble heart’s devotion as his due. / Come from a sterile soil, where stunted views / Of holy life but grovel upon earth, / And never can expand to heav’nly heights, / Nor peace nor charity extend to all / Who differ may in conscience from his rule; / He finds some strange misgivings in his heart, / As there, some voice for first to him reveal’d, / A deep impression makes, as ’twould declare / That with his former ideas of truth / Were mingled much of error!—such bestirs / Reflections on the history of the past / With sighings for the future, while he strives / To raze what habit long has rooted deep!
- And among whom their Queen can walk at large— / Save but for equipage and princely show / Becoming dignity—without that dread / Which calls for great precautions of defence, / As despots use ’mid their degraded serfs:— / Nay, more, receive a welcome that resounds
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Canto First in The Philosophy of Love. [A Plea in Defence of Virtue and Truth!] A Poem in Six Cantos, with Other Poems
- This opportunity, reserved for man,
Searching
For several reasons, including lack of resource and inherent ambiguity, not all names in the NZETC are marked-up. This means that finding all references to a topic often involves searching. Search for Government as: "Government". Additional references are often found by searching for just the main name of the topic (the surname in the case of people).
Other Collections
The following collections may have holdings relevant to "Government":
- Dictionary of New Zealand Biography, which has entries for many prominent New Zealanders.
- Archives New Zealand, which has collections of maps, plans and posters; immigration passenger lists; and probate records.
- National Library of New Zealand, which has extensive collections of published material.
- Auckland War Memorial Museum, which has extensive holdings on the Auckland region and New Zealand military history.
- Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa, which has strong holdings in Tāonga Māori, biological holotypes and New Zealand art.
- nzhistory.net.nz, from the History Group of the Ministry for Culture and Heritage.