Oh! if to learning's seat I go, And Fame's bright wreath should crown my brow And honors raise me to the height Of all ambition could requite, And every tongue and every hand Should give me all they could command, Fair Ellen, still I'd lay them at thy feet: Thou couldst alone my happiness complete. Whilst now before me visions spread, And seem to crown the aspiring head, And call me from my native town, And drive away the darkest frown, My life has dreaded that alone I should be lost and left unknown: The visions now so clouded which I see, Is lighted up, fair Ellen, but by thee! Thou in the distance shining bright Appearest like a speck of light, And brighter as the present cloud The darkened foreground seems to shroud, Whilst full on thee the sunny ray Descends as beaming as the day, When full of glory, I shall see thee shine, And hope to call De Freston's daughter mine! Had this poem but been sent to Ellen before the youth left Ipswich for Oxford, it would have explained to Lord De Freston the nature of the feelings of the writer; but it was never sent; it was seen by Wolsey's mother, and copied, but it was supposed and intended to be kept secret by the young aspirant for fame. CHAPTER IX. COLLEGE CAREER. The youth departed from Ipswich with the love of many hearts following him, and with no lack of things requisite to make his career at Oxford brilliant. He was introduced by a student who had already gained University honors, and was looked upon as a man of sound learning and piety, and one eminently calculated to judge of Wolsey's capacity. Wolsey and Latimer were friends under the most pleasing circumstances which could possibly arise between two young men: congeniality of mind, pursuit, and honor. The latter, when he found Wolsey at Ipswich, covered himself with glory by writing that letter to Grocyn, dated April 29th, 1485; wherein he says: 'I have found a youth, inferior in years, superior in knowledge; with far less opportunity of cultivating the elegancies of literature, yet with infinitely greater industry than young men generally exercise who have those opportunities. He has a genius superior to mine, and already surpasses me in the acquirement of the Greek language. I can only say for him, what he might truly say for himself: "Major rerum mihi nascitur ordo."'