 | Queen Eleanor's Vengeance |  |
222
TO BERANGER.
ON THE FALL OF SEBASTOPOL.
Sing, Beranger!—another song!
And for awhile forget
The memories of thy joyous youth,
And even thy Lisette;
Again the conquering tricolor
To Europe's winds is flung;
Again Marengo's eagles soar,
And need their fierce flight sung.
Then, Beranger, another song;
For who can sing so well
The mighty deeds that glory needs
Thy matchless songs to tell?
And for awhile forget
The memories of thy joyous youth,
And even thy Lisette;
Again the conquering tricolor
To Europe's winds is flung;
Again Marengo's eagles soar,
And need their fierce flight sung.
Then, Beranger, another song;
For who can sing so well
The mighty deeds that glory needs
Thy matchless songs to tell?
223
Hark! Paris hears the selfsame shout
So oft she heard of old;
Hark! victory tells again the tale
So oft by thee she told,
The tale that tells how triumph still
On France's eagles sits,
And mates Sebastopol's dread fame
With that of Austerlitz.
Then, Beranger, another song;
For who can sing so well
The mighty deeds that glory needs
Thy matchless songs to tell?
So oft she heard of old;
Hark! victory tells again the tale
So oft by thee she told,
The tale that tells how triumph still
On France's eagles sits,
And mates Sebastopol's dread fame
With that of Austerlitz.
Then, Beranger, another song;
For who can sing so well
The mighty deeds that glory needs
Thy matchless songs to tell?
Too long the northern despot's heel
Has trampled Europe down;
Too long has freedom, trembling, seem'd
To quail before his frown;
At last the West dares use its strength;
At last its hosts go forth;
Let Europe's despots hear how well
We smote their vaunted North.
Then, Beranger, another song;
For who can sing so well
The mighty deeds that glory needs
Thy matchless songs to tell?
Has trampled Europe down;
Too long has freedom, trembling, seem'd
To quail before his frown;
At last the West dares use its strength;
At last its hosts go forth;
Let Europe's despots hear how well
We smote their vaunted North.
224
For who can sing so well
The mighty deeds that glory needs
Thy matchless songs to tell?
For forty years has Europe slept
A base inglorious sleep;
And, if for Poland's fate she wept,
She only dared to weep.
If Hungary fell, we did but moan—
But hope for both remains;
We hunt the Tartar back; at last
We help to loose their chains.
Then, Beranger, another song;
For who can sing so well
The mighty deeds that glory needs
Thy matchless songs to tell?
A base inglorious sleep;
And, if for Poland's fate she wept,
She only dared to weep.
If Hungary fell, we did but moan—
But hope for both remains;
We hunt the Tartar back; at last
We help to loose their chains.
Then, Beranger, another song;
For who can sing so well
The mighty deeds that glory needs
Thy matchless songs to tell?
The Austrian fawns upon the Czar;
Ask if an Ulm he needs;
Tell Prussia's dotard, his false faith
Another Jena breeds;
Bid all the hundred pigmy things
That wear a German crown,
Beware at once, or, with the Czar,
Their tiny thrones go down.
Then, Beranger, another song;
For who can sing so well
The mighty deeds that glory needs
Thy matchless songs to tell?
Ask if an Ulm he needs;
Tell Prussia's dotard, his false faith
Another Jena breeds;
225
That wear a German crown,
Beware at once, or, with the Czar,
Their tiny thrones go down.
Then, Beranger, another song;
For who can sing so well
The mighty deeds that glory needs
Thy matchless songs to tell?
Twice did the barbarous Cossacks' steeds
Bathe in the trampled Seine;
Leagued Europe help'd them on the way,
They'll never come again.
Those days are past; with Europe leagued,
Napoleon's eagles wave:
The Europe that of old they tore,
To-day they fly to save.
Then, Beranger, another song;
For who can sing so well
The mighty deeds that glory needs
Thy matchless songs to tell?
Bathe in the trampled Seine;
Leagued Europe help'd them on the way,
They'll never come again.
Those days are past; with Europe leagued,
Napoleon's eagles wave:
The Europe that of old they tore,
To-day they fly to save.
Then, Beranger, another song;
For who can sing so well
The mighty deeds that glory needs
Thy matchless songs to tell?
226
Sing! Eylau's strife and Wagram's fame
You gave to every tongue;
Let newer glories, great as theirs,
To-day by you be sung;
Let Inkermann's and Alma's deeds
In songs immortal live!
And dread Sebastopol's fierce fame
To deathless glory give!
Then, Beranger, another song;
For who can sing so well
The mighty deeds that glory needs
Thy matchless songs to tell?
You gave to every tongue;
Let newer glories, great as theirs,
To-day by you be sung;
Let Inkermann's and Alma's deeds
In songs immortal live!
And dread Sebastopol's fierce fame
To deathless glory give!
Then, Beranger, another song;
For who can sing so well
The mighty deeds that glory needs
Thy matchless songs to tell?
| Queen Eleanor's Vengeance | |