University of Virginia Library

Search this document 
Poems

By Mr. Polwhele. In three volumes

collapse sectionI. 
collapse section 
 1. 
 2. 
 3. 
 4. 
collapse sectionII. 
collapse section 
 1. 
 2. 
 3. 
 4. 
 5. 
 6. 
 7. 
 8. 
 9. 
 10. 
 11. 
 12. 
 13. 
 14. 
 15. 
collapse sectionIII. 
collapse section 
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
collapse section 
  
  
  
collapse section 
collapse section 
 1. 
 2. 
 3. 
  
collapse section 
  
  
  
  
  
collapse section 
collapse section 
 1. 
 2. 
 3. 
 4. 
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
collapse section 
  
  
  
collapse section 
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
collapse section 
  
  
  

Hail genii of the skies! A vagrant guest,
Freedom! thy solitary steps awhile
Pac'd Albion's hills, as opening thro' the ranks
Of rude society with gradual glow,
Shone nature's simple principle, the love
Of independence; and (impell'd by thee,

94

At fortune's happy crisis) rais'd the state
A complex form.—Erelong, descending slow,
Philosophy her lov'd companion join'd,
And fix'd the work of liberty, on strong
Unshaken basis.—If we mark the essays
Of daring freedom, let us turn our eye
Back to the period; where the Norman, fir'd
With conquest, over Albion's vanquish'd race
And o'er his victor-armies bared the laws
In thunder—sudden, where his out-stretch'd hand
Rent into fiefs unnumber'd the wide realm,
And bade the baron and the slave, alike,
Kneel in the dust. Yet, lo! the sever'd parts
Beneath the pressure of the despot's sway
Crush'd into coalition, give their powers
To blend in one indissoluble mass!