The Shamrock or, Hibernian Cresses. A Collection of Poems, Songs, Epigrams, &c. Latin as well as English, The Original Production of Ireland. To which are subjoined thoughts on the prevailing system of school education, respecting young ladies as well as gentlemen: with practical proposals for a reformation [by Samuel Whyte] |
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 | The Shamrock |  |
IV.
1.
‘Yet may, at length, the lowly Muse‘Indulge one Wish, nor wish in vain!—
‘Far hence, O far be partial Views,
‘Mistaken Wisdom's selfish Train!
‘Wide as extends Britannia's Sway,
‘Where yonder Sun now slopes his Way,
‘O'er every Land, o'er every Isle,
‘May rising Arts and Commerce smile!
‘May Laws in equal Tenor flow!
‘May Freedom gild each sea-beat Shore!
‘No longer heard the Voice of Woe!
‘And dread Oppression seen no more!
‘And may Ierne praise a George's Name,
‘For Commerce, Arts, and Laws, and Freedom's sacred Flame!
2.
‘Then, Albion, o'er the subject Main‘Thy Fleets with bolder Wing shall fly;
‘Nor Gallia's Threats thy Course restrain;
‘Nor Gallia's Arms thy Sons defy:
‘Around, o'er many a distant Shore,
Where, yet, no Raleighs dare explore,
‘Where, yet, no human Footsteps tread,
‘Thy strengthen'd Industry shall spread;
‘Thy Arts of cultur'd Peace shall rise;
‘Thy Trade extend her boundless Sway;
‘In Western Wilds, and Southern Skies,
‘Each British Muse shall tune her Lay;
‘And, o'er each Tenant of thy wide Domain,
‘When Freedom waves her Wand, fair Happiness shall reign.’
3.
Thus, on thy Brow, delightful Shene,At Eve the stripling Swain was seen,
To breathe his patriot Sighs along,
His Heart according to the Song;—
Now o'er the darkly glimmering View
The gradual Night her fleecy Mantle threw;
The Stream, the Lawn, the lofty Spire,
The Groves, the Palaces, retire;
In every Shade is heard around
The nightly Warbler's solemn Sound,
Which, mild as Zephyr's whispering Gale,
Soft steals through Ham's Arcadian Vale;
Well pleas'd, he listens to the plaintive Lay;
Then homeward, calm and slow, he hies his lonely Way.
It is Matter of serious Concern to every thinking Inhabitant of this Country, that the Irish, although descended, for the most Part, from the same Ancestors, governed by the same Laws, and united under the same King, are (through some unaccountable Prejudice) scarcely considered, at the other Side of St. George's Channel, as Fellow-Subjects, or intitled to the same Privileges as the People of Great Britain: Yet, perhaps, it would not be very difficult to prove that, by such Conduct, they are not more unjust to us, than blind to their own Interests: It would, perhaps, be easy to point out many Branches of our Trade, and Manufactures, which, if barely freed from the Restraints that a narrow, illiberal, and misjudging Policy has laid upon them, would tend equally to our Honour, and the Emolument of our Sister-Kingdom. Britain is naturally the great Mart of our Industry and Commerce; the Channel into which all our Wealth must ultimately flow; the Labour of our Hands is exerted in her Service; and the Experience of Ages proves, beyond a Doubt, that our Hearts are warm in the same Cause: Why, then—let Reason answer—why these partial, these ungenerous Restrictions, demonstrably prejudicial to both? Why are Advantages thrown into the Hands of her Enemies, which her Brethren, her Children, are forbidden to participate?—But, this is not a Place for political Disquisitions.
| The Shamrock | |