 | Contributions to a Ballad History of England and the States Sprung from Her |  |
COSSACK WE WILL NEVER BE.
1853
“In fifty years Europe will be Republican or Cossack.”
Napoleon Bonaparte.
Hark! I hear a warning voice;
St. Helena sends it forth:
“Fated Europe, make thy choice,
Chains or freedom—West or North;
Choose; ere fifty years are by,
Europe shall be wholly free,
Or in fetters doomed to lie,
Cossack, Europe, thou shalt be.”
St. Helena sends it forth:
“Fated Europe, make thy choice,
Chains or freedom—West or North;
Choose; ere fifty years are by,
Europe shall be wholly free,
Or in fetters doomed to lie,
Cossack, Europe, thou shalt be.”
101
So that stern voice of the past
Spoke full thirty years ago;
Still it speaks, and, roused at last,
Well its meaning now we know;
Yes, we hear it, and reply,
All our danger now we see;
Free we'll live, and free we'll die;
Cossack, we will never be.
Spoke full thirty years ago;
Still it speaks, and, roused at last,
Well its meaning now we know;
Yes, we hear it, and reply,
All our danger now we see;
Free we'll live, and free we'll die;
Cossack, we will never be.
Long, too long, with coward fears,
Have we made the despot strong,
While through nations' blood and tears,
On he marched from wrong to wrong;
Bolder—year by year, more nigh,
All our danger now we see;
Free we'll live, and free we'll die;
Cossack, we will never be.
Have we made the despot strong,
While through nations' blood and tears,
On he marched from wrong to wrong;
Bolder—year by year, more nigh,
All our danger now we see;
Free we'll live, and free we'll die;
Cossack, we will never be.
Boldly Poland fought our fight;
Poland had our hopes and fears;
Hungary stood for Europe's right;
Europe helped her but with tears:
Shall we now stand trembling by?
No—our danger now we see;
Free we'll live, and free we'll die;
Cossack, we will never be.
Poland had our hopes and fears;
Hungary stood for Europe's right;
Europe helped her but with tears:
Shall we now stand trembling by?
No—our danger now we see;
Free we'll live, and free we'll die;
Cossack, we will never be.
More than wishes—Europe's swords,
Turkey needs to foil the Czar;
Soon or late, we front his hordes,
Forced to fling them back with war
Strike, and “freedom” be our cry;
All our danger now we see;
Free we'll live, and free we'll die;
Cossack, we will never be.
Turkey needs to foil the Czar;
Soon or late, we front his hordes,
Forced to fling them back with war
102
All our danger now we see;
Free we'll live, and free we'll die;
Cossack, we will never be.
| Contributions to a Ballad History of England and the States Sprung from Her | |