A Metrical History of England Or, Recollections, in Rhyme, Of some of the most prominent Features in our National Chronology, from the Landing of Julius Caesar to the Commencement of the Regency, in 1812. In Two Volumes ... By Thomas Dibdin |
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 | A Metrical History of England |  |
(Hear critic to thy great confusion,
We cannot let a poor pun pass,)
Made the foe once more cry peccavi,
And to the dashing Gallic navy
Gave, as it were, a Coup De Grasse.
Whate'er of such a joke the sin,
I still say “let those laugh who win!”
The honor'd, valiant name of Hood;
“And ever as that day returns,
“The Muse her tale shall tell,
“And sing her sorrow o'er the urns
“Of those who bravely fell;
“And weave immortal wreaths of fame,
“O'er Blair, and Manners' deathless name.”
To list of heroes add we now
Brave Digby, Barrington, and Howe;
Nor must bold Curtis be forgot,
Of whom it was the envied lot,
To deal his indignation hot
On Spanish prows, and with disgrace
To drive them from Gibraltar's base;
Where matchless Elliot cheers his dauntless band,
Firm as the rock on which the warriors stand.
Hughes and Suffrein with each a fleet
In action indecisive meet,
A score, of which the reader knows.
On the memorable 12th of August, Rodney beat Degrasse, and took him in the Ville de Paris, with 3 other line of battle ships and sank one.—Seven days afterwards, Sir Samuel Hood took two more ships of the line, in which glorious action Captain Blair of the Anson, and Lord Robert Manners who commanded the Resolution, were killed.—About the same time Admiral Barrington took the Pegase of 74 guns, the Actionnaire of 64, and 10 sail of transports. Admiral Howe relieved Gibraltar which Elliot had most nobly defended, and the Spanish batteries were destroyed by the brave Sir Roger Curtis.
Our losses at the close of the war were, the island of Minorca, taken by the Spaniards; St. Eustatius, and St. Martin's, taken by the French,—the Ville de Paris, Glorieux, Hector, Centaur, and Ramillies, foundered at sea;—the melancholy catastrophe of Admiral Kempenfelt in the Royal George, is in the sad recollection of many.
| A Metrical History of England | |