 | Little Tom, the Sailor |  |
Little Tom, the Sailor.
And does then the Ocean possess
The promising, brave, little youth,
Who display'd, in a scene of distress,
Such Tenderness, Courage, and Truth?
The promising, brave, little youth,
Who display'd, in a scene of distress,
Such Tenderness, Courage, and Truth?
Little Tom is a Cottager's Son;
His years not amounting to ten!
But the Dawn of his Manhood begun
With a Soul like the noblest of Men.
His years not amounting to ten!
But the Dawn of his Manhood begun
With a Soul like the noblest of Men.
In a Hospital distant from Home,
He lost his unfortunate Sire;
And his Mother was tempted to roam,
But to see that kind Father expire.
He lost his unfortunate Sire;
And his Mother was tempted to roam,
But to see that kind Father expire.
To depart from her Cottage was hard;
To desert the dear dying was worse,
Tho'! She had an Ideot to guard,
And a sick little Infant to nurse.
To desert the dear dying was worse,
Tho'! She had an Ideot to guard,
And a sick little Infant to nurse.
The brave little Tom tried to cheer
The grief that He shudder'd to see;
‘Go! Mother (He said) without Fear!
Go! and leave these poor Creatures to me!
The grief that He shudder'd to see;
‘Go! Mother (He said) without Fear!
Go! and leave these poor Creatures to me!
Go you my sick Father restore!
And I will take care of these two;
I will not stir out of the Door,
For what without me could they do?
And I will take care of these two;
I will not stir out of the Door,
For what without me could they do?
I will carefully dress them, and feed,
Go you our dear Father to save!
I will not desert them indeed;”
And Tom kept the promise he gave.
Go you our dear Father to save!
I will not desert them indeed;”
And Tom kept the promise he gave.
But his Mother a Widow came back;
Want and sorrow her Portion must be;
And her Heart, on Necessity's Rack,
Has sent little Thomas to Sea.
Want and sorrow her Portion must be;
And her Heart, on Necessity's Rack,
Has sent little Thomas to Sea.
O Sea! Thou grand Servant of God!
The Children of Britain defend!
As a braver the Deck never trod,
Little Thomas will find Thee a Friend.
The Children of Britain defend!
As a braver the Deck never trod,
Little Thomas will find Thee a Friend.
And when He's aloft in the Shrouds,
If a Storm threats aloud to destroy,
His Father's free Soul, in the Clouds,
Will watch o'er the venturous Boy;
If a Storm threats aloud to destroy,
His Father's free Soul, in the Clouds,
Will watch o'er the venturous Boy;
I hear, when the Tempests appall,
That Spirit paternal exclaim:
“O God! Thou Protector of All,
Let me shelter this dear little Frame!
That Spirit paternal exclaim:
“O God! Thou Protector of All,
Let me shelter this dear little Frame!
A Defender, with Honour, his Due!
In the Man, may his Country admire!
Since the Child was a Guardian so true
To the desolate Cot of his Sire.”
In the Man, may his Country admire!
Since the Child was a Guardian so true
To the desolate Cot of his Sire.”
| Little Tom, the Sailor | |