Humanity, or the rights of nature, a poem in two books. By the author of sympathy [i.e. S. J. Pratt] |
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| I. |
| II. |
 | Humanity, or the rights of nature, a poem |  |
Say, what but Freedom chear'd the Savage bands,
That once o'erspread Canadia's conquer'd lands?
Wild as their woods behold uncheck'd they go,
For sport or food arm'd simply with the bow,
Save the thin Buffalo o'er their shoulders crost,
Their hardy bosoms meet unfenc'd the frost,
The casual chace their banquet and their toil,
They ask'd no bounty from the sullen soil,
If to their prayer to range at large was giv'n,
They thought unbounded liberty was Heav'n;
The Gods invok'd, their Sylvan wars to aid,
The stag was slain, the boar a captive made,
The female hunters journey'd with the men,
And fearless track'd the monster to his den,
And when at eve the warm pursuit was o'er,
Nor twang'd the bow nor sped the arrow more,
They sprung from light repose ere peep of day,
And thro' the humid desarts took their way;
Of forest growth there pamper'd sloth might view,
Nature's brave Cæsars and wise Tullys too,
Active, ferocious, bold, unaw'd, they stood,
Troops of the lake and armies of the wood,
Vers'd in no science, lesson'd in no art,
They breath'd the eloquence that reach'd the heart;
Unknown the classic pomp of pedant schools,
Their Oratory rose o'er colder rules,
It beam'd defiance in the flashing eye,
Storm'd in the shout and melted in the sigh;
In tranquil hours it gave the smile serene,
In public tumult shew'd th'indignant mien,
The vivid tone and vital glance express'd
All the strong passions of the warriour's breast.
That once o'erspread Canadia's conquer'd lands?
93
For sport or food arm'd simply with the bow,
Save the thin Buffalo o'er their shoulders crost,
Their hardy bosoms meet unfenc'd the frost,
The casual chace their banquet and their toil,
They ask'd no bounty from the sullen soil,
If to their prayer to range at large was giv'n,
They thought unbounded liberty was Heav'n;
The Gods invok'd, their Sylvan wars to aid,
The stag was slain, the boar a captive made,
The female hunters journey'd with the men,
And fearless track'd the monster to his den,
And when at eve the warm pursuit was o'er,
Nor twang'd the bow nor sped the arrow more,
They sprung from light repose ere peep of day,
And thro' the humid desarts took their way;
Of forest growth there pamper'd sloth might view,
Nature's brave Cæsars and wise Tullys too,
Active, ferocious, bold, unaw'd, they stood,
Troops of the lake and armies of the wood,
94
They breath'd the eloquence that reach'd the heart;
Unknown the classic pomp of pedant schools,
Their Oratory rose o'er colder rules,
It beam'd defiance in the flashing eye,
Storm'd in the shout and melted in the sigh;
In tranquil hours it gave the smile serene,
In public tumult shew'd th'indignant mien,
The vivid tone and vital glance express'd
All the strong passions of the warriour's breast.
| Humanity, or the rights of nature, a poem | |