 | The embargo ; or, sketches of the times |  |
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THE SPANISH REVOLUTION.
A BARD, in science young, unskill'd in song,
Essays to tell, how, rous'd by gathering wrong,
Iberia, rising from disgrace and chains,
Repuls'd th' Usurper from her native plains;—
O'er independence hung her faithful shield,
Though fiend-like carnage hover'd round the field,
And nobly brav'd the caitiff hordes of Gaul,
At heaven-born freedom's life-inspiring call!
Essays to tell, how, rous'd by gathering wrong,
Iberia, rising from disgrace and chains,
Repuls'd th' Usurper from her native plains;—
O'er independence hung her faithful shield,
Though fiend-like carnage hover'd round the field,
And nobly brav'd the caitiff hordes of Gaul,
At heaven-born freedom's life-inspiring call!
When Bonaparte, (his death-dispensing hand
Extending rudely o'er th' Iberian land,)
Tore, to exalt a favourite of his own,
The lineal monarch from his rightful throne;
At first, a soft, a low complaint began,
In spacious rounds, dissatisfaction ran!
Wide spreads dislike, more loud complaints they rais'd,
Till all the fury of their vengeance blaz'd.
Thus the small spark, when kindled by the breeze,
Swells to a flame, and tops the forest trees.
Extending rudely o'er th' Iberian land,)
Tore, to exalt a favourite of his own,
The lineal monarch from his rightful throne;
At first, a soft, a low complaint began,
In spacious rounds, dissatisfaction ran!
Wide spreads dislike, more loud complaints they rais'd,
Till all the fury of their vengeance blaz'd.
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Swells to a flame, and tops the forest trees.
And now the peasantry, awak'd to rage,
With Gallic armies mid the streets engage;
How dire the din! what horrible alarms,
Of shrieks, and shouts, and ever-clanging arms
Keen sabres glare, deep-throated cannons roar,
And whizzing balls, in leaden vollies pour;
While clouds of dust amid the blue immense,
Hang o'er the scene, in ominous suspense;
Confusion o'er the deathful fray presides,
Insatiate Death, the storm of ruin guides,
And wild-eye'd Horror screaming o'er the fight,
Invokes the curtains of chaotic night!
With Gallic armies mid the streets engage;
How dire the din! what horrible alarms,
Of shrieks, and shouts, and ever-clanging arms
Keen sabres glare, deep-throated cannons roar,
And whizzing balls, in leaden vollies pour;
While clouds of dust amid the blue immense,
Hang o'er the scene, in ominous suspense;
Confusion o'er the deathful fray presides,
Insatiate Death, the storm of ruin guides,
And wild-eye'd Horror screaming o'er the fight,
Invokes the curtains of chaotic night!
At length, by force o'erwhelm'd, the peasants fail'd,
And Gallia's gathering myrmidons prevail'd.
What scenes of blood, and massacre ensu'd!
Who can describe them, though their eyes have view'd
Curst, Cruelty, now owns the Gallic band
Her progeny, and guides the murd'rous hand;
Grins approbation, while the victim bleeds,
And stamps her hell-born image on their deeds!
And Gallia's gathering myrmidons prevail'd.
What scenes of blood, and massacre ensu'd!
Who can describe them, though their eyes have view'd
Curst, Cruelty, now owns the Gallic band
Her progeny, and guides the murd'rous hand;
Grins approbation, while the victim bleeds,
And stamps her hell-born image on their deeds!
The bursting flame by such rough means supprest,
Still burns untam'd, still goads each patriot-breast;
Through all restraints, its ardour forcing way,
Impels them furious to the raging fray;
Swift on the foe each hardy Spaniard flies,
Fierce as a tempest of the arctic skies.
Still burns untam'd, still goads each patriot-breast;
Through all restraints, its ardour forcing way,
Impels them furious to the raging fray;
Swift on the foe each hardy Spaniard flies,
Fierce as a tempest of the arctic skies.
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Fell Discord thunders, unrelenting rage,
And dire revenge, and patriot pride, engage.
The battle glows, more dreadful than the first,
The clouds of war, with deadlier vengeance burst;
In louder din the mingled noises rise,
And darker glooms conceal the noon-day skies!
And dire revenge, and patriot pride, engage.
The battle glows, more dreadful than the first,
The clouds of war, with deadlier vengeance burst;
In louder din the mingled noises rise,
And darker glooms conceal the noon-day skies!
And now commission'd by the great Supreme,
Poizes stern Justice, her unerring beam;
Restrains th' Oppressor, with success elate,
And seals the awful ‘Tekel’ of his fate!
Spain's ravish'd rights, in the descending scale,
O'er Gallic fraud, and violence prevail.
Iberia triumphs,—deathless deeds were done,
Wonders achiev'd, unfading laurels won;
Her troops in war's destructive arts unskill'd,
Yet like a whirlwind sweep the ensanguin'd field;
While haughty France, a sad reverse endures,
And veteran warriors yield to untrain'd boors!
Poizes stern Justice, her unerring beam;
Restrains th' Oppressor, with success elate,
And seals the awful ‘Tekel’ of his fate!
Spain's ravish'd rights, in the descending scale,
O'er Gallic fraud, and violence prevail.
Iberia triumphs,—deathless deeds were done,
Wonders achiev'd, unfading laurels won;
Her troops in war's destructive arts unskill'd,
Yet like a whirlwind sweep the ensanguin'd field;
While haughty France, a sad reverse endures,
And veteran warriors yield to untrain'd boors!
Iberia conquers,—Hope, electric, flies
Throughout the realm, and bids despair arise;
Gives energy to age, emboldens fear,
Sooths the bereav'd, and dries the orphan's tear;
In every visage smiles of pleasure glow,
And joy sits dimpling in the face of wo!
Throughout the realm, and bids despair arise;
Gives energy to age, emboldens fear,
Sooths the bereav'd, and dries the orphan's tear;
In every visage smiles of pleasure glow,
And joy sits dimpling in the face of wo!
So, when the Demon of the tempest flies,
In thund'ring chariot, o'er the clouded skies;
Wide fly his fiery arrows, and his breath
Sweeps o'er the scene in hurricanes of death;
But soon his glooms disperse, his terrors fly,
And Phœbus, beaming from the clear blue sky,
Smiles o'er the freshen'd lawn, and vivid bow,
The prospect gilding with his native glow!
In thund'ring chariot, o'er the clouded skies;
Wide fly his fiery arrows, and his breath
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But soon his glooms disperse, his terrors fly,
And Phœbus, beaming from the clear blue sky,
Smiles o'er the freshen'd lawn, and vivid bow,
The prospect gilding with his native glow!
Now warm with hope, the glowing victors strive,
The fell invaders from the realm to drive;
While retrograde, they seek their native land,
Or, yield by thousands to the patriot band;
Or, in huge heaps, beneath a foreign sky,
Pil'd undistinguish'd, where they fought, they lie.
The fell invaders from the realm to drive;
While retrograde, they seek their native land,
Or, yield by thousands to the patriot band;
Or, in huge heaps, beneath a foreign sky,
Pil'd undistinguish'd, where they fought, they lie.
The fruitful vallies, the majestic hills,
Adorn'd with groves, and interspers'd with rills,
When Sol from cloudless ether looks serene,
And fragrant Zephyrs hover o'er the green,
With life, and pleasure, animate the soul,
And bid the thoughts in placid calmness roll.
Adorn'd with groves, and interspers'd with rills,
When Sol from cloudless ether looks serene,
And fragrant Zephyrs hover o'er the green,
With life, and pleasure, animate the soul,
And bid the thoughts in placid calmness roll.
So, where terrific rocks invade the sky,
And thundering torrents tumble from on high;
Where ancient towers rise o'er the lofty steep,
And shaggy forests overhang the deep;
Wak'd by the scene, sublime ideas soar,
And lift the soul to heights unknown before!
And thundering torrents tumble from on high;
Where ancient towers rise o'er the lofty steep,
And shaggy forests overhang the deep;
Wak'd by the scene, sublime ideas soar,
And lift the soul to heights unknown before!
But when, intent on universal sway,
Some furious despot drives his wasting way;
Whose countless hosts in warlike toils long try'd,
Roll in a deep and devastating tide;
Should some brave people, rising void of fear,
With firm resistance check his fell career;
Oppose invasion, with the strength of war,
And dash proud triumph from her splendid car;
While valour, glowing with resistless ire,
Directs the ardour of the patriot fire;—
Then nobler feelings, feelings more refin'd,
Exalt, inspirit, and sublime the mind!
Though seas divide, or deserts intervene,
Or ice-top'd mountains lift their heads between;
Who, but iudulges in the generous tide
Of patriot feelings, with a noble pride?
Some furious despot drives his wasting way;
Whose countless hosts in warlike toils long try'd,
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Should some brave people, rising void of fear,
With firm resistance check his fell career;
Oppose invasion, with the strength of war,
And dash proud triumph from her splendid car;
While valour, glowing with resistless ire,
Directs the ardour of the patriot fire;—
Then nobler feelings, feelings more refin'd,
Exalt, inspirit, and sublime the mind!
Though seas divide, or deserts intervene,
Or ice-top'd mountains lift their heads between;
Who, but iudulges in the generous tide
Of patriot feelings, with a noble pride?
Ye, in a land of freedom, and of peace,
Midst plains of plenty, and in bowers of ease;
Where truth flames forth, uncheck'd, before whose eye,
The gloomy hosts of superstition fly;
Where numerous schools their kindly influence spread,
And daring science lifts her laurel'd head;
Where law, and liberty combine their powers,
And war with gloomy aspect never low'rs;
Think of your fathers, how in tragic hour,
They burst the fetters of Britannia's power;
Then, if you can, the virtuous flame despise,
Which bids an injur'd land indignant rise!
Midst plains of plenty, and in bowers of ease;
Where truth flames forth, uncheck'd, before whose eye,
The gloomy hosts of superstition fly;
Where numerous schools their kindly influence spread,
And daring science lifts her laurel'd head;
Where law, and liberty combine their powers,
And war with gloomy aspect never low'rs;
Think of your fathers, how in tragic hour,
They burst the fetters of Britannia's power;
Then, if you can, the virtuous flame despise,
Which bids an injur'd land indignant rise!
Oh, thou Supreme! to whom revenge belongs,
Save the opprest,—repay th' oppressor's wrongs!
Ride forth, O God of armies! in thy might,
With vigour nerve Spain's gallant sons to fight;
Till treacherous France, repuls'd, thy justice own,
And yield the captive King his ravish'd throne!
Save the opprest,—repay th' oppressor's wrongs!
Ride forth, O God of armies! in thy might,
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Till treacherous France, repuls'd, thy justice own,
And yield the captive King his ravish'd throne!
My country! think, what injur'd Spain endures,
Her righteous cause is liberty's,—'tis yours!
Her generous sons, who, French finesse despise,
Would gladly meet thy nourishing supplies.
Why then, does Commerce still delay to steer
To their green shores her breeze-compell'd career!
Rise! bid her spread her enterprizing sail,
And raise her streamers to the wavy gale;
Explore the bounties of the torrid zone,
And let its ripe productions be our own!
Her righteous cause is liberty's,—'tis yours!
Her generous sons, who, French finesse despise,
Would gladly meet thy nourishing supplies.
Why then, does Commerce still delay to steer
To their green shores her breeze-compell'd career!
Rise! bid her spread her enterprizing sail,
And raise her streamers to the wavy gale;
Explore the bounties of the torrid zone,
And let its ripe productions be our own!
Written, August, 1808.
| The embargo ; or, sketches of the times | |