 | Verses of a life time |  |
203
THE AMERICAN BOY.
[_]
[An English traveller has remarked, that when Americans speak of the relative character of England and their own country, “right or wrong, they will have the last word.” This is illustrated in the following thoughts, excited by Mrs. Hemans' beautiful and elevating verses to “The English Boy.”]
Look up, my young American!
Stand firmly on the earth,
Where noble deeds, and mental power,
Give titles more than birth.
Stand firmly on the earth,
Where noble deeds, and mental power,
Give titles more than birth.
A hallowed land thou claim'st, my boy,
By early struggles bought,
Heaped up with early memories—
And wide; ay, wide as thought!
By early struggles bought,
Heaped up with early memories—
And wide; ay, wide as thought!
204
On the high Alleghany's range,
Awake thy joyous song;
Then o'er our green savannahs stray,
And gentle notes prolong.
Awake thy joyous song;
Then o'er our green savannahs stray,
And gentle notes prolong.
Awake it mid the rushing peal
Of dark Niagara's voice,
Or by thine ocean-rivers stand,
And in their joy rejoice.
Of dark Niagara's voice,
Or by thine ocean-rivers stand,
And in their joy rejoice.
What though we boast no ancient towers,
Where “ivied” streamers twine!
The laurel lives upon our soil,
The laurel, boy, is thine.
Where “ivied” streamers twine!
The laurel lives upon our soil,
The laurel, boy, is thine.
What though no “minster lifts the cross,”
Tinged by the sunset fire?
Freely religion's voices float
Round every village spire.
Tinged by the sunset fire?
Freely religion's voices float
Round every village spire.
205
And who shall gaze on yon “blue sea,”
If thou must turn away?
When free Columbia's stripes and stars
Are floating in the day?
If thou must turn away?
When free Columbia's stripes and stars
Are floating in the day?
Who thunders louder, when the strife
Of gathering war is stirred?
Who ranges further, when the call
Of commerce' voice is heard?
Of gathering war is stirred?
Who ranges further, when the call
Of commerce' voice is heard?
And though on “Cressy's distant field”
Thy gaze may not be cast,
While, through long centuries of blood,
Rise spectres of the past;
Thy gaze may not be cast,
While, through long centuries of blood,
Rise spectres of the past;
The future wakes thy dreamings high,
And thou a note mayst claim,
Aspiring, which in after times
Shall swell the trump of fame.
And thou a note mayst claim,
Aspiring, which in after times
Shall swell the trump of fame.
Yet scenes are here for tender thought—
Here sleep the good and brave!
Here kneel, my boy, and raise thy vow
Above the patriot's grave.
Here sleep the good and brave!
Here kneel, my boy, and raise thy vow
Above the patriot's grave.
206
On Moultrie's isle, on Bunker's height,
On Monmouth's heated line,
On Eutaw's field, on Yorktown's bank,
Erect thy loyal shrine;
On Monmouth's heated line,
On Eutaw's field, on Yorktown's bank,
Erect thy loyal shrine;
And when thou 'rt told of “knighthood's shields,”
And English battles won,
Look up, my boy, and breathe one word,—
The name of Washington.
And English battles won,
Look up, my boy, and breathe one word,—
The name of Washington.
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