Specimens of American poetry with critical and biographical notices |
 | 1. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| FRANCIS HOPKINSON. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| 2. |
|
|
| 1. |
| 2. |
| 3. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| 1. |
| 2. |
| 3. |
| 4. |
|
|
|
| 2. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| 3. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 | Specimens of American poetry |  |
201
FRANCIS HOPKINSON.
202
THE BATTLE OF THE KEGS.
Gallants attend, and hear a friend,
Trill forth harmonious ditty,
Strange things I'll tell which late befell
In Philadelphia city.
Trill forth harmonious ditty,
Strange things I'll tell which late befell
In Philadelphia city.
203
'T was early day, as poets say,
Just when the sun was rising,
A soldier stood on a log of wood,
And saw a thing surprising.
Just when the sun was rising,
A soldier stood on a log of wood,
And saw a thing surprising.
As in amaze he stood to gaze,
The truth can't be denied, sir,
He spied a score of kegs or more
Come floating down the tide, sir.
The truth can't be denied, sir,
He spied a score of kegs or more
Come floating down the tide, sir.
A sailor too, in jerkin blue,
This strange appearance viewing,
First damn'd his eyes, in great surprise,
Then said, “Some mischief's brewing.
This strange appearance viewing,
First damn'd his eyes, in great surprise,
Then said, “Some mischief's brewing.
“These kegs, I'm told, the rebels bold,
Pack'd up like pickled herring;
And they 're come down t' attack the town,
In this new way of ferrying.”
Pack'd up like pickled herring;
And they 're come down t' attack the town,
In this new way of ferrying.”
The soldier flew, the sailor too,
And scared almost to death, sir,
Wore out their shoes, to spread the news,
And ran till out of breath, sir.
And scared almost to death, sir,
Wore out their shoes, to spread the news,
And ran till out of breath, sir.
Now up and down, throughout the town
Most frantic scenes were acted;
And some ran here, and others there,
Like men almost distracted.
Most frantic scenes were acted;
And some ran here, and others there,
Like men almost distracted.
Some fire cried, which some denied,
But said the earth had quaked;
And girls and boys, with hideous noise,
Ran through the streets half naked.
But said the earth had quaked;
And girls and boys, with hideous noise,
Ran through the streets half naked.
Sir William he, snug as a flea,
Lay all this time a snoring,
Nor dream'd of harm, as he lay warm,
In bed with Mrs L---g.
Lay all this time a snoring,
Nor dream'd of harm, as he lay warm,
In bed with Mrs L---g.
Now in a fright he starts upright,
Awaked by such a clatter;
He rubs both eyes, and boldly cries,
“For God's sake, what's the matter?’
Awaked by such a clatter;
He rubs both eyes, and boldly cries,
“For God's sake, what's the matter?’
204
At his bedside he then espied
Sir Erskine at command, sir,
Upon one foot he had one boot,
And the other in his hand, sir.
Sir Erskine at command, sir,
Upon one foot he had one boot,
And the other in his hand, sir.
“Arise, arise,” Sir Erskine cries,
“The rebels—more 's the pity,
Without a boat are all afloat,
And ranged before the city.
“The rebels—more 's the pity,
Without a boat are all afloat,
And ranged before the city.
“The motly crew, in vessels new,
With Satan for their guide, sir.
Pack'd up in bags, or wooden kegs,
Come driving down the tide, sir.
With Satan for their guide, sir.
Pack'd up in bags, or wooden kegs,
Come driving down the tide, sir.
“Therefore prepare for bloody war,—
These kegs must all be routed,
Or surely we despised shall be,
And British courage doubted.”
These kegs must all be routed,
Or surely we despised shall be,
And British courage doubted.”
The royal band now ready stand,
All ranged in dread array, sir,
With stomach stout to see it out,
And make a bloody day, sir.
All ranged in dread array, sir,
With stomach stout to see it out,
And make a bloody day, sir.
The cannons roar from shore to shore,
The small arms make a rattle;
Since wars began I'm sure no man
E'er saw so strange a battle.
The small arms make a rattle;
Since wars began I'm sure no man
E'er saw so strange a battle.
The rebel dales, the rebel vales,
With rebel trees surrounded;
The distant wood, the hills and floods,
With rebel echoes sounded.
With rebel trees surrounded;
The distant wood, the hills and floods,
With rebel echoes sounded.
The fish below swam to and fro,
Attack'd from every quarter;
Why sure, thought they, the devil 's to pay,
'Mongst folks above the water.
Attack'd from every quarter;
Why sure, thought they, the devil 's to pay,
'Mongst folks above the water.
The kegs, 't is said, though strongly made,
Of rebel staves and hoops, sir,
Could not oppose their powerful foes,
The conquering British troops, sir.
Of rebel staves and hoops, sir,
Could not oppose their powerful foes,
The conquering British troops, sir.
205
From morn to night these men of might
Display'd amazing courage;
And when the sun was fairly down,
Retired to sup their porridge.
Display'd amazing courage;
And when the sun was fairly down,
Retired to sup their porridge.
An hundred men with each a pen,
Or more, upon my word, sir.
It is most true, would be too few,
Their valor, to record, sir.
Or more, upon my word, sir.
It is most true, would be too few,
Their valor, to record, sir.
Such feats did they perform that day,
Against these wicked kegs, sir,
That years to come, if they get home,
They'll make their boasts and brags, sir.
Against these wicked kegs, sir,
That years to come, if they get home,
They'll make their boasts and brags, sir.
This ballad was occasioned by a real incident. Certain machines, in the form of kegs, charged with gunpowder, were sent down the river to annoy the British shipping then at Philadelphia. The danger of these machines being discovered, the British manned the wharves and shipping, and discharged their small arms and cannons at everything they saw floating in the river, during the ebb tide.
SONG.
Soft ideas love inspiring,
Every placid joy unite;
Every anxious thought retiring,
Fill my bosom with delight.
Every placid joy unite;
Every anxious thought retiring,
Fill my bosom with delight.
Soft ideas, gently flowing,
On your tide, so calm and still;
Bear me where sweet zeyphrs blowing,
Wave the pines on Borden's Hill.
On your tide, so calm and still;
Bear me where sweet zeyphrs blowing,
Wave the pines on Borden's Hill.
Where the breezes odors bringing,
Fill the grove with murmuring sound;
Where shrill notes of birds, sweet singing,
Echo to the hills around.
Fill the grove with murmuring sound;
Where shrill notes of birds, sweet singing,
Echo to the hills around.
To the pleasing gloom convey me,
Let my Delia too be there;
On her gentle bosom lay me,
On her bosom soft and fair.
Let my Delia too be there;
On her gentle bosom lay me,
On her bosom soft and fair.
Whilst I there, with rapture burning,
All my joy in her express,
Let her, love for love returning,
Me with fond caresses bless.
All my joy in her express,
Let her, love for love returning,
Me with fond caresses bless.
206
On his little wings descending,
Bring the god of soft delight:
Hymen too, with torch attending,
Must our hands and hearts unite.
Bring the god of soft delight:
Hymen too, with torch attending,
Must our hands and hearts unite.
She the source of all my pleasure
Shall my breast with transport fill;
Delia is my soul's best treasure,
Delia, pride of Borden's Hill.
Shall my breast with transport fill;
Delia is my soul's best treasure,
Delia, pride of Borden's Hill.
SONG.
Come, fair Rosina, come away,
Long since stern winter's storms have ceased!
See! Nature, in her best array,
Invites us to her rural feast:
The season shall her treasure spread,
Her mellow fruits and harvests brown,
Her flowers their richest odors shed,
And every breeze pour fragrance down.
Long since stern winter's storms have ceased!
See! Nature, in her best array,
Invites us to her rural feast:
The season shall her treasure spread,
Her mellow fruits and harvests brown,
Her flowers their richest odors shed,
And every breeze pour fragrance down.
At noon we'll seek the wild wood's shade,
And o'er the pathless verdure rove;
Or, near a mossy fountain laid,
Attend the music of the grove.
At eve, the sloping mead invites
'Midst lowing herds and flocks to stray;
Each hour shall furnish new delights,
And love and joy shall crown the day.
And o'er the pathless verdure rove;
Or, near a mossy fountain laid,
Attend the music of the grove.
At eve, the sloping mead invites
'Midst lowing herds and flocks to stray;
Each hour shall furnish new delights,
And love and joy shall crown the day.
SONG.
O'er the hills far away, at the birth of the morn,I hear the full tone of the sweet sounding horn;
The sportsmen with shoutings all hail the new day,
And swift run the hounds o'er the hills far away.
Across the deep valley their course they pursue,
And rush through the thickets yet silver'd with dew;
Nor hedges nor ditches their speed can delay—
Still sounds the sweet horn o'er the hills far away.
207
SONG.
My generous heart disdains
The slave of love to be,
I scorn his servile chains,
And boast my liberty.
This whining
And pining
And wasting with care,
Are not to my taste, be she ever so fair.
The slave of love to be,
I scorn his servile chains,
And boast my liberty.
This whining
And pining
And wasting with care,
Are not to my taste, be she ever so fair.
Shall a girl's capricious frown
Sink my noble spirits down?
Shall a face of white and red
Make me droop my silly head?
Shall I set me down and sigh
For an eyebrow or an eye?
For a braided lock of hair,
Curse my fortune and despair?
Sink my noble spirits down?
Shall a face of white and red
Make me droop my silly head?
Shall I set me down and sigh
For an eyebrow or an eye?
For a braided lock of hair,
Curse my fortune and despair?
My generous heart disdains, &c.
Still uncertain is tomorrow,
Not quite certain is today—
Shall I waste my time in sorrow?
Shall I languish life away?
All because a cruel maid
Hath not love with love repaid.
Not quite certain is today—
Shall I waste my time in sorrow?
Shall I languish life away?
All because a cruel maid
Hath not love with love repaid.
My generous heart disdains, &c.
LINES ON THE QUARREL AMONG THE STUDENTS IN ANATOMY IN PHILADELPHIA.
Friends and associates! lend a patient ear,
Suspend intestine broils and reason hear.
Ye followers of --- your wrath forbear—
Ye sons of --- your invectives spare;
The fierce dissension your high minds pursue
Is sport for others—ruinous to you.
Suspend intestine broils and reason hear.
Ye followers of --- your wrath forbear—
Ye sons of --- your invectives spare;
The fierce dissension your high minds pursue
Is sport for others—ruinous to you.
Surely some fatal influenza reigns,
Some epidemic rabies turns your brains;
Is this a time for brethren to engage
In public contest and in party rage?
Fell discord triumphs in your doubtful strife,
And, smiling, whets her anatomic knife;
Prepared to cut our precious limbs away
And leave the bleeding body to decay.
Some epidemic rabies turns your brains;
Is this a time for brethren to engage
In public contest and in party rage?
Fell discord triumphs in your doubtful strife,
And, smiling, whets her anatomic knife;
208
And leave the bleeding body to decay.
Seek ye for foes? alas, my friends, look round,
In every street, see numerous foes abound!
Methinks I hear them cry, in varied tones,
“Give us our father's—brother's—sister's bones.”
Methinks I see a mob of sailors rise—
“Revenge!—revenge!” they cry, and damn their eyes—
“Revenge for comrade Jack, whose flesh they say,
You minced to morsels and then threw away.”
Methinks I see a black infernal train—
The genuine offspring of accursed Cain—
Fiercely on you their angry looks are bent,
They grin and gibber dangerous discontent,
And seem to say—“Is there not meat enough?
Ah! massa cannibal, why eat poor Cuff?”
Even hostile watchmen stand in strong array,
And o'er our heads their threatening staves display:
Howl hideous discord through the noon of night,
And shake their dreadful lanthorns in our sight.
In every street, see numerous foes abound!
Methinks I hear them cry, in varied tones,
“Give us our father's—brother's—sister's bones.”
Methinks I see a mob of sailors rise—
“Revenge!—revenge!” they cry, and damn their eyes—
“Revenge for comrade Jack, whose flesh they say,
You minced to morsels and then threw away.”
Methinks I see a black infernal train—
The genuine offspring of accursed Cain—
Fiercely on you their angry looks are bent,
They grin and gibber dangerous discontent,
And seem to say—“Is there not meat enough?
Ah! massa cannibal, why eat poor Cuff?”
Even hostile watchmen stand in strong array,
And o'er our heads their threatening staves display:
Howl hideous discord through the noon of night,
And shake their dreadful lanthorns in our sight.
Say, are not these sufficient to engage
Your high wrought souls eternal war to wage?
Combine your strength these monsters to subdue,
No friends of science and sworn foes to you;
On these—on these, your wordy vengeance pour,
And strive our fading glory to restore.
Your high wrought souls eternal war to wage?
Combine your strength these monsters to subdue,
No friends of science and sworn foes to you;
On these—on these, your wordy vengeance pour,
And strive our fading glory to restore.
Ah! think how, late, our mutilated rites
And midnight orgies, were by sudden frights
And loud alarms profaned—the sacrifice,
Stretch'd on a board before our eager eyes,
All naked lay—even when our chieftain stood
Like a high priest, prepared for shedding blood;
Prepared, with wonderous skill to cut or slash,
The gentle sliver or the deep drawn gash;
Prepared to plunge even elbow deep in gore,
Nature and nature's secrets to explore—
Then a tumultuous cry—a sudden fear—
Proclaim'd the foe—the enraged foe is near—
In some dark hole the hard-got corse was laid,
And we, in wild conclusion, fled dismay'd.
And midnight orgies, were by sudden frights
And loud alarms profaned—the sacrifice,
Stretch'd on a board before our eager eyes,
All naked lay—even when our chieftain stood
Like a high priest, prepared for shedding blood;
Prepared, with wonderous skill to cut or slash,
The gentle sliver or the deep drawn gash;
Prepared to plunge even elbow deep in gore,
Nature and nature's secrets to explore—
Then a tumultuous cry—a sudden fear—
Proclaim'd the foe—the enraged foe is near—
In some dark hole the hard-got corse was laid,
And we, in wild conclusion, fled dismay'd.
Think how, like brethren, we have shared the toil,
When in the Potter's field we sought for spoil,
Did midnight ghosts and death and horror brave—
To delve for science in the dreary grave.—
Shall I remind you of that awful night
When our compacted band maintained the fight
Against an arméd host?—fierce was the fray,
And yet we bore our sheeted prize away.
Firm on a horse's back the corse was laid,
High blowing winds the winding sheet display'd;
Swift flew the steed—but still his burthen bore—
Fear made him fleet, who ne'er was fleet before;
O'er tombs and sunken graves he coursed around,
Nor aught respected consecrated ground.
Meantime the battle raged—so loud the strife,
The dead were almost frighten'd into life—
Though not victorious, yet we scorn'd to yield,
Retook our prize, and left the doubtful field.
When in the Potter's field we sought for spoil,
209
To delve for science in the dreary grave.—
Shall I remind you of that awful night
When our compacted band maintained the fight
Against an arméd host?—fierce was the fray,
And yet we bore our sheeted prize away.
Firm on a horse's back the corse was laid,
High blowing winds the winding sheet display'd;
Swift flew the steed—but still his burthen bore—
Fear made him fleet, who ne'er was fleet before;
O'er tombs and sunken graves he coursed around,
Nor aught respected consecrated ground.
Meantime the battle raged—so loud the strife,
The dead were almost frighten'd into life—
Though not victorious, yet we scorn'd to yield,
Retook our prize, and left the doubtful field.
In this degenerate age, alas! how few
The paths of science with true zeal pursue?
Some trifling contest, some delusive joy
Too oft the unsteady minds of youth employ.
For me—whom Esculapius hath inspired—
I boast a soul with love of science fired;
By one great object is my heart possess'd—
One ruling passion quite absorbs the rest—
In this bright point my hopes and fears unite;
And one pursuit alone can give delight.
The paths of science with true zeal pursue?
Some trifling contest, some delusive joy
Too oft the unsteady minds of youth employ.
For me—whom Esculapius hath inspired—
I boast a soul with love of science fired;
By one great object is my heart possess'd—
One ruling passion quite absorbs the rest—
In this bright point my hopes and fears unite;
And one pursuit alone can give delight.
To me things are not as to vulgar eyes,
I would all nature's works anatomize—
This world a living monster seems, to me,
Rolling and sporting in the aerial sea;
The soil encompasses her rocks and stones
As flesh in animals encircles bones.
I see vast ocean, like a heart in play,
Pant systole and diastole every day,
And by unnumbered venous streams supply'd
Up her broad river force the arterial tide.
The world's great lungs, monsoons and tradewinds show
From east to west, from west to east they blow
Alternate respiration—
The hills are pimples which earth's face defile,
And burning Ætna, an eruptive bile:
From her vast body perspirations rise,
Condense in clouds and float beneath the skies:
Thus fancy, faithful servant of the heart,
Transforms all nature by her magic art.
I would all nature's works anatomize—
This world a living monster seems, to me,
Rolling and sporting in the aerial sea;
The soil encompasses her rocks and stones
As flesh in animals encircles bones.
I see vast ocean, like a heart in play,
Pant systole and diastole every day,
And by unnumbered venous streams supply'd
Up her broad river force the arterial tide.
The world's great lungs, monsoons and tradewinds show
From east to west, from west to east they blow
Alternate respiration—
The hills are pimples which earth's face defile,
And burning Ætna, an eruptive bile:
From her vast body perspirations rise,
Condense in clouds and float beneath the skies:
Thus fancy, faithful servant of the heart,
Transforms all nature by her magic art.
210
E'en mighty love, whose power all powers controls;
Is not, in me, like love in other souls—
Yet I have loved—and Cupid's subtle dart
Hath through my pericardium pierced my heart.
Brown Cadavera did my soul ensnare,
Was all my thought by night and daily care—
I long'd to clasp, in her transcendant charms,
A living skeleton within my arms.
Is not, in me, like love in other souls—
Yet I have loved—and Cupid's subtle dart
Hath through my pericardium pierced my heart.
Brown Cadavera did my soul ensnare,
Was all my thought by night and daily care—
I long'd to clasp, in her transcendant charms,
A living skeleton within my arms.
Long, lank, and lean, my Cadavera stood,
Like the tall pine, the glory of the wood—
Oft times I gazed, with learned skill to trace
The sharp edged beauties of her bony face—
There rose os frontis prominent and bold,
In deep sunk orbits two large eye-balls roll'd,
Beneath those eye-balls, two arch'd bones were seen
Whereon two flabby cheeks hung loose and lean;
Beneath those cheeks, proturberant arose,
In form triangular, her lovely nose,
Like Egypt's pyramid it seem'd to rise,
Scorn earth, and bid defiance to the skies;
Thin were her lips, and of a sallow hue,
Her open'd mouth exposed her teeth to view;
Projecting strong, protuberant and wide
Stood incisores—and on either side
The canine ranged, with many a beauteous flaw,
And last the grinders, to fill up the jaw—
All in their alveoli fix'd secure,
Articulated by gomphosis sure.
Around her mouth, perpetual smiles had made
Wrinkles wherein the loves and graces play'd;
There, stretch'd and rigid by continual strain,
Appear'd the zygomatic muscles plain,
And broad montanus o'er her peaked chin
Extended to support the heavenly grin.
Long were her fingers and her knuckles bare,
Much like the claw-foot of a walnut chair.
So plain was complex metacarpus shown
It might be fairly counted bone by bone.
Her slender phalanxes were well defined,
And each with each by ginglymus combined.
Such were the charms that did my fancy fire,
And love—chaste, scientific love inspire.
Like the tall pine, the glory of the wood—
Oft times I gazed, with learned skill to trace
The sharp edged beauties of her bony face—
There rose os frontis prominent and bold,
In deep sunk orbits two large eye-balls roll'd,
Beneath those eye-balls, two arch'd bones were seen
Whereon two flabby cheeks hung loose and lean;
Beneath those cheeks, proturberant arose,
In form triangular, her lovely nose,
Like Egypt's pyramid it seem'd to rise,
Scorn earth, and bid defiance to the skies;
Thin were her lips, and of a sallow hue,
Her open'd mouth exposed her teeth to view;
Projecting strong, protuberant and wide
Stood incisores—and on either side
The canine ranged, with many a beauteous flaw,
And last the grinders, to fill up the jaw—
All in their alveoli fix'd secure,
Articulated by gomphosis sure.
Around her mouth, perpetual smiles had made
Wrinkles wherein the loves and graces play'd;
There, stretch'd and rigid by continual strain,
Appear'd the zygomatic muscles plain,
And broad montanus o'er her peaked chin
Extended to support the heavenly grin.
Long were her fingers and her knuckles bare,
Much like the claw-foot of a walnut chair.
So plain was complex metacarpus shown
It might be fairly counted bone by bone.
Her slender phalanxes were well defined,
And each with each by ginglymus combined.
Such were the charms that did my fancy fire,
And love—chaste, scientific love inspire.
| Specimens of American poetry | |