 | The miscellaneous essays and occasional writings of Francis Hopkinson, Esq |  |
47
On THE LATE SUCCESSFUL EXPEDITION AGAINST LOUISBOURG.
At length 'tis done, the glorious conflict's done,
And British valour hath the conquest won:
Success our arms, our heroes, honour crowns,
And Louisbourg an English monarch owns!
Swift, to the scene where late the valiant fought,
Waft me, ye muses, on the wings of thought—
That awful scene, where the dread god of war
O'er fields of death roll'd his triumphant ear:
There yet, with fancy's eye, methinks I view
The pressing throng, the fierce assault renew:
With dauntless front advance, and boldly brave
The cannon's thunder, and th' expecting grave.
And British valour hath the conquest won:
Success our arms, our heroes, honour crowns,
And Louisbourg an English monarch owns!
Swift, to the scene where late the valiant fought,
Waft me, ye muses, on the wings of thought—
That awful scene, where the dread god of war
O'er fields of death roll'd his triumphant ear:
There yet, with fancy's eye, methinks I view
The pressing throng, the fierce assault renew:
With dauntless front advance, and boldly brave
The cannon's thunder, and th' expecting grave.
On yonder cliff, high hanging o'er the deep,
Where trembling joy climbs the darksome steep;
Britannia lonely sitting, from afar
Waits the event, and overlooks the war;
Thence, roll her eager wand'ring eyes about,
In all the dread anxiety of doubt;
Sees her fierce sons, her foes with vengeance smite,
Grasp deathless honours, and maintain the fight.
Whilst thus her breast alternate passions sway,
And hope and fear wear the slow hours away.
See! from the realms of everlasting light,
A radiant form wings her aerial flight.
The palm she carries, and the crown she wears,
Plainly denote 'tis Victory appears:
Her crimson vestment loosely flows behind,
The clouds her chariot, and her wings the wind:
Trumpets shrill sounding all around her play,
And laurell'd honours gild her azure way—
Now she alights—the trumpets cease to sound,
Her presence spreads expecting silence round:—
And thus she speaks; whilst from her heav'nly face
Effulgent glories brighten all the place—
Where trembling joy climbs the darksome steep;
Britannia lonely sitting, from afar
Waits the event, and overlooks the war;
Thence, roll her eager wand'ring eyes about,
In all the dread anxiety of doubt;
Sees her fierce sons, her foes with vengeance smite,
Grasp deathless honours, and maintain the fight.
Whilst thus her breast alternate passions sway,
And hope and fear wear the slow hours away.
48
A radiant form wings her aerial flight.
The palm she carries, and the crown she wears,
Plainly denote 'tis Victory appears:
Her crimson vestment loosely flows behind,
The clouds her chariot, and her wings the wind:
Trumpets shrill sounding all around her play,
And laurell'd honours gild her azure way—
Now she alights—the trumpets cease to sound,
Her presence spreads expecting silence round:—
And thus she speaks; whilst from her heav'nly face
Effulgent glories brighten all the place—
“Britannia, hail! thine is at length the day,
“And lasting triumphs shall thy cares repay;
“Thy godlike sons, by this, their names shall raise,
“And tongues remote shall joy to swell their praise.
“I to the list'ning world will soon proclaim
“Of Wolfe's brave deeds, the never-dying fame,
“And swell with glory Amherst's patriot name.
“Such are the heroes that shall ever bring
“Wealth to their country, honour to their king:
“Opposing foes, in vain attempt to quell
“The native fires that in such bosoms dwell.
“To thee, with joy, this laurel I resign,
“Smile, smile, Britannia! victory is thine.
“Long may it flourish on thy sacred brow!
“Long may thy foes a forc'd subjection know!
“See, see their pow'r, their boasted pow'r decline!
“Rejoice Britannia! victory is thine.”
“And lasting triumphs shall thy cares repay;
“Thy godlike sons, by this, their names shall raise,
“And tongues remote shall joy to swell their praise.
“I to the list'ning world will soon proclaim
“Of Wolfe's brave deeds, the never-dying fame,
“And swell with glory Amherst's patriot name.
“Such are the heroes that shall ever bring
“Wealth to their country, honour to their king:
“Opposing foes, in vain attempt to quell
“The native fires that in such bosoms dwell.
“To thee, with joy, this laurel I resign,
“Smile, smile, Britannia! victory is thine.
“Long may it flourish on thy sacred brow!
“Long may thy foes a forc'd subjection know!
“See, see their pow'r, their boasted pow'r decline!
“Rejoice Britannia! victory is thine.”
49
Give your loose canvas to the breezes free,
Ye floating thund'rers, bulwarks of the sea:
Go, bear the joyful tidings to your king,
And, in the voice of war, declare 'tis victory you bring:
Let the wild croud that catch the breath of fame,
In mad huzzas their ruder joy proclaim:
Let their loud thanks to heav'n in flames ascend,
While mingling shouts the azure concave rend.
But let the few, whom reason makes more wise,
With glowing gratitude uplift their eyes:
Oh! let their breasts dilate with sober joy.
Let pious praise their hearts and tongues employ;
To bless our God with me let all unite,
He guides the conq'ring sword, e governs in the fight.
Ye floating thund'rers, bulwarks of the sea:
Go, bear the joyful tidings to your king,
And, in the voice of war, declare 'tis victory you bring:
Let the wild croud that catch the breath of fame,
In mad huzzas their ruder joy proclaim:
Let their loud thanks to heav'n in flames ascend,
While mingling shouts the azure concave rend.
But let the few, whom reason makes more wise,
With glowing gratitude uplift their eyes:
Oh! let their breasts dilate with sober joy.
Let pious praise their hearts and tongues employ;
To bless our God with me let all unite,
He guides the conq'ring sword, e governs in the fight.
| The miscellaneous essays and occasional writings of Francis Hopkinson, Esq | |