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Poems of Freneau

Freneau, Philip Morin (1752-1832)

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PART ONE POEMS OF FREEDOM
  
The RISING GLORY OF AMERICA.
  
DISCOVERY.
  
A POLITICAL LITANY.
  
TO THE AMERICANS,
  
ON A HESSIAN DEBARKATION. 1776.
  
AMERICA INDEPENDENT;
  
On the new AMERICAN FRIGATE ALLIANCE.
  
On the Death OF CAPTAIN NICHOLAS BIDDLE,
  
GEORGE THE THIRD'S SOLILOQUY.
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THE BRITISH PRISON SHIP
 1. 
CANTO I. The CAPTURE.
 2. 
CANTO II. The PRISON SHIP.
 3. 
CANTO III. The HOSPITAL PRISON SHIP.
  
On THE MEMORABLE VICTORY,
  
TO LORD CORNWALLIS,
  
ON THE FALL OF GENERAL EARL CORNWALLIS,
  
TO THE MEMORY Of the brave AMERICANS,
  
ARNOLD'S DEPARTURE.
  
THE POLITICAL BALANCE; OR, THE FATES OF BRITAIN AND AMERICA COMPARED: A TALE.
  
BARNEY'S INVITATION.
  
SONG,
  
A PICTURE OF THE TIMES,
  
To A CONCEALED ROYALIST
  
Occasioned By GENERAL WASHINGTON'S Arrival in Philadelphia,
  
On the EMIGRATION TO AMERICA and Peopling the Western Country
  
LITERARY IMPORTATION.
  
STANZAS
  
Epistle to THE PATRIOTIC FARMER.
  
ON THE PROSPECT OF A REVOLUTION IN FRANCE
  
THE DISTREST THEATRE.
  
The New England SABBATH-DAY CHACE.
  
On the Death of DR. BENJAMIN FRANKLIN.
  
EPISTLE
  
THE DEPARTURE:
  
THE AMERICAN SOLDIER.
  
Occasioned by A LEGISLATION BILL
  
To the PUBLIC.
  
LINES WRITTEN ON A PUNCHEON OF JAMAICAN SPIRITS.
  
A WARNING TO AMERICA.
  
On the FOURTEENTH OF JULY,
  
TO CRISPIN O'CONNER,
  
CRISPIN'S ANSWER.
  
To SHYLOCK AP-SHENKIN.
  
To MY BOOK.
  
To a PERSECUTED PHILOSOPHER.
  
TO AN ANGRY ZEALOT:
  
On the Demolition of the FRENCH MONARCHY.
  
On the FRENCH REPUBLICANS.
  
On MR. PAINE'S RIGHTS OF MAN.
  
ODE TO LIBERTY.
  
ODE
  
On the Death of a REPUBLICAN PRINTER:
  
On The ANNIVERSARY
  
To SHYLOCK AP-SHENKIN.
  
To a NOISY POLITICIAN.
  
Addressed to a POLITICAL SHRIMP,
  
To MY BOOK.
  
On the DEATH OF CATHARINE II.
  
PREFATORY LINES TO A PERIODICAL PUBLICATION.
  
THE REPUBLICAN FESTIVAL:
  
TO DUNCAN DOOLITTLE,
  
The MILLENNIUM—
  
To the SCRIBE OF SCRIBES.
  
TO THE AMERICANS OF THE UNITED STATES.
  
To the DEMOCRATIC COUNTRY EDITORS.
  
REFLECTIONS
  
The POLITICAL WEATHERCOCK.
  
REFLECTIONS
  
STANZAS
  
STANZAS
  
STANZAS
  
STANZAS
  
ON THE ABUSE OF HUMAN POWER
  
STANZAS
  
On the SYMPTOMS OF HOSTILITIES.
  
LINES ADDRESSED TO MR. JEFFERSON,
  
On the BRITISH COMMERCIAL DEPREDATIONS.
  
MILITARY RECRUITING
  
On the LAKE EXPEDITIONS.
  
The BATTLE OF LAKE ERIE
  
The VOLUNTEER'S MARCH.
  
The BATTLE OF STONINGTON
  
On the CONFLAGRATIONS AT WASHINGTON;
  
To THE LAKE SQUADRONS.
  
ROYAL CONSULTATIONS;
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PART TWO POEMS OF ROMANTIC FANCY
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The HISTORY of the PROPHET JONAH
 1. 
Canto I.
 2. 
Canto II.
 3. 
Canto III.
 4. 
Canto IV.
  
The PYRAMIDS OF EGYPT
  
THE POWER of FANCY.
  
THE PRAYER OF ORPHEUS.
  
The AMERICAN VILLAGE, &c.
  
THE DESERTED FARM-HOUSE.
  
THE CITIZEN'S RESOLVE.
  
THE DYING ELM.
  
ON RETIREMENT:
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The PICTURES OF COLUMBUS,
 1. 
Picture I. Columbus making Maps.
 2. 
Picture II. The Cell of an Inchantress.
 3. 
Picture III. The Mirror.
 4. 
Picture IV. Columbus addresses King Ferdinand.
 5. 
Picture V. Ferdinand and his First Minister.
 6. 
Picture VI. Columbus addresses Queen Isabella.
 7. 
Picture VII. Queen Isabella's Page of Honour writing a reply to Columbus.
 8. 
Picture VIII. Columbus at the Harbour of Palos, in Andalusia.
 9. 
Picture IX. A Sailor's Hut, near the Shore Thomas and Susan
 10. 
Picture X. Bernardo, a Spanish Friar, in his canonicals.
 11. 
Picture XI. Orosio, a Mathematician, with his scales and compasses.
 12. 
Picture XII. Columbus and a Pilot.
 13. 
Picture XIII. Discontents at Sea.
 14. 
Picture XIV. Columbus at Cat Island.
 15. 
Picture XV. Columbus in a Tempest, on his return to Spain.
 16. 
Picture XVI. Columbus visits the Court at Barcelona.
 17. 
Picture XVII. Columbus in Chains.
 18. 
Picture XVIII. Columbus at Valladolid.
  
THE SILENT ACADEMY.
  
THE VERNAL AGUE.
  
A SATIRE
  
The HOUSE of NIGHT
  
The JAMAICA FUNERAL.
  
The BEAUTIES OF SANTA CRUZ
  
THE JEWISH LAMENTATION at Euphrates.
  
ON AMANDA'S SINGING BIRD:
  
CAPTAIN J. P. JONES'S INVITATION.
  
THE SEA VOYAGE
  
The VANITY OF EXISTENCE.
  
TO AN OLD MAN
  
STANZAS
  
THE ARGONAUT;
  
SCANDINAVIAN WAR SONG.
  
THE PROPHECY of King TAMMANY
  
THE DYING INDIAN:
  
THE HURRICANE
  
Written AT PORT ROYAL
  
THE SEASONS MORALIZED.
  
On THE VICISSITUDES OF THINGS
  
TO SYLVIUS:
  
THE WILD HONEY SUCKLE.
  
On A BOOK CALLED UNITARIAN THEOLOGY
  
TO ZOILUS,
  
THE BERMUDA ISLANDS.
  
FLORIO TO AMANDA.
  
THE FAIR SOLITARY.
  
AMANDA IN A CONSUMPTION.
  
ELEGIAC LINES.
  
MAY TO APRIL.
  
TO AN AUTHOR.
  
TO MISFORTUNE.
  
THE INDIAN BURYING GROUND.
  
THE INDIAN STUDENT:
  
MAN OF NINETY.
  
ALCINA'S ENCHANTED ISLAND.
  
HORACE, LIB. I. ODE 15.
  
PALEMON TO LAVINIA.
  
TO LYDIA.
  
TO CYNTHIA.
  
AMANDA'S COMPLAINT.
  
HATTERAS.
  
St. CATHARINE's.
  
NEVERSINK.
  
The WANDERER
  
ON THE SLEEP OF PLANTS.
  
STANZAS,
  
The ORATOR OF THE WOODS.
  
THE BERGEN PLANTER.
  
TOBACCO.
  
THE BANISHED MAN.
  
LINES,
  
LINES,
  
MODERN DEVOTION.
  
THE PARTING GLASS.
  
THE DISH OF TEA.
  
STANZAS
  
ELEGY
  
TO SYLVIUS,
  
The DRUNKARD'S APOLOGY
  
To a DECEASED DOG.
  
JACK STRAW:
  
EPISTLE to a Student of Dead Languages.
  
HERMIT'S VALLEY.
  
TO A NIGHT-FLY,
  
THE INDIAN CONVERT.
  
On ARRIVING IN SOUTH CAROLINA, 1798.
  
LINES WRITTEN AT SEA.
  
THE NAUTICAL RENDEZVOUS.
  
A BACCHANALIAN DIALOGUE.
  
OCTOBER'S ADDRESS:
  
To A CATY-DID.
  
On Passing BY AN OLD CHURCHYARD.
  
ON A HONEY BEE,
  
REFLECTIONS on the Constitution, or Frame of Nature.
  
SCIENCE,
  
The BROOK OF THE VALLEY.
  
Lines on the ESTABLISHMENT OF THE NEW THEATRE
  
BELIEF AND UNBELIEF:
  
On the UNIVERSALITY AND OTHER ATTRIBUTES of the GOD OF NATURE.
  
On the UNIFORMITY AND PERFECTION of NATURE.
  
ON THE RELIGION OF NATURE.

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Picture VIII.
Columbus at the Harbour of Palos, in Andalusia.

Columbus.
In three small barques to cross so vast a sea,
Held to be boundless, even in learning's eye,
And trusting only to a magic glass,
Which may have represented things untrue,
Shadows and visions for realities!—
It is a bold attempt!—Yet I must go,
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Travelling the surge to its great boundary;
Far, far away beyond the reach of men,
Where never galley spread her milk-white sail
Or weary pilgrim bore the Christian name!
But though I were confirm'd in my design
And saw the whole event with certainty,
How shall I so exert my eloquence,
And hold such arguments with vulgar minds
As to convince them I am not an idiot
Chasing the visions of a shatter'd brain,
Ending in their perdition and my own?
The world, and all its wisdom is against me;
The dreams of priests; philosophy in chains;
False learning swoln with self-sufficiency;
Men seated at the helm of royalty
Reasoning like school-boys;—what discouragements!
Experience holds herself mine enemy,
And one weak woman only hears my story!—
I'll make a speech—“Here jovial sailors, here!
“Ye that would rise beyond the rags of fortune,
“Struggling too long with hopeless poverty,
“Coasting your native shores on shallow seas,
“Vex'd by the gallies of the Ottoman;
“Now meditate with me a bolder plan,
“Catching at fortune in her plentitude!
“He that shall undertake this voyage with me
“Shall be no longer held a vulgar man:
“Princes shall wish they had been our companions,
“And Science blush she did not go along
“To learn a lesson that might humble pride
“Now grinning idly from a pedant's cap,
“Lurking behind the veil of cowardice.
“FAR in the west a golden region lies
“Unknown, unvisited for many an age,
“Teeming with treasures to enrich the brave.
“Embark, embark—Columbus leads the way—
“Why, friends, existence is alike to me
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“Dear and desireable with other men;
“What good could I devise in seeking ruin?
“Embark, I say; and he that sails with me
“Shall reap a harvest of immortal honour:
“Wealthier he shall return than they that now
“Lounge in the lap of principalities,
“Hoarding the gorgeous treasures of the east.”—
Alas, alas! they turn their backs upon me,
And rather choose to wallow in the mire
Of want, and torpid inactivity,
Than by one bold and masterly exertion
Themselves ennoble, and enrich their country!

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