 | Poems of Freneau |  |
TO THE AMERICANS OF THE UNITED STATES.
First published November, 1797.
Men of this passing age!—whose noble deeds
Honour will bear above the scum of Time:
Ere this eventful century expire,
Once more we greet you with our humble rhyme:
Pleased, if we meet your smiles, but—if denied,
Yet, with YOUR sentence, we are satisfied.
Honour will bear above the scum of Time:
Ere this eventful century expire,
Once more we greet you with our humble rhyme:
Pleased, if we meet your smiles, but—if denied,
Yet, with YOUR sentence, we are satisfied.
Catching our subjects from the varying scene
Of human things; a mingled work we draw,
Chequered with fancies odd, and figures strange,
Such, as no courtly poet ever saw;
Who writ, beneath some GREAT MAN'S cieling placed;
Travelled no lands, nor roved the watery waste.
Of human things; a mingled work we draw,
Chequered with fancies odd, and figures strange,
Such, as no courtly poet ever saw;
Who writ, beneath some GREAT MAN'S cieling placed;
Travelled no lands, nor roved the watery waste.
150
To seize some features from the faithless past;
Be this our care—before the century close:
The colours strong!—for, if we deem aright,
The coming age will be an age of prose:
When sordid cares will break the muses' dream,
And COMMON SENSE be ranked in seat supreme,
Be this our care—before the century close:
The colours strong!—for, if we deem aright,
The coming age will be an age of prose:
When sordid cares will break the muses' dream,
And COMMON SENSE be ranked in seat supreme,
Go, now, dear book; once more expand your wings:
Still to the cause of man severely true:
Untaught to flatter pride, or fawn on kings;—
Trojan, or Tyrian, —give them both their due.—
When they are right, the cause of both we plead,
And both will please us well,—if both will read.
Still to the cause of man severely true:
Untaught to flatter pride, or fawn on kings;—
Trojan, or Tyrian, —give them both their due.—
When they are right, the cause of both we plead,
And both will please us well,—if both will read.
1797
| Poems of Freneau | |