The Works of John Hall-Stevenson :: :: University of Virginia Library

Here lies, for so the envious Fates decree,
All that remains of general Charles Lee,
General and chieftain, by the Grace of God,
From Thames to Don, and Wolgian Novogrod.
From Danube and the Euxine, to the Straits,
And cross the Atlantic Ocean to Hell gates.
A hardy tribune of the Yanky crew,
The only head, not crack'd entirely through.
Scourged by the Indians, buffeted, reviled,
And then adopted for a heaven-born child.
Silver Heel's son, by him named Boiling water,
Then given in wedlock to his virgin daughter;
Replete with redolent and poignant charms,
A willing captive in a captive's arms,
Loving and kind, as Antony's warm gypsey,
With all her feeling true, sober or typsey.
From their endearments and keen embraces
Were born a pair of lovely copper faces.

191

A princess, ushered by the prince her brother
Twins, like each parent, more than like each other.
Cæsar his mother's, hapless darling once,
His father's awful image, cast in bronze,
Till a vile British harlot, as fame goes,
Destroy'd the likeness, with young Cæsar's nose.
As a stern lion, dauntless from the wood,
Lashing his angry tail in sullen mood,
Surveys his trembling enemies at bay
With foot, deep-rooted, in his breathless prey.
Such was the general, in the embattled field,
The lion's sovereign confidence his shield.
The lion's horrid voice to old and young
Impress'd less terror than his dreadful tongue,
A tongue that flay'd without the least compunction.
And left the bleeding caitiff without unction.
That never lick'd nor healed the wound it gave,
That never hurt the virtuous and brave.
That, like the Russian knout, extorted groans
From bowels, hearts, and hides, as hard as stones.
Sharp as the Roman Lictor's ax and rod,
Rigid as Jove's inexorable nod.

193

He stripp'd the boaster of his borrow'd skin,
And laughing shew'd the dastard ass within,
Nor less to modest right, humane and true,
He gave back injured worth, its plunder'd due.
Him sword, nor plague, nor famine, could consume,
Nor Venus, foaming in a plaguy fume;
Nor all the accumulated rage and might
Of coward treachery and female spight.

Thus sung, exulting with prophetic mirth,
A Cambrian Bard, inspired at Charles's birth:
Intrepid Boy, go wander the world over,
Through paths untrod by any antient rover;
Despise the tyrant wrath of vengeful kings,
The vulgar's worthless praise and Envy's stings.
Like Hercules, immortal, toil through life,
Trust your own strength with all things but a wife.
Tame all, except one monster of your spouse's,
Of aspect mild as any cat that mouses;
Like modest Tabby, sporting with her prey,
Before she draws the vital blood away.

195

A horrid monster that avoids the light,
And, silent as the grave, preys the whole night.
Given first to Omphale when Juno taught her,
To quell and make Alcides weak as water.
From her derived the fatal present came,
To many a jealous wife and virtuous dame.
Dragging his tail, subdued by magic sops,
Cerberus fawn'd, and dropp'd his greedy chops.
No sop, no chain, no lock that you can put on,
Can ever tame the ravenous dumb glutton.