 | The poetical works of John and Charles Wesley |  |
ON THE DECLARATION OF LORD C---, THAT “THE CONQUEST OF AMERICA BY SWORD AND FIRE IS NOT TO BE ACCOMPLISHED.”
True is the patriotic word,
“We never can by fire and sword
The fierce Americans subdue;”
If we our General's steps pursue,
His own allies who tears and rends,
And turns his sword against his friends.
“We never can by fire and sword
The fierce Americans subdue;”
If we our General's steps pursue,
His own allies who tears and rends,
And turns his sword against his friends.
The loyal if he first invite
For Britain and its king to fight,
Promise to succour and protect;
He then abandons to neglect,
Or draws them in an easy prey,
For their inveterate foes to slay.
For Britain and its king to fight,
Promise to succour and protect;
He then abandons to neglect,
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For their inveterate foes to slay.
Poor, credulous slaves if he allure,
By flattering hopes of refuge sure
Their cruel tyrants to defeat;
He then with an unfeeling heart
Leaves them, who on his faith rely,
By hunger or disease to die.
By flattering hopes of refuge sure
Their cruel tyrants to defeat;
He then with an unfeeling heart
Leaves them, who on his faith rely,
By hunger or disease to die.
Thousands who unconsumed remain,
He drives out of his camp again,
While trusting in his treacherous words
Gives up the victims to their lords,
To punish in the lingering fire,
By varied torments to expire.
He drives out of his camp again,
While trusting in his treacherous words
Gives up the victims to their lords,
To punish in the lingering fire,
By varied torments to expire.
Such faithful leaders we allow
Fit to succeed immortal H---e,
Who fierce Americans subdued,
And conquer'd them whene'er he would,
Too generous to pursue his blow,
Or trample on a vanquish'd foe.
Fit to succeed immortal H---e,
Who fierce Americans subdued,
And conquer'd them whene'er he would,
Too generous to pursue his blow,
Or trample on a vanquish'd foe.
His vanquish'd foe full oft he rear'd,
And kindly their despondence cheer'd:
Too brave to take them by surprise,
He saw their straits with pitying eyes;
And put them out of all their pain,
And gave them back their towns again.
And kindly their despondence cheer'd:
Too brave to take them by surprise,
He saw their straits with pitying eyes;
And put them out of all their pain,
And gave them back their towns again.
Such generals never can aspire
Rebels to quell with sword or fire:
But without fire, another can
Accomplish it—an honest man,
Who truth and public faith approves,
And more than life his country loves.
Rebels to quell with sword or fire:
But without fire, another can
Accomplish it—an honest man,
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And more than life his country loves.
A man for this great end design'd,
Our nation now expects to find,
By providential love bestow'd,
Whose object is Britannia's good,
Britannia's peace his only aim:
And Carlton is the patriot's name.
Our nation now expects to find,
By providential love bestow'd,
Whose object is Britannia's good,
Britannia's peace his only aim:
And Carlton is the patriot's name.
| The poetical works of John and Charles Wesley | |