Works of the Hon. and Very Rev. William Herbert ... Excepting those on botany and natural history. With additions and corrections by the author |
 | I. |
|
|
| I. |
| II. |
| III. |
| IV. |
| V. |
| VI. |
| VII. |
|
|
| I. |
| I. |
| II. |
| II. |
| III. |
| I. |
| III. |
| IV. |
| I. |
| II. |
| III. |
| V. |
| I. |
| II. |
| III. |
ODE ON THE DEATH OF DON SEBASTIAN,
KING OF PORTUGAL,
|
 | Works of the Hon. and Very Rev. William Herbert |  |
200
ODE ON THE DEATH OF DON SEBASTIAN, KING OF PORTUGAL,
Who was destroyed with his whole army, on the banks of the River Luco, in Africa,
1808.
With sorrowing voice begin the strain,
With fearful breath and sounds of wo,
Sad prelude to the mournful lay
For Lusitania's fallen sway,
Spurn'd by the faithless foe!
And let the tale of horror sound
From Lybian Atlas and the burning plain
E'en to the Red Sea's distant bound;
And where, beyond that foaming tide,
The vanquish'd East, with blushing pride,
And all her nations fierce and brave
Have seen the Christian banners wave!
With fearful breath and sounds of wo,
Sad prelude to the mournful lay
For Lusitania's fallen sway,
Spurn'd by the faithless foe!
And let the tale of horror sound
From Lybian Atlas and the burning plain
E'en to the Red Sea's distant bound;
And where, beyond that foaming tide,
The vanquish'd East, with blushing pride,
And all her nations fierce and brave
Have seen the Christian banners wave!
O Libya, through thy deserts wide,
With many a steed, and chariot boldly driven,
Thou saw'st Sebastian's warriors sweep the shore?
On rush'd they, fierce in martial pow'r,
Nor raised their thoughts to Heaven.
Self-confident and flush'd with pride,
(Their boastful heart on plunder bent,)
Triumphant o'er the hostile land
In gorgeous trim the stiff-neck'd people went.
But the Lord open'd his upholding hand,
And left them; down the abyss with strange uproar,
Horseman and horse amain and crashing chariots pour.
With many a steed, and chariot boldly driven,
Thou saw'st Sebastian's warriors sweep the shore?
On rush'd they, fierce in martial pow'r,
Nor raised their thoughts to Heaven.
Self-confident and flush'd with pride,
(Their boastful heart on plunder bent,)
Triumphant o'er the hostile land
201
But the Lord open'd his upholding hand,
And left them; down the abyss with strange uproar,
Horseman and horse amain and crashing chariots pour.
Loaded with wrath and terror came
The day, the cruel day,
Which gave the widow'd realm to shame,
To solitude and deep dismay.
Dark lower'd the heavens; in garb of wo
The sun astonish'd ceased to glow:
Jehovah visited the guilty land,
And pass'd in anger with his red right-hand
Humbling her pride; he made the force
Of weak barbarians steady in its course;
He made their bosoms firm and bold,
And bade them spurn at baneful gold,
Their ruthless way through yielding legions mow,
Fulfil his vengeful word, and trample on the foe.
The day, the cruel day,
Which gave the widow'd realm to shame,
To solitude and deep dismay.
Dark lower'd the heavens; in garb of wo
The sun astonish'd ceased to glow:
Jehovah visited the guilty land,
And pass'd in anger with his red right-hand
Humbling her pride; he made the force
Of weak barbarians steady in its course;
He made their bosoms firm and bold,
And bade them spurn at baneful gold,
Their ruthless way through yielding legions mow,
Fulfil his vengeful word, and trample on the foe.
O'er thy fair limbs, so long by valor saved,
Sad Lusitania, child of wo!
O'er all that rich and gallant show,
With impious hate the heathen's fearless arm
His flaming falchion waved!
His fury marr'd thine ancient fame,
And scatter'd o'er thy squadrons wild alarm,
Fell slaughter, and eternal shame!
A tide of blood o'er-flow'd the plain;
Like mountains stood the heaps of slain:
Alike on that ill-fated day
War's headlong torrent swept away
The trembling voice of fear, the coward breath,
And the high soul of valor, proud in death.
Sad Lusitania, child of wo!
O'er all that rich and gallant show,
With impious hate the heathen's fearless arm
His flaming falchion waved!
His fury marr'd thine ancient fame,
And scatter'd o'er thy squadrons wild alarm,
Fell slaughter, and eternal shame!
A tide of blood o'er-flow'd the plain;
Like mountains stood the heaps of slain:
Alike on that ill-fated day
War's headlong torrent swept away
202
And the high soul of valor, proud in death.
Are those the warriors once renown'd?
For deeds of glory justly crown'd;
Whose thunder shook the world,
Whene'er their banners were unfurl'd;
Who many a barbarous tribe subdued,
And many an empire stretching wide and far;
Who sack'd each state, that proudly stood;
Whose arms lay'd waste in savage war
What realms lie circled by the Indian tide.
Where now their ancient pride?
Where is that courage, once in fight secure?
How in one moment is the boast
Of that heroic valor lost!
Without the holy rites of sepulture,
Far from their homes and native land
Fallen, O fallen on the desert sand!
For deeds of glory justly crown'd;
Whose thunder shook the world,
Whene'er their banners were unfurl'd;
Who many a barbarous tribe subdued,
And many an empire stretching wide and far;
Who sack'd each state, that proudly stood;
Whose arms lay'd waste in savage war
What realms lie circled by the Indian tide.
Where now their ancient pride?
Where is that courage, once in fight secure?
How in one moment is the boast
Of that heroic valor lost!
Without the holy rites of sepulture,
Far from their homes and native land
Fallen, O fallen on the desert sand!
Once were they like the cedar fair
Of mighty Lebanon, whose glorious head
With leaves and boughs immeasurably spread.
The rains of Heaven bade it grow
Stately and loftiest on the mountain's brow;
And still its branches rose to view
In form and beauty ever new.
High nestled on its top the fowls of air,
And many a mountain beast
Beneath its ample boughs increased,
And man found shelter in its goodly shade.
With beauteous limbs, unrivall'd did it rise,
Lord of the mountain, towering to the skies.
Of mighty Lebanon, whose glorious head
With leaves and boughs immeasurably spread.
The rains of Heaven bade it grow
Stately and loftiest on the mountain's brow;
And still its branches rose to view
In form and beauty ever new.
High nestled on its top the fowls of air,
And many a mountain beast
Beneath its ample boughs increased,
And man found shelter in its goodly shade.
203
Lord of the mountain, towering to the skies.
Its verdant head presumptuously grew,
Trusting to wonderous bulk alone,
And vain of its excelling height:
But from the root its trunk the Lord o'erthrew,
To barbarous despite
And foreign hate a hopeless prey.
Now by the mountain torrent strewn
Its leafless honors naked lie;
And far aloof the frighted wanderers fly,
Whom once it shielded from the burning day:
In the sad ruin of its branches bare
Beasts of the forest dwell, and screaming birds of air.
Trusting to wonderous bulk alone,
And vain of its excelling height:
But from the root its trunk the Lord o'erthrew,
To barbarous despite
And foreign hate a hopeless prey.
Now by the mountain torrent strewn
Its leafless honors naked lie;
And far aloof the frighted wanderers fly,
Whom once it shielded from the burning day:
In the sad ruin of its branches bare
Beasts of the forest dwell, and screaming birds of air.
Thou, hateful Libya, on whose arid sand
Proud Lusitania's glory fell,
And all her boast of wide command,
Let not thine heart with triumph swell!
Though to thy timid hand by angry Heaven
A praiseless victory was given!
For (when the voice of grief shall call
The sons of Spain to venge her fall)
Torn by the lance thy vitals shall repay
The fatal outrage of that bitter day,
And Luco's flood impurpled by the slain
Its mournful tribute roll affrighted to the main.
Proud Lusitania's glory fell,
And all her boast of wide command,
Let not thine heart with triumph swell!
Though to thy timid hand by angry Heaven
A praiseless victory was given!
For (when the voice of grief shall call
The sons of Spain to venge her fall)
Torn by the lance thy vitals shall repay
The fatal outrage of that bitter day,
And Luco's flood impurpled by the slain
Its mournful tribute roll affrighted to the main.
| Works of the Hon. and Very Rev. William Herbert | |