With that of him whose honour'd grave Never yet was heard such thunder As then shall shake the world with wonder Turning rivers into blood. (1) II. The Chief has fallen, but not by you, When the soldier citizen Sway'd not o'er his fellow-men · Save in deeds that led them on Where Glory smiled on Freedom's son With that youthful chief competed? Who could boast o'er France defeated, Till lone Tyranny commanded? (1) See Rev. chap. viii. v. 7, &c. "The first angel sounded, and there followed hail and fire mingled with blood," &c. v. 8. " And the second angel sounded, and as it were a great mountain burning with fire was cast into the sea; and the third part of the sea became blood," &c. v. 10. "And the third angel sounded, and there fell a great star from heaven, burning as it were a lamp; and it fell upon the third part of the rivers, and upon the fountains of waters." v. 11. "And the name of the star is called Wormwood: and the third part of the waters became wormwood; and many men died of the waters, because they were made bitter." Till, goaded by ambition's sting, Who would men by man enthral ! III. And thou, too, of the snow-white plume! (1) Than sold thyself to death and shame Once as the Moon sways o'er the tide, (1) ["Poor dear Murat, what an end! His white plume used to be a rallying point in battle, like Henry the Fourth's. He refused a confessor and a bandage; so would neither suffer his soul nor body to be bandaged." - B. Letters.] (2) Murat's remains are said to have been torn from the grave and burnt. The soldier raised his seeking eye IV. - O'er glories gone the invaders march, With her heart in her voice; But, her hand on her sword, Doubly shall she be adored; France hath twice too well been taught Her safety sits not on a throne, With Capet or Napoleon ! But in equal rights and laws, Hearts and hands in one great cause With their breath, and from their birth, Though Guilt would sweep it from the earth; Scattering nations' wealth like sand; Pouring nations' blood like water, In imperial seas of slaughter! V. But the heart and the mind, And who shall resist that proud union ? (1) ["Talking of politics, as Caleb Quotem says, pray look at the conclusion of my 'Ode on Waterloo,' written in the year 1815, and, comparing it with the Duke de Berri's catastrophe in 1820, tell me if I have not as good a right to the character of Vates,' in both senses of the word, as Fitzgerald and Coleridge?. 'Crimson tears will follow yet;' and have they not?"-B. Letters, 1820.] FROM THE FRENCH. ["MUST THOU GO, MY GLORIOUS CHIEF?"](1) I. MUST thou go, my glorious Chief, With a soldier's faith for thee? II. Idol of the soldier's soul! First in fight, but mightiest now: Many could a world control; Thee alone no doom can bow. By thy side for years I dared Death; and envied those who fell, (1) "All wept, but particularly Savary, and a Polish officer who had been exalted from the ranks by Buonaparte. He clung to his master's knees; wrote a letter to Lord Keith, entreating permission to accompany him, even in the most menial capacity, which could not be admitted." 6 (2) "At Waterloo, one man was seen, whose left arm was shattered by a cannon ball, to wrench it off with the other, and throwing it up in the air, exclaimed to his comrades, Vive l'Empereur, jusqu'à la mort!' There were many other instances of the like: this you may, however, depend on as true."-Private Letter from Brussels. |