FREE BOOKS

Author's List




PREV.   NEXT  
|<   122   123   124   125   126   127   128   129   130   131   132   133   134   135   136   137   138   139   140   141   142   143   144   145   146  
147   148   149   150   151   152   153   154   155   156   157   158   159   160   161   162   163   164   165   166   167   168   169   170   171   >>   >|  
are men! And we conquer but to save: So peace instead of death let us bring; But yield, proud foe, thy fleet, With the crews, at England's feet, And make submission meet To our King.' Then Denmark blessed our chief, That he gave her wounds repose; And the sounds of joy and grief From her people wildly rose, As death withdrew his shades from the day; While the sun looked smiling bright O'er a wide and woeful sight, Where the fires of funeral light Died away. Now joy, Old England raise, For the tidings of thy might, By the festal cities' blaze, Whilst the wine-cup shines in light; And yet amidst that joy and uproar Let us think of them that sleep, Full many a fathom deep, By thy wild and stormy steep, Elsinore! Brave hearts! to Britain's pride Once so faithful and so true, On the deck of fame that died, With the gallant good Riou: Soft sigh the winds of heaven o'er their grave; While the billow mournful rolls, And the mermaid's song condoles, Singing glory to the souls Of the brave. NAPOLEON AND THE SAILOR NAPOLEON'S banners at Boulogne Arm'd in our island every freeman, His navy chanced to capture one Poor British seaman. They suffer'd him--I know not how-- Unprison'd on the shore to roam; And aye was bent his longing brow On England's home. His eye, methinks, pursued the flight Of birds to Britain half-way over; With envy they could reach the white Dear cliffs of Dover. A stormy midnight watch, he thought, Than this sojourn would have been dearer, If but the storm his vessel brought To England nearer. At last, when care had banish'd sleep, He saw one morning--dreaming--doating, An empty hogshead from the deep Come shoreward floating; He hid it in a cave, and wrought The livelong day laborious; lurking Until he launch'd a tiny boat By mighty working. Heaven help us! 'twas a thing beyond Description wretched: such a wherry Perhaps ne'er ventur'd on a pond, Or cross'd a ferry. For ploughing in the salt sea-field, It would have made the boldest shudder; Untarr'd, uncompass'd, and unkeel'd, No sail--no rudder. From neighbouring woods he interlaced His sorry skiff with wattled willows; And thus equipp'd he would have pass'd The foaming billows-- But Frenchmen caught him on the beach, His little Argo sorely jeering; Till tidings of him chanced to reach Napoleon's hearing. With folded arms Napoleon stood, Serene alike in peace and danger; And in his wonted a
PREV.   NEXT  
|<   122   123   124   125   126   127   128   129   130   131   132   133   134   135   136   137   138   139   140   141   142   143   144   145   146  
147   148   149   150   151   152   153   154   155   156   157   158   159   160   161   162   163   164   165   166   167   168   169   170   171   >>   >|  



Top keywords:
England
 

NAPOLEON

 

tidings

 

stormy

 

Britain

 
Napoleon
 
chanced
 

livelong

 
banish
 

wrought


floating

 

shoreward

 
doating
 

dreaming

 
hogshead
 

morning

 
methinks
 
flight
 

pursued

 

cliffs


vessel

 

brought

 

nearer

 

dearer

 

midnight

 

thought

 

sojourn

 

wretched

 

willows

 

wattled


equipp

 
foaming
 

rudder

 

neighbouring

 

interlaced

 
billows
 

Frenchmen

 
folded
 

Serene

 
wonted

danger
 

hearing

 
caught
 
jeering
 

sorely

 

unkeel

 
uncompass
 

Description

 
longing
 

Heaven