5

Auf die schliessliche Unterwerfung der Tiroler.

Ist einer ~guten~ Sache galt ihr Schlagen;
Wie haetten bei der Throne Niederfahrt
Sonst sie, die armen Schaefer, sich bewahrt
Begeisternd hohen Sinn und kraeftig Wagen?

Auch hat ihr Kampf fuer's Gute Frucht getragen:
Weckt nicht ihr Ruhm, die grosse Denkungsart
Auch uns den Muth, mit Rechtsgefuehl gepaart,
Der nicht zu kaufen ist, nicht zu zernagen?

Schlaft, Kaempfer! Unter euren Bergen ruht!
Dem strengsten Richter kann es nicht entgehen:
Nie kannte euer ~Herz~ das Retiriren.
Und bricht in hoechster Pein und Rachewuth
Europa los, so sollt ihr auferstehen,
~Ganz~ ueber euern Feind zu triumphiren!

FOOTNOTES:

[B] Sonette 2 und 4 sind unbetitelt.

"AND IS IT AMONG RUDE UNTUTORED DALES"

Composed 1809.--Published 1809[A]

This and the remaining sonnets of 1809 were placed among those
"dedicated to Liberty."--ED.

And is it among rude untutored Dales,[1]
There, and there only, that the heart is true?
And, rising to repel or to subdue,
Is it by rocks and woods that man prevails?
Ah no! though Nature's dread protection fails, 5
There is a bulwark in the soul.[2] This knew
Iberian Burghers when the sword they drew
In Zaragoza, naked to the gales
Of fiercely-breathing war. The truth was felt
By Palafox, and many a brave compeer, 10
Like him of noble birth and noble mind;
By ladies, meek-eyed women without fear;
And wanderers of the street, to whom is dealt
The bread which without industry they find.

Palafox-y-Melzi, Don Joseph (1780-1847), immortalized by his heroic
defence of Saragossa in 1808-9. He was of an old Aragon family, and
entered the Spanish army at an early age. In 1808, when twenty-nine
years of age, he was appointed governor of Saragossa, by the people of
the town, who were menaced by the French armies. He defended it with a
few men, against immense odds, and compelled the French to abandon the
siege, after sixty-one days' attack, and the loss of thousands.
Saragossa, however, was too important to lose, and Marshals Mortier and
Moncy renewed the siege with a large army. Palafox (twice defeated
outside) retired to the fortress as before, where the men, women, and
children fought in defence, till the cit