.

Ay, ay, good neighbours, I have seen
Him! sure as God's my life;
One of his chosen crew I've been,
Haven't I, old good wife?
God bless your dear eyes! didn't you vow
To marry me any weather,
If I came back with limbs enow
To keep my soul together?

Brave as a lion was our Nel
And gentle as a lamb:
It warms my blood once more to tell
The tale--gray as I am--
It makes the old life in me climb,
It sets my soul aswim;
I live twice over every time
That I can talk of him.

You should have seen him as he trod
The deck, our joy, and pride;
You should have seen him, like a god
Of storm, his war-horse ride!
You should have seen him as he stood
Fighting for our good land,
With all the iron of soul and blood
Turned to a sword in hand.

Our best beloved of all the brave
That ever for freedom fought;
And all his wonders of the wave
For Fatherland were wrought!
He was the manner of man to show
How victories may be won;
So swift you scarcely saw the blow;
You looked--the deed was done.

He sailed his ships for work; he bore
His sword for battle-wear;
His creed was "Best man to the fore";
And he was always there.
Up any peak of peril where
There was but room for one;
The only thing he did not dare
Was any death to shun.

The Nelson touch his men he taught,
And his great stride to keep;
His faithful fellows round him fought
Ten thousand heroes deep.
With a red pride of life, and hot
For him, their blood ran free;
They "minded not the showers of shot
No more than peas," said he.

Napoleon saw our Sea-king thwart
His landing on our Isle;
He gnashed his teeth, he gnawed his heart
At Nelson of the Nile,
Who set his fleet in flames, to light
The Lion to his prey,
And lead Destruction through the night
Upon his dreadful way.

Around the world he drove his game,
And ran his glorious race;
Nor rested till he hunted them
From off the ocean's face;
Like that old wardog who, till death,
Clung to the vessel's side
Til