Imágenes de páginas
PDF
EPUB

LXI.

Again the chief, with friendly smiles, invites
His guest to share his festive board's delights, 2675
The bowl presenting with fresh liquor crown'd,
Emboss'd with forms of burnish'd gold around.
Then Neptune, as he rais'd it in his hand,
Pronounc❜d a blessing on the Captain's land,
His awful brow relax'd, and soft address'd
The plaided Piper bowing low his breast:
Now swell a strain-and shed with nectar'd lays
O'er Freedom's land the perfume of thy praise;
None so barbaric but has heard her name,
Columbia, daughter of immortal Fame.

Shelty unclasp'd his bonnet from his brow,
And laid it on the deck with reverence low,
His hoary head, made bare, display'd to sight
And set his features in an open light :-

Then, as the bag-pipe to his lip he prest,
The strain awak'd the patriotic breast.

2680

2685

2690

SONG.

COLUMBIA.

Columbia's shores are wild and wide,

Columbia's hills are high,

And rudely planted side by side

Her forests meet the eye.

But narrow must those shores be made,

And low Columbia's hills,

And low her ancient forests laid,

Ere Freedom leaves her fields,

For 'tis the land, where, rude and wild,
She play'd her gambols when a child.

And deep and wide her streams that flow

Impetuous to the tide :

And thick and green the laurels grow

2695

[blocks in formation]

For oh! Columbia's sons are brave,
And free as ocean's wildest wave.

2710

The gales that wave her mountain-pine

Are fragrant and serene:

[blocks in formation]

For oh! her sons are brave and free;

2720

Their breasts beat high with liberty.

For arming boldest cuirassier
We've mines of sterling worth,
For sword and buckler, spur and

Embowell'd in the earth.

And ere Columbia's sons resign

The boon their fathers won,

The polish'd ore from every mine

Shall glitter in the sun :

spear,

2725

For bright's the blade, and sharp the spear

Our warriors to the battle bear.

Let Britain boast the deeds she's done,
Display her trophies bright;

And count her laurels bravely won

In well-contested fight.

2735

[blocks in formation]

The sightless piper ceas'd, and lowly bow'd, While rung the deck with the tars' plaudits loud; Full was the bursting of the naval roar,

2765

As billows when they lash the rocky shore.
A hectic flush'd the trident-bearer's cheek,
Then spoke he with the smile that calms the deep :
Come, minstrel, gang with me, thy pleasing strain
Would soothe my hours beneath the azure main.
Striding a dolphin, thou should'st blissful roam
My coral caves, and make the deep thy home,
There, where the snowy nereids love to dwell,
In sea-bright grots o'er-hung with speckled shell.
Restor❜d to youth, the grasp of hateful age
Should lose its hold, nor bend thee with its rage.
Thus to the Scot the sea's sole sovereign cry'd ;
He heav'd a sigh, and calmly thus reply'd:
Neptune, to change these hoary locks that spread
The snaws of age round sightless Shelty's head,
Is not his wish-he knows 'tis fate's decree
That sanguine youth is not from sorrow free.

2780

LXII.

The gaily conscious seamen feel their pow'r,
In the wild Saturnalia of the hour,
And, while fresh bowls the cabin-guests inspire,
Approach with rolling gait their ocean-sire,

2785

« AnteriorContinuar »