THE DOWNFALL OF POLAND. 335 When leagued Oppression poured to Northern wars Her whiskered pandoors and her fierce hussars ; Waved her dread standard to the breeze of morn, Pealed her loud drum, and twanged her trumpethorn, Tumultuous horror brooded o'er her van, Presaging wrath to Poland-and to man ! Warsaw's last champion, from her heights, surveyed Wide o'er the fields, a waste of ruin laid"O heaven!" he cried, "my bleeding country save!— Is there no hand on high to shield the brave? Yet, though destruction sweep these lovely plains, Rise, fellow-men! our country yet remains! By that dread name, we wave the sword on high! And swear, for her to live!—with her to die!" He said: and, on the rampart-heights, arrayed In vain-alas! in vain, ye gallant few, From rank to rank your volley'd thunder flew :Oh! bloodiest picture in the book of time, Sarmatia fell-unwept-without a crime ! Found not a generous friend-a pitying foeStrength in her arms, nor mercy in her woe! Dropped from her nerveless the shattered spear grasp Closed her bright eye, and curbed her high career! The sun went down, nor ceased the carnage there; Tumultuous murder shook the midnight air— On Prague's proud arch the fires of ruin glow, Its blood-dyed waters murmuring far below. The storm prevails! the rampart yields a way— Bursts the wild cry of horror and dismay ! Hark! as the smouldering piles with thunder fall, A thousand shrieks for hopeless mercy call! Earth shook!-red meteors flashed along the sky! And conscious Nature shuddered at the cry! Departed spirits of the mighty dead!Ye that at Marathon and Leuctra bled! Friends of the world! restore your swords to man, Fight in his sacred cause, and lead the van! Yet for Sarmatia's tears of blood atone, And make her arm puissant as your own! Oh! once again to Freedom's cause, return The patriot Tell-the Bruce of Bannockburn. MY POOR DOG TRAY. THOMAS CAMPBELL. ON the green banks of Shannon when Sheelah was nigh, No blithe Irish lad was so happy as I; No harp like my own could so cheerily play, When at last I was forced from my Sheelah to part, 1 THE BURIAL OF SIR JOHN MOORE. 337 Poor dog! he was faithful and kind to be sure, When the road was so dark, and the night was so cold, And Pat and his dog were grown weary and old, Though my wallet was scant, I remember'd his case, Where now shall I go, poor, forsaken, and blind? THE BURIAL OF SIR JOHN MOORE. CHARLES WOLFE. Nor a drum was heard, not a funeral note, We buried him darkly at dead of night, No useless coffin enclosed his breast, Not in sheet nor in shroud we wound him; But he lay like a warrior taking his rest, With his martial cloak around him. Few and short were the prayers we said, We thought, as we hollowed his narrow bed, How the foe and the stranger would tread o'er his head And we far away on the billow! Lightly they'll talk of the spirit that's gone, But half of our heavy task was done, When the clock struck the hour for retiring; And we heard the distant and random gun That the foe was sullenly firing. Slowly and sadly we laid him down, From the field of his fame, fresh and gory; We carved not a line, and we raised not a stoneBut we left him alone in his glory. MARINER'S HYMN. MRS. SOUTHEY. LAUNCH thy bark, mariner! MARINER'S HYMN. Look to the weather-bow, "What of the night, watchman! No land yet-all's right." At an hour when all seemeth How! gains the leak so fast? Slacken not sail yet At inlet or island; Straight for the beacon steer, Cut through the foam- 339 |