In vain, alas! thy gallant son, When our brave fires, by Naffau led, At tyrant-pow'r their thunders hurl'd While the dark tyrant crouch'd and fled. No longer now, in patriot fhackles bound, With fruitless wailing Envy bites her chain; Oppreffion leaps o'er Freedom's facred mound, And vainly Hampden fought, and Sydney bled in vain! V. Lo! Saunders mingles with the mighty dead; Ere fet in darknefs Britain's fun Ere frantic rage and Stuart pride,' That empire loft his valour won! "What more, he cried, can adverse fate require ?”** Dying he faw his country's fame e pire; Saw her bright crofs he late triumphant fpread, Droop on the fick'ning gale, and blush with deeper red? VI. Hark! thro' America's indignant fhore, What groans for vengeance rend th' affrighted skies! What horrors rife around? Can't thou, ill-fated realm, afford With thine own blood to drench the ground. The vet'ran, yet untaught to yield, In vain ftill o'er Ontario's flood, : With ghaftly fmile, and blafting eyes, And snuffs the scented air, and rages still for blood! VII. Hear how her fons Iberia tells . Exulting as the tempeft fwells; And faithlefs Gallia, with prophetic eye, Beholds thy golden ftreams of Commerce dry, "Rafh "Rafh, ruin'd rival! Now I fee "Thy palm of glory fnatch'd by me ; "Which rais'd thy tow'ring front to Heav'n, "Spurn'd by thyfelf!-Oh! speed thy ling'ring fate, "And to thyself be falfe,--to make my empire great!” VIII. But Britain, happier fates are thine: Shall urge the loud complaint no more: But nourish (in her fuff'rings bleft) Th' expiring parent, from her breast! For lo! Futurity her page unfolds: And awful Justice, her divine compeer, Exalts her gen'rous brow, and flakes her glitt'ring spear! *Commerce. IX. "Ye BA IX. "Ye parricides, who broke the golden cords "Now curfe your damned deeds-for vengeance "dwells with Jove! "America, no longer thou "Shalt lift thy plaintive voice in vain ; "Nor Britain's fons to flav'ry bow, "Nor forge for others necks the chain ! " "Tis Justice fpeaks!" above controul, Her thunders fmite the guilty foul, See murder'd Sydney grimly smile, And virtuous Ruffel blefs her glorious toil Oh fleep, ye facred fhades! in endless rest; The fign of Mercy, beaming from the west, Kind Heav'n has giv'n ;-for o'er the patriot crowd Bright Conquest foars aloft--and claps her wings aloud. STANZAS STANZAS OCCASIONED BY THE DEATH OF ALICO, AN AFRI CAN SLAVE, CONDEMNED FOR REBELLION IN JAMAICA, 1765. [ He is supposed to address his Wife at the place of Execution.]. 'TIS paft :-Ah! calm thy cares to rest! Firm and unmov'd am I :- H. Ah stop! thou do'ft me fatal wrong: Nature will yet rebel : For I have lov'd thee very long, And lov'd thee very well. III. To native skies and peaceful bow'is, I foon fhall wing my way; Where joy fhall lead the circling hours, Unless too long thy stay. |