Proud, proud must be our Admiral
(Though he is pale to-day),
Of twice five hundred iron men,
Who all the rod obey;
Who fought for him and conquered,
Who've won, with sweat and gore,
Nobility, which he shall have
Whene'er he touch the shore.
Oh, would I were our Admiral,
To order with a word,
To lose a dozen drops of blood,
And so rise up a lord!
I'd shout e'en to yon shark there,
Who follows in our lee,
"Some day I'll make thee carry me Like lightning through the sea."
The Admiral grew paler,
And paler as we flew;
Still talked he to his officers,
And smiled upon his crew;
And he looked up to the heavens,
And he looked down at the sea,
And at last he spied the creature
That kept following on our lee,
The shark, 'twas but an instant ;
For speedily the pride
Ran crimson to his heart,
Till all chances he defied; It threw boldness on his forehead, It gave firmness to his breath; And he stood like some grim warrior New risen up from death.
This night a horrid whisper
Fell on us where we lay,
And we knew our fine old Admiral
Was changing into clay;
And we heard the wash of waters,
Though nothing could we see,
And a whistle and a plunge
Among the billows on our lee!
Till dawn we watched the body
In its dead and ghostly sleep,
And next evening at sunset,
It was slung into the deep!
And never from that moment,
Save one shudder through the sea,
Saw we or heard the shark
That had followed in our lee!
H me! those joyous day are gone!
I little dreamt, till they were flown,
How fleeting were the hours!
For, lest he break the pleasing spell,
Time bears for youth a muffled bell,
And hides his face in flowers!
Ah! well I mind me of the days,
Still bright in memory's flattering rays,
When all was fair and new;
When knaves were only found in books,
And friends were known by friendly looks,
And love was always true!
While yet of sin I scarcely dreamed,
And everything was what it seemed,
And all too bright for choice;
When fays were wont to guard my sleep,
And Crusoe still could make me weep,
And Santa Claus rejoice!
When Heaven was pictured to my thought,
(In spite of all my mother taught
Of happiness serene),
A theatre of boyish plays,—
One glorious round of holidays,
Without a school between !
Ah me! those joyous days are gone;
I little dreamt, till they were flown,
How fleeting were the hours!
For, lest he break the pleasing spell,
Time bears for youth a muffled bell,
And hides his face in flowers!
N Linden, when the sun was low,
All bloodless lay the untrodden snow,
And dark as winter was the flow
Of Iser, rolling rapidly.
But Linden saw another sight,
When the drum beat at dead of night,
Commanding fires of death to light
The darkness of her scenery.
By torch and trumpet fast arrayed,
Each horseman drew his battle-blade,
And furious every charger neighed
To join the dreadful revelry.
Then shook the hills, with thunder riven;
Then rush'd the steed, to battle driven;
And, louder than the bolts of Heaven,
Far flash'd the red artillery.
But redder yet that light shall glow
On Linden's hills of stain'd snow;
And bloodier yet the torrent flow
Of Iser, rolling rapidly.
'Tis morn; but scarce yon level sun
Can pierce the war-clouds, rolling dun
Where furious Frank and fiery Hun
Shout in their sulphurous canopy.
The combat deepens. On, ye brave,
Who rush to glory or the grave!
Wave, Munich! all thy banners wave!
And charge with all thy chivalry!
Few, few shall part where many meet;
The snow shall be their winding-sheet,
And every turf beneath their feet
Shall be a soldier's sepulchre.
SWEET WILLIAM'S FAREWELL.
ALL in the Downs the fleet was moord
The streamers waving in the wind,
When black-eyed Susan came aboard.
"Oh! where shall I my true-love find?
Tell me, ye jovial sailors, tell me true,
If my sweet William sails among the crew."
William, who high upon the yard
Rock'd with the billows to and fro,
Soon as her well-known voice he heard,
He sighed, and cast his eyes below;
The cord slides swiftly through his glowing hands,
And quick as lightning on the deck he stands.
So the sweet lark, high poised in air,
Shuts close his pinions to his breast
(If chance his mate's shrill call he hear),
And drops at once into her nest.
The noblest captain in the British fleet
Might envy William's lip those kisses sweet.
"O Susan, Susan, lovely dear,
My vows shall ever true remain;
Let me kiss off that falling tear;
We only part to meet again.
Change, as ye list, ye winds; my heart shall be
The faithful compass that still points to thee.
"Believe not what the landmen say,
Who tempt with doubt thy constant mind.
They'll tell thee, sailors, when away,
In every port a mistress find;
Yes, yes, believe them when they tell thee so,
For thou art present wheresoe'er I go.
"If to fair India's coast we sail,
Thy eyes are seen in diamonds bright, Thy breath is Afric's spicy gale,
Thy skin is ivory so white.
Thus every beauteous object that I view,
Wakes in my soul some charm of lovely Sue.
"Though battle call me from thy arms,
Let not my pretty Susan mourn;
Though cannons roar, yet, safe from harms,
William shall to his dear return.
Love turns aside the balls that round me fly,
Lest precious tears should drop from Susan's eye."
The boatswain gave the dreadful word,
The sails their swelling bosom spread;
No longer must she stay aboard:
They kiss'd, she sigh'd, he hung his head. Her lessening boat unwilling rows to land: 'Adieu!" she cries; and waved her lily hand.
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