The World's Best Poetry, Volume 08: National Spirit — Inside the Classic

Such was this heaven-loved isle, Than Lesbos fairer and the Cretan shore! No more shall freedom smile? Shall Britons languish, and be men no more? Since all must life resign, Those sweet rewards which decorate the brave 'Tis folly to decline, And steal inglorious to the silent grave.

BREATHES THERE THE MAN?

FROM "THE LAY OF THE LAST MINSTREL," CANTO VI.

Breathes there the man with soul so dead Who never to himself hath said, This is my own, my native land! Whose heart has ne'er within him burned, As home his footsteps he hath turned From wandering on a foreign strand? If such there breathe, go, mark him well; For him no minstrel raptures swell; High though his titles, proud his name, Boundless his wealth as wish can claim, Despite those titles, power, and pelf, The wretch, concentred all in self, Living, shall forfeit fair renown, And, doubly dying, shall go down To the vile dust from whence he sprung, Unwept, unhonored, and unsung.

There is a land, of every land the pride, Beloved by Heaven o'er all the world beside, Where brighter suns dispense serener light, And milder moons imparadise the night; A land of beauty, virtue, valor, truth, Time-tutored age, and love-exalted youth: The wandering mariner, whose eye explores The wealthiest isles, the most enchanting shores, Views not a realm so bountiful and fair, Nor breathes the spirit of a purer air. In every clime, the magnet of his soul, Touched by remembrance, trembles to that pole; For in this land of Heaven's peculiar race, The heritage of nature's noblest grace, There is a spot of earth supremely blest, A dearer, sweeter spot than all the rest, Where man, creation's tyrant, casts aside His sword and sceptre, pageantry and pride, While in his softened looks benignly blend The sire, the son, the husband, brother, friend. Here woman reigns; the mother, daughter, wife, Strew with fresh flowers the narrow way of life: In the clear heaven of her delightful eye An angel-guard of love and graces lie; Around her knees domestic duties meet, And fireside pleasures gambol at her feet. "Where shall that land, that spot of earth be found?" Art thou a man?--a patriot?--look around; O, thou shalt find, howe'er thy footsteps roam, That land _thy_ country, and that spot _thy_ home!

Man, through all ages of revolving time, Unchanging man, in every varying clime, Deems his own land of every land the pride, Beloved by Heaven o'er the world beside; His home the spot of earth supremely blest, A dearer, sweeter spot than all the rest.

FATHER AND MOTHER TONGUE.

Our Father Land! and wouldst thou know Why we should call it Father Land? It is that Adam here below Was made of earth by Nature's hand; And he our father, made of earth, Hath peopled earth on every hand; And we, in memory of his birth, Do call our country Father Land.

At first, in Eden's bowers, they say, No sound of speech had Adam caught, But whistled like a bird all day,-- And maybe 'twas for want of thought: But Nature, with resistless laws, Made Adam soon surpass the birds; She gave him lovely Eve because If he'd a wife they must _have words_.

And so the native land, I hold, By male descent is proudly mine; The language, as the tale hath told, Was given in the female line. And thus we see on either hand We name our blessings whence they've sprung; We call our country Father Land, We call our language Mother Tongue.

EAST, WEST, HOME'S BEST.

FROM "THE TRAVELLER."

As some lone miser visiting his store, Bends at his treasure, counts, recounts it o'er; Hoards after hoards his rising raptures fill, Yet still he sighs, for hoards are wanting still: Thus to my breast alternate passions rise, Pleased with each good that heaven to man supplies: Yet oft a sigh prevails, and sorrows fall, To see the sum of human bliss so small; And oft I wish, amidst the scene to find Some spot to real happiness consigned, Where my worn soul, each wandering hope at rest, May gather bliss to see my fellows blest. But where to find that happiest spot below, Who can direct, when all pretend to know? The shuddering tenant of the frigid zone Boldly proclaims that happiest spot his own, Extols the treasures of his stormy seas, And his long nights of revelry and ease; The naked negro, planting at the line, Boasts of his golden sands and palmy wine, Basks in the glare, or stems the tepid wave, And thanks his gods for all the good they gave. Such is the patriot's boast where'er we roam, His first, best country, ever is at home. And yet, perhaps, if countries we compare, And estimate the blessings which they share, Though patriots flatter, still shall wisdom find An equal portion dealt to all mankind, As different good, by art or nature given, To different nations, makes their blessings even.

"O World-God, give me Wealth!" the Egyptian cried. His prayer was granted. High as heaven behold Palace and Pyramid; the brimming tide Of lavish Nile washed all his land with gold. Armies of slaves toiled ant-wise at his feet, World-circling traffic roared through mart and street, His priests were gods, his spice-balmed kings enshrined Set death at naught in rock-ribbed charnels deep. Seek Pharaoh's race to-day, and ye shall find Rust and the moth, silence and dusty sleep.

"O World-God, give me Beauty!" cried the Greek. His prayer was granted. All the earth became Plastic and vocal to his sense; each peak, Each grove, each stream, quick with Promethean flame, Peopled the world with imaged grace and light. The lyre was his, and his the breathing might Of the immortal marble, his the play Of diamond-pointed thought and golden tongue. Go seek the sunshine race. Ye find to-day A broken column and a lute unstrung.

"O World-God, give me Power!" the Roman cried. His prayer was granted. The vast world was chained A captive to the chariot of his pride, The blood of myriad provinces was drained To feed that fierce, insatiable red heart-- Invulnerably bulwarked every part With serried legions and with close-meshed Code. Within, the burrowing worm had gnawed its home: A roofless ruin stands where once abode The imperial race of everlasting Rome.

"O God-head, give me Truth!" the Hebrew cried. His prayer was granted. He became the slave Of the Idea, a pilgrim far and wide, Cursed, hated, spurned, and scourged with none to save. The Pharaohs knew him, and when Greece beheld, His wisdom wore the hoary crown of Eld. Beauty he hath forsworn, and wealth and power. Seek him to-day, and find in every land. No fire consumes him, neither floods devour; Immortal through the lamp within his hand.

FROM "THE TIMEPIECE": "THE TASK," BK. II.

England, with all thy faults, I love thee still,-- My country! and, while yet a nook is left Where English minds and manners may be found, Shall be constrained to love thee. Though thy clime Be fickle, and thy year most part deformed With dripping rains, or withered by a frost, I would not yet exchange thy sullen skies, And fields without a flower, for warmer France With all her vines; nor for Ausonia's groves Of golden fruitage and her myrtle bowers. To shake thy senate, and from height sublime Of patriot eloquence to flash down fire Upon thy foes, was never meant my task: But I can feel thy fortunes, and partake Thy joys and sorrows with as true a heart As any thunderer there. And I can feel Thy follies too; and with a just disdain Frown at effeminates whose very looks Reflect dishonor on the land I love. How, in the name of soldiership and sense, Should England prosper, when such things, as smooth And tender as a girl, all essenced o'er With odors, and as profligate as sweet, Who sell their laurel for a myrtle wreath, And love when they should fight,--when such as these Presume to lay their hand upon the ark Of her magnificent and awful cause? Time was when it was praise and boast enough In every clime, and travel where we might, That we were born her children. Praise enough To fill the ambition of a private man, That Chatham's language was his mother tongue, And Wolfe's great name compatriot with his own.

FROM "ALFRED," ACT II. SC. 5.

When Britain first, at Heaven's command, Arose from out the azure main, This was the charter of the land, And guardian angels sung the strain: _Rule, Britannia, rule the waves! For Britons never will be slaves._

The nations not so blest as thee Must in their turns to tyrants fall; Whilst thou shalt flourish, great and free, The dread and envy of them all. _Rule, Britannia!_ etc.

Still more majestic shalt thou rise, More dreadful from each foreign stroke; As the loud blasts that tear the skies Serve but to root thy native oak. _Rule, Britannia!_ etc.

Thee haughty tyrants ne'er shall tame; All their attempts to bend thee down Will but arouse thy generous flame, And work their woe--but thy renown. _Rule, Britannia!_ etc.

To thee belongs the rural reign; Thy cities shall with commerce shine; All thine shall be the subject main, And every shore it circles thine. _Rule, Britannia!_ etc.

The Muses, still with Freedom found, Shall to thy happy coast repair; Blest Isle! with matchless beauty crowned, And manly hearts to guard the fair. _Rule, Britannia, rule the leaves! For Britons never will be slaves._

FROM "THE WHITE COMPANY."

What of the bow? The bow was made in England: Of true wood, of yew wood, The wood of English bows; So men who are free Love the old yew-tree And the land where the yew-tree grows.

What of the cord? The cord was made in England: A rough cord, a tough cord, A cord that bowmen love; So we'll drain our jacks To the English flax And the land where the hemp was wove.

What of the shaft? The shaft was cut in England: A long shaft, a strong shaft, Barbed and trim and true; So we'll drink all together To the gray goose feather, And the land where the gray goose flew.

What of the men? The men were bred in England: The bowman--the yeoman-- The lads of dale and fell. Here's to you--and to you! To the hearts that are true And the land where the true hearts dwell.

THE ROAST BEEF OF OLD ENGLAND.

When mighty roast beef was the Englishman's food, It ennobled our hearts, and enriched our blood; Our soldiers were brave, and our courtiers were good. _O, the Roast Beef of old England, And O, the old English Roast Beef_!

But since we have learned from effeminate France To eat their ragouts, as well as to dance, We are fed up with nothing but vain complaisance. _O, the Roast Beef_, etc.

Our fathers of old were robust, stout, and strong, And kept open house with good cheer all day long, Which made their plump tenants rejoice in this song. _O, the Roast Beef_, etc.

When good Queen Elizabeth sat on the throne, Ere coffee and tea, and such slip-slops, were known, The world was in terror, if e'en she did frown. _O, the Roast Beef_, etc.

In those days, if fleets did presume on the main, They seldom or never returned back again; As witness the vaunting Armada of Spain. _O, the Roast Beef_, etc.

O, then we had stomachs to eat and to fight, And when wrongs were cooking, to set ourselves right; But now we're--hum?--I could, but--good night; _O, the Roast Beef of old England, And O, the old English Roast Beef_!

_The last four stanzas added by_ RICHARD LOVERIDGE.

THE SNUG LITTLE ISLAND.

Daddy Neptune, one day, to Freedom did say, If ever I lived upon dry land, The spot I should hit on would be little Britain! Says Freedom, "Why, that's my own island!" O, it's a snug little island! A right little, tight little island! Search the globe round, none can be found So happy as this little island.

Julius Cæsar, the Roman, who yielded to no man, Came by water,--he couldn't come by land; And Dane, Pict, and Saxon, their homes turned their backs on, And all for the sake of our island. O, what a snug little island! They'd all have a touch at the island! Some were shot dead, some of them fled, And some stayed to live on the island.

Then a very great war-man, called Billy the Norman, Cried, "Drat it, I never liked my land. It would be much more handy to leave this Normandy, And live on your beautiful island." Says he, "'Tis a snug little island; Sha'n't us go visit the island?" Hop, skip, and jump, there he was plump, And he kicked up a dust in the island.

But party deceit helped the Normans to beat; Of traitors they managed to buy land; By Dane, Saxon, or Pict, Britons ne'er had been licked, Had they stuck to the king of their island. Poor Harold, the king of our island! He lost both his life and his island! That's all very true: what more could he do? Like a Briton he died for his island!

The Spanish armada set out to invade--a, 'Twill sure, if they ever come nigh land. They couldn't do less than tuck up Queen Bess, And take their full swing on the island. O the poor queen of the island! The Dons came to plunder the island; But snug in her hive the queen was alive, And "buzz" was the word of the island.

These proud puffed-up cakes thought to make ducks and drakes Of our wealth; but they hardly could spy land, When our Drake had the luck to make their pride duck And stoop to the lads of the island! O, for the ships of the island! The good wooden walls of the island; Devil or Don, let them come on; And see how they'd come off the island!

Since Freedom and Neptune have hitherto kept time, In each saying, "This shall be my land"; Should the "Army of England," or all it could bring, land, We'd show 'em some play for the island. We'd fight for our right to the island; We'd give them enough of the island; Invaders should just--bite once at the dust, But not a bit more of the island.

THE JACOBITE ON TOWER HILL.

He tripped up the steps with a bow and a smile, Offering snuff to the chaplain the while, A rose at his button-hole that afternoon-- 'Twas the tenth of the month, and the month it was June.

Then shrugging his shoulders, he looked at the man With the mask and the axe, and a murmuring ran Through the crowd, who below, were all pushing to see The gaoler kneel down, and receiving his fee.

He looked at the mob, as they roared, with a stare, And took snuff again with a cynical air. "I'm happy to give but a moment's delight To the flower of my country agog for a sight."

Then he looked at the block, and with scented cravat Dusted room for his neck, gayly doffing his hat, Kissed his hand to a lady, bent low to the crowd, Then smiling, turned round to the headsman and bowed.

"God save King James!" he cried bravely and shrill, And the cry reached the houses at foot of the hill, "My friend with the axe, _à votre service_," he said; And ran his white thumb 'long the edge of the blade.

When the multitude hissed he stood firm as a rock; Then kneeling, laid down his gay head on the block; He kissed a white rose,--in a moment 'twas red With the life of the bravest of any that bled.

GEORGE WALTER THORNBURY.

God save our gracious king! Long live our noble king! God save the king! Send him victorious, Happy and glorious, Long to reign over us-- God save the king!

O Lord our God, arise! Scatter his enemies, And make them fall; Confound their politics, Frustrate their knavish tricks; On him our hopes we fix, God save us all!

Thy choicest gifts in store On him be pleased to pour; Long may he reign. May he defend our laws, And ever give us cause, To sing with heart and voice-- God save the king!

He filled the crystal goblet With golden-beaded wine: "Come, comrades, now, I bid ye-- 'To the true love of mine!'

"Her forehead's pure and holy, Her hair is tangled gold, Her heart to me so tender, To others' love is cold.

"So drain your glasses empty And fill me another yet; Two glasses at least for the dearest And sweetest girl, Lisette."

Up rose a grizzled sergeant-- "My true love I give thee, Three true loves blent in one love, A soldier's trinity.

"Here's to the flag we follow, Here's to the land we serve, And here's to holy honor That doth the two preserve."

Then rose they up around him, And raised their eyes above, And drank in solemn silence Unto the sergeant's love.

EDWARD WENTWORTH HAZEWELL.

THE PRIVATE OF THE BUFFS;[A] OR, THE BRITISH SOLDIER IN CHINA.

["Some Seiks, and a private of the Buffs, having remained behind with the grog carts, fell into the hands of the Chinese. On the next day they were brought before the authorities and ordered to perform _Kotou_. The Seiks obeyed, but Moyse, the English soldier, declared he would not prostrate himself before any Chinaman alive, and was immediately knocked upon the head, and his body thrown upon a dunghill."--_China Correspondent of the London Times.]_

Last night, among his fellow roughs, He jested, quaffed, and swore; A drunken private of the Buffs, Who never looked before. To-day, beneath the foeman's frown, He stands in Elgin's place, Ambassador from Britain's crown, And type of all her race.

Poor, reckless, rude, low-born, untaught, Bewildered, and alone, A heart, with English instinct fraught, He yet can call his own. Ay, tear his body limb from limb, Bring cord or axe or flame, He only knows that not through him Shall England come to shame.

Far Kentish hop-fields round him seemed, Like dreams, to come and go; Bright leagues of cherry-blossom gleamed, One sheet of living snow; The smoke above his father's door In gray soft eddyings hung; Must he then watch it rise no more, Doomed by himself so young?

Yes, honor calls!--with strength like steel He put the vision by; Let dusky Indians whine and kneel, An English lad must die. And thus, with eyes that would not shrink, With knee to man unbent, Unfaltering on its dreadful brink, To his red grave he went.

Vain mightiest fleets of iron framed, Vain those all-shattering guns, Unless proud England keep untamed The strong heart of her sons; So let his name through Europe ring,-- A man of mean estate, Who died, as firm as Sparta's king, Because his soul was great.

[Footnote A: The "Buffs" are the East Kent Regiment.]

SIR FRANCIS HASTINGS DOYLE.

FROM "THE PURPLE EAST."

What profits it, O England, to prevail In camp and mart and council, and bestrew With argosies thy oceans, and renew With tribute levied on each golden gale Thy treasuries, if thou canst hear the wail Of women martyred by the turbaned crew, Whose tenderest mercy was the sword that slew, And lift no hand to wield the purging flail? We deemed of old thou held'st a charge from Him Who watches girdled by his seraphim, To smite the wronger with thy destined rod. Wait'st thou his sign? Enough, the unanswered cry Of virgin souls for vengeance, and on high The gathering blackness of the frown of God!

Set in this stormy Northern sea, Queen of these restless fields of tide, England! what shall men say of thee, Before whose feet the worlds divide?

The earth, a brittle globe of glass, Lies in the hollow of thy hand, And through its heart of crystal pass, Like shadows through a twilight land,

The spears of crimson-suited war, The long white-crested waves of fight, And all the deadly fires which are The torches of the lords of Night.

The yellow leopards, strained and lean, The treacherous Russian knows so well, With gaping blackened jaws are seen To leap through hail of screaming shell.

The strong sea-lion of England's wars Hath left his sapphire cave of sea, To battle with the storm that mars The star of England's chivalry.

The brazen-throated clarion blows Across the Pathan's reedy fen, And the high steeps of Indian snows Shake to the tread of armèd men.