ODE. SPAIN, COMMERCE AND FREEDOM. Written for, and sung at the celebration of the Spanish Festival. January 24, 1809. SOUND the trumpet of Fame! Swell the Pæan again! From her couch springs, in Armour, Regenerate Spain, She leaps in array, Like Ajax, to die in the face of the Day: CHORUS. And Swears, from pollution, her Empire to save, In the land of her Birth she rejoices to find, From her old race of Heroes, a young generation, In whose souls no dismay kills the nerve of the mind, Who gaze upon Death with devout contemplation; Whose Standard on high, Like a Comet, will fly; And consume, while it lightens, its neighbouring sky! CHORUS. They have sworn from pollution her Empire to save, O'er her hills, see the Day-Star of Glory advance! Its beams warm her cliffs, and unfetter her fountains! But, a pestilent Planet, it blazes on France! A Meteor of blood, through the mist of the Mountains! Like a Dream in the Air, See, the Pyrennees glare! A Castle of Fire, on a Rock, blear and bare! CHORUS. Its flames from pollution her Empire shall save, Brave Isle of the Oak! On thy Patriarch Tree, Science blossoms, where Freedom her shelter has taken! Earth was weighed by an Acron! and ruled is the Sea! What thy Newton had balanced, thy Nelson has shaken! Trident Queen may'st thou reign, "Till thy thunder regain The rights of Mankind, in the battles of Spain! CHORUS. "Till her Sword from pollution her Empire shall save, Her Flag and her Altars, her Home and her Grave! Thy Shield, gallant Britain! impends from the sky, In the World's sacred War, Agincourt, Trafalgar Thy Steeds deck with laurels, and herald thy Car! CHORUS. For with Spain thou hast sworn from pollution to save, Dear, Natal Columbia! Fair Last-born of Time! The rude whirlwinds will fly, Unless, with thy Forests, the blast thou Defy ! CHORUS. And swear from pollution like Spain, thou wilt save, Oh! to Spain, let thy Gratitude redolent burn, First, thy Freedom to own; First, thy Shores to discover ! Hark ! her Patriots, with pride, tell the Tyrant they spurn, That the New World she found, and the Old will recover! For Commerce and Thee! She unbosomed the Sea, And demands that the Gates of the Ocean be Free! CHORUS. Then, swear from pollution like Spain, Thou wilt save, Thy Flag and thy Altars, thy Home and thy Grave! Bright Day of the World! dart thy lustre afar! Fire the North with thy heat! gild the South with thy splendor! With thy glance light the Torch of Redintegrant War, 'Till thy beams at the Pole, Melt Philosophy's Ice in the Sea of the Soul! CHORUS. "Till Mankind from pollution their birth-right shall save: Their Flag and their Altars, their Home and their Grave. Hail! Spirit of Spain! mount thy Battlement-walls! With thy voice shake the clouds! break the dream of sub jection! Like a new-risen Spectre, thy Helmet appals! Never destine thy doom, 'Till the Pyrennees sink, and thy realm is a Tomb! CHORUS. Rise! and swear from pollution thy Empire to save! Let thy Flag and thy Home be thy God and thy Grave! ELEGIAC SONNET, INSCRIBED TO THE MEMORY OF M. M. HAYS, Esq. HERE sleepest thou, Man of Soul! Thy spirit flown, How dark and tenantless its desert clay! Cold is that heart, which throbbed at sorrows moan? Untuned that tongue, which charmed the social day? Where now the Wit, by generous roughness graced? Or Bounty's stealing foot, whose step untraced Had watched pale Want, and stored her famished cell? Alas, 'tis all thou art! whose vigorous mind The gay to brighten, and instruct the grave! Farewell, Adieu! Sweet Peace thy vigils keep; |