By stubborn constancy of soul, a rock
That firmly meets but to return the shock,-
By all that power inflicts, or slavery bears—
By all that freedom prompts, or valour dares —
By all that bids the bright historic page
Of Greece and Rome inspire each after age-
By all of great, that must our wonder raise
In direst, worst extremities, we praise
A deed that animates, exalts, inflames
A world in arms—from Tanais to the Thames!
Hail! nobly-daring, wisely-desperate deed:
Moscow is PARIS, should the Gaul succeed!
Then perish temple, palace, fort, or tower That screens a foeman in this 'vengeful hour; Let self-devotion rule this righteous cause, And triumph o'er affections, customs, laws; With Roman daring be the flag unfurledThemselves they conquered first, and then the world; Be this the dirge o'er Moscow's mighty grave, She stood to foster, but she fell to save! Her flames like Judah's guardian pillar rose To shield her children, to confound her foes; That mighty beacon must not blaze in vain, It rouses earth, and flashes o'er the main,
The sacrifice is made, the deed is done:
Russia! thy woes are finished, Gaul's begun!
Soon to return-retire! There is a time
When earthly virtue must not cope with crime.
Husband thy strength, let not a life be lost,
One patriot's life is worth the Gallic host;
Unbend awhile thy bow, more strongly still
To force thy shaft, and all thy quivers fill;
Crouched like the tiger, prescient of the prey,
Collect thy might, augmented by delay;
Still as the calm, when on her siren breast
The slumbering earthquake and the whirlwind rest.
To courage, strength-to strength, cool wisdom bring;
Nurse every nerve, and plume thy ruffled wing;
Firm, but composed,-prepared, but tranquil prove,
As the dread eagle at the throne of Jove!
Each arm provide, and engine of the war,
Till Rout and Havoc answer-Here we are!
And Valour, steeled by virtuous energy,
To just Revenge shall utter-Come with me!
From pine-ploughed Baltic, to that ice-bound coast,
Where Desolation lives, and life is lost,
Bid all thy Centaur-Sons around thee close,
Suckled in storms, and cradled on the snows,
Hard as that sea of stone, that belts their strand
With marble wave, more solid than the land;
Men fiercer than their skies, inured to toil,
And as the grave tenacious of the spoil,-
Thronged as the locust, as the lion brave,
Fleet as the pard that hies her young to save
Tell them their king, their father takes the field,
A host his presence—and his cause a shield!
Nor strike the blow, till all thy northern hive
Concentring thick, for death or glory strive;
Then round the Invader swarm, his death-fraught cloud,
While the white desart girds him like a shroud,—
Full on his front and rear, the battle-tide
With arm of lightning, hoof of thunder guide;
Soon shall the Gaul his transient triumph rue-
Fierce burns the victim, and the altar too!
Now sinks the blood-red sun, eclipsed by light,
And yields his throne to far more brilliant night.
Roused by the flames, the blast, with rushing sound,
Both fed and fanned the ruin that it found.
Long stood each stately tower, and column high,
And saw the molten gulf beneath them lie;
Long reared their heads the aspiring flames above,
As stood the Giants when they warred with Jove,—
Conquered at length, with hideous crash they fall,
And one o'erwhelming havoc covers all.
By stubborn constancy of soul, a rock
That firmly meets but to return the shock,—
By all that power inflicts, or slavery bears—
By all that freedom prompts, or valour dares—
By all that bids the bright historic page
Of Greece and Rome inspire each after age-
By all of great, that must our wonder raise
In direst, worst extremities,- -we praise
A deed that animates, exalts, inflames
A world in arms-from Tanais to the Thames!
Hail! nobly-daring, wisely-desperate deed:
Moscow is PARIS, should the Gaul succeed!
Then perish temple, palace, fort, or tower That screens a foeman in this 'vengeful hour; Let self-devotion rule this righteous cause, And triumph o'er affections, customs, laws; With Roman daring be the flag unfurledThemselves they conquered first, and then the world; Be this the dirge o'er Moscow's mighty grave, She stood to foster, but she fell to save! Her flames like Judah's guardian pillar rose To shield her children, to confound her foes; That mighty beacon must not blaze in vain, It rouses earth, and flashes o'er the main,
The sacrifice is made, the deed is done :
Russia! thy woes are finished, Gaul's begun!
Soon to return-retire! There is a time
When earthly virtue must not cope with crime.
Husband thy strength, let not a life be lost,
One patriot's life is worth the Gallic host;
Unbend awhile thy bow, more strongly still
To force thy shaft, and all thy quivers fill;
Crouched like the tiger, prescient of the prey,
Collect thy might, augmented by delay;
Still as the calm, when on her siren breast
The slumbering earthquake and the whirlwind rest.
To courage, strength—to strength, cool wisdom bring;
Nurse every nerve, and plume thy ruffled wing;
Firm, but composed,-prepared, but tranquil prove,
As the dread eagle at the throne of Jove!
Each arm provide, and engine of the war,
Till Rout and Havoc answer-Here we are
And Valour, steeled by virtuous energy,
To just Revenge shall utter-Come with me!
From pine-ploughed Baltic, to that ice-bound coast,
Where Desolation lives, and life is lost,
Bid all thy Centaur-Sons around thee close,
Suckled in storms, and cradled on the snows,
Hard as that sea of stone, that belts their strand
With marble wave, more solid than the land;
Men fiercer than their skies, inured to toil,
And as the grave tenacious of the spoil,-
Thronged as the locust, as the lion brave,
Fleet as the pard that hies her young to save;
Tell them their king, their father takes the field,
A host his presence—and his cause a shield!
Nor strike the blow, till all thy northern hive
Concentring thick, for death or glory strive;
Then round the Invader swarm, his death-fraught cloud,
While the white desart girds him like a
Full on his front and rear, the battle-tide
With arm of lightning, hoof of thunder guide;
Soon shall the Gaul his transient triumph rue-
Fierce burns the victim, and the altar too!
Now sinks the blood-red sun, eclipsed by light,
And yields his throne to far more brilliant night.
Roused by the flames, the blast, with rushing sound,
Both fed and fanned the ruin that it found.
Long stood each stately tower, and column high,
And saw the molten gulf beneath them lie;
Long reared their heads the aspiring flames above,
As stood the Giants when they warred with Jove,-
Conquered at length, with hideous crash they fall,
And one o'erwhelming havoc covers all.
By stubborn constancy of soul, a rock
That firmly meets but to return the shock,-
By all that power inflicts, or slavery bears-
By all that freedom prompts, or valour dares—
By all that bids the bright historic page
Of Greece and Rome inspire each after age—
By all of great, that must our wonder raise
In direst, worst extremities,- -we praise
A deed that animates, exalts, inflames
A world in arms-from Tanais to the Thames!
Hail! nobly-daring, wisely-desperate deed:
Moscow is PARIS, should the Gaul succeed!
Then perish temple, palace, fort, or tower That screens a foeman in this 'vengeful hour; Let self-devotion rule this righteous cause, And triumph o'er affections, customs, laws; With Roman daring be the flag unfurled— Themselves they conquered first, and then the world; Be this the dirge o'er Moscow's mighty grave, She stood to foster, but she fell to save! Her flames like Judah's guardian pillar rose To shield her children, to confound her foes; That mighty beacon must not blaze in vain, It rouses earth, and flashes o'er the main,
The sacrifice is made, the deed is done:
Russia! thy woes are finished, Gaul's begun!
Soon to return-retire! There is a time
When earthly virtue must not cope with crime.
Husband thy strength, let not a life be lost,
One patriot's life is worth the Gallic host;
Unbend awhile thy bow, more strongly still
To force thy shaft, and all thy quivers fill;
Crouched like the tiger, prescient of the prey,
Collect thy might, augmented by delay;
Still as the calm, when on her siren breast
The slumbering earthquake and the whirlwind rest.
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