Our ships were British oak,
And hearts of oak our men.
Our Nelson marked them on the wave,
Three cheers our gallant seamen gave,
Nor thought of home or beauty;
Along the line this signal ran,
"England expects that every man
This day will do his duty."
And now the cannons roar
Along the affrighted shore-
Our Nelson led the way;
His ship the Vict'ry named-
Long be that vict'ry famed!
For vict'ry crowned the day.
But dearly was that conquest bought-
Too well the gallant hero fought
For England, home, and beauty:
He cried, as 'midst the fire he ran,
"England expects that every man
This day will do his duty."
At last the fatal wound,
Which spread dismay around,
The hero's breast received:
"Heaven fights on our side-
The day's our own," he cried:
"Now long enough I've lived.
In honour's cause my life was pass'd-
In honour's cause I fall at last,
For England, home, and beauty!"
Thus, ending life as he began,
England confessed that every man
That day had done his duty.
THE SMILE AND THE TEAR.
Said a smile to a tear, on the cheek of my dear,
Which beam'd like the sun in spring weather,
In sooth, lovely Tear, it strange doth appear,
That we should be both here together.
I come from the heart, a soft balm to impart,
To yonder sad daughter of grief;
And I, said the Smile, that heart to beguile,
Since you gave the poor mourner relief.
Oh, then, said the Tear, sweet Smile, it is clear,
We are twins, and soft Pity's our mother;
And how lovely that face, which together we grace,
For the woe and the bliss of another.
A BRITISH SOLDIER IS MY DAD.
A British soldier is my dad,
The couch of ease disdaining,
And I a true-born British lad,
Like him, live by campaining;
Dad makes the enemy retreat,
His son and heir, I've fame in view,
He ne'er was conquered, I ne'er beat;
For when alarms loud call to arms,
I beat a rub a-dub and a rat-tat-too.
Like dad, from love I never fly,
Its joys are so inviting;
He loves old England, so do I,
And glory take delight in;
A hero's name old dad enjoys,
His son and heir, I've fame in view,
And in the battle makes some noise,
For when alarms, &c.
Ah! little blind boy, much too often you prove us;
What tricks you delight in, how restless you reign,
To all kinds of folly your aim is to move us,
And pleasure derive from creating our pain.
Ah! the little blind boy.
To what mischiefyour malice poor mortals exposes, While nothing the sting of your dart can abate; Yet so strong is the spell that your cunning dis
Your absence is worse than the pain you create. Ah! the little blind boy.
THE SEASONS.
In the smiling morn of Spring,
When the woods were fresh and green,
And the wild birds round did sing,
Like the genii of the scene;
Then my heart was woo'd and won,
Then its sweetest hopes begun.
When summer's glowing ray,
Waked to life the opening flowers,
And the glorious god of day
Smiled upon the new decked bowers;
Then my bosom's fluttering guest,
Owned itself too sweetly blest.
When rich Autumn's golden hue
Gleamed upon the ripened corn,
And a milder lustre threw
O'er the blushes of the morn;
Then my heart's best hope betrayed,
Like autumnal leaves did fade!
When cold winter's icy breath
Froze the stream, and stripp'd the spray,
And the chilling hand of death
Swept the lingering birds away;
Then my heart's fond hopes all o'er,
Withered, sunk, to bloom no more.
BLACK-EYED SUSAN.
All in the Downs the fleet was moor'd,
The streamers waving in the wind,
When black-eyed Susan came on board,
Oh! where shall I my true love find?
Tell me, ye jovial sailors, tell me true,
Does my sweet William sail among the crew?
William, who high upon the yard,
Rocked by the billows to and fro:
Soon as her well known voice he heard,
He sigh'd, 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 voice he hears)
And drops at once into her nest.
The noblest captain of the British fleet,
Might envy William's lips 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 landsmen say,
Who tempt with doubts 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 far India's coast we sail,
Thine eyes are seen like 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.
Tho' battle calls 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 fall from Susan's eye.
The boatswain gave the dreadful word,
The sails their swelling bosoms spread;
No longer must she stay on board;
They kissed; she sighed; he hung his head. Ifer lessening boat unwilling rows to land, Adieu! she cried, and waved her lily hand.
TOGETHER LET US RANGE THE FIELDS.
Together let us range the fields,
Impearl'd with the morning dew;
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