VERSES ON THE UNION.
29
What wonders in the war shall now be shown
By her, who single shook the Gallic throne!
The day draws nigh in which the warrior-queen
Shall wave her Union-crosses o'er the Seine: 46
Rouz'd with heroic warmth unfelt before,
Her Lions with redoubled fury roar;
And urging on to fame, with joy behold
The woody walks in which they rang'd of old. 50
O Louis! long the terror of thy arms
Has aw'd the Continent with dire alarms,
Exulting in thy pride, with hope to see
Empires and states derive their pow'r from thee;
From Britain's equal hand the scale to wrest, 55
And reign without a rival o'er the West:
But now the laurels, by thy rapine torn
From Belgian groves, in early triumphs borne,
Wither'd and leafless in thy winter stand,
Expos'd a prey to ev'ry hostile hand, 60
By strange extremes of destiny decreed
To flourish and to fall with equal speed.
So the young gourd around the prophet's head
With swift increase her fragrant honours spread;
Beneath the growing shade secure he sate, 65
To see the tow'rs of Ninus bow to Fate;
But, curs'd by Heav'n, the greens began to fade,
And, sickening, sudden as they rose decay'd. 68
By her, who single shook the Gallic throne!
The day draws nigh in which the warrior-queen
Shall wave her Union-crosses o'er the Seine: 46
Rouz'd with heroic warmth unfelt before,
Her Lions with redoubled fury roar;
And urging on to fame, with joy behold
The woody walks in which they rang'd of old. 50
O Louis! long the terror of thy arms
Has aw'd the Continent with dire alarms,
Exulting in thy pride, with hope to see
Empires and states derive their pow'r from thee;
From Britain's equal hand the scale to wrest, 55
And reign without a rival o'er the West:
But now the laurels, by thy rapine torn
From Belgian groves, in early triumphs borne,
Wither'd and leafless in thy winter stand,
Expos'd a prey to ev'ry hostile hand, 60
By strange extremes of destiny decreed
To flourish and to fall with equal speed.
So the young gourd around the prophet's head
With swift increase her fragrant honours spread;
Beneath the growing shade secure he sate, 65
To see the tow'rs of Ninus bow to Fate;
But, curs'd by Heav'n, the greens began to fade,
And, sickening, sudden as they rose decay'd. 68
