The Elocutionist (1840-1850)/The Battle of Blenheim

by Robert Southey

For other versions of this work, see The Battle of Blenheim.

THE BATTLE OF BLENHEIM.

It was a summer’s evening,
old Kasper’s work was done,
And he before his cottage door
was sitting in the sun,
And by him sported on the green,
His little grandchild, Wilhelmine.

She saw her brother Peterkin,
roll something large and round.
Which he beside the rivulet
in playing there had found,
He came to ask what he had found,
That was so large and srnootli and round.

Old Kaspar took it from the boy,
who stood expectant by;
And then the old man shook his head,
and with a natural sigh,
‘’Tis some poor fellow’s skull,’ said he
Who fell in that great victory!

‘I find them in the garden,
for there’s many here about;
And often when I go to plough,
the ploughshare turns them out:
For many thousand men,’ said he,
‘Were slain in the great victory!’

‘Now tell us what ‘twas all about,’
young Peterkin he cries
And little Wilhelmine looks up
with wondering waiting eyes;
‘Now tell us all about the war,
And what they killed each other for,’

‘It was the English,’ Kaspar cried,
who put the French to route:
But what they kill’d each other for
could not well make out.
But every body said,’ quoth he,
‘That ’twas a famous victory!

My father lived at Blenheim then,
yon little stream hard by;
They burned his dwelling to the ground,
and he was forc’d to fly;
So with his wife and child he fled,
Nor had he where to rest his head!

With fire and sword the country round
was wasted far and wide;
And many a childing mother then,
and new-born baby died!—
But things like that, you know must be
At every famous victory.

They say it was a shocking sight
after the field was won;
For many thousand bodies here
lay rotting in the sun!—
But things like that, you know must be
After a famous victory.

Great praise the Duke of Malbro' won,
and our good Prince Eugene.’
Why, ’twas a very wicked thing,
said little Wilhemine,
‘Nay Nay—my little girl,’ quoth he,
It was a famous victory!’

‘And every body praised the Duke,
who this great fight did win,’
‘But what good came of it at last?
quoth little Peterkin.
‘Why that I cannot tell,’ quoth he,
‘But it was a famous victory!’ Southey.