LXVIII

The Battle of the Baltic

OF Nelson and the North

Sing the glorious day's renown,

When to battle fierce came forth

All the might of Denmark's crown

And her arms along the deep proudly shone;

By each gun the lighted brand

In a bold determined hand,

And the Prince of all the land
Led them on.

Like Leviathans afloat

Lay their bulwarks on the brine,
While the sign of battle flew
On the lofty British line:

It was ten of April morn by the chime:

As they drifted on their path

There was silence deep as death,

And the boldest held their breath
For a time.

But the might of England flush'd
To anticipate the scene;

And her van the fleeter rush'd

O'er the deadly space between:

'Hearts of Oak!' our captains cried, when each gun

From its adamantine lips

Spread a death-shade round the ships,

Like the hurricane eclipse

Of the sun.

Again! again! again!

And the havoc did not slack,

Till a feeble cheer the Dane
To our cheering sent us back;—

Their shots along the deep slowly boom:-
Then ceased-and all is wail,

As they strike the shatter'd sail,
Or in conflagration pale

Light the gloom.

Out spoke the victor then

As he hail'd them o'er the wave:
'Ye are brothers! ye are men!
And we conquer but to save:-

So peace instead of death let us bring:
But yield, proud foe, thy fleet,

With the crews, at England's feet,
And make submission meet

To our King.' . . .

Now joy, old England, raise!
For the tidings of thy might,
By the festal cities' blaze,

Whilst the wine-cup shines in light!

And yet amidst that joy and uproar,
Let us think of them that sleep
Full many a fathom deep,
By thy wild and stormy steep,
Elsinore !

THOMAS CAmpbell.

LXIX

To Her Seafaring Lover

SHALL I thus ever long, and be no whit the neare? And shall I still complain to thee, the which me will not hear?

Alas! say nay! say nay! and be no more so dumb, But open thou thy manly mouth and say that thou wilt come:

Whereby my heart may think, although I see not thee,

That thou wilt come-thy word so sware-if thou a live man be.

The roaring hugy waves they threaten my poor ghost,

And toss thee up and down the seas in danger to be

lost:

Shall they not make me fear that they have swallowed thee?

-But as thou art most sure alive, so wilt thou come

to me.

Whereby I shall go see thy ship ride on the strand, And think and say Lo where he comes and Sure here will be land:

And then I shall lift up to thee my little hand, And thou shalt think thine heart in ease, in health to see me stand.

neare] nearer.

And if thou come indeed (as Christ thee send to

do!)

Those arms which miss thee now shall then embrace [and hold] thee too:

Each vein to every joint the lively blood shall spread Which now for want of thy glad sight doth show full pale and dead,

But if thou slip thy troth, and do not come at all, As minutes in the clock do strike so call for death I shall:

To please both thy false heart and rid myself from

woe,

That rather had to die in troth than live forsaken so!

LXX

The Valiant Seamans happy return to his Love, after a long Seven Years absence

Tune of, I am so deep in love: Or, Through the cool shady Woods.'

WHEN Sol did cast no light,

being darken'd over,

And the dark time of night,

did the skies cover,

Running a River by,

there were Ships sailing, A Maid most fair I spy'd, crying and wailing.

Unto this Maid I stept,
asking what griev'd her,
She answer'd me and wept,
fates had deceiv'd her:
My Love is prest, quoth she,
to cross the Ocean,

Proud Waves to make the Ship,

ever in motion.

We lov'd seven years and more,

both being sure,

But I am left on shore,

grief to endure.

He promis'd back to turn, if life was spar'd him, With grief I dayly mourn, death hath debar'd him.

Straight a brisk lad she spy'd,

made her admire, A present she receiv'd,

pleas'd her desire.

Is my Love safe, quoth she,

will he come near me, The young man answer made, Virgin pray hear me.

Under one Banner bright

for England's glory, Your love and I did fight,

mark well my story;