Classic Poem

I.

O F Arms and War my Muse aspires to Sing,
And strike the Lyre upon an untry'd String;
New Fire informs my Soul, unfelt before;
And, on new Wings, to Heights unknown I soar.
O Power unseen! by whose Resistless Force
Compell'd, I take this Flight, direct my Course;
For Fancy, wild and pathless Ways will chuse,
Which Judgment, rarely, or with Pain, pursues.
Say, Sacred Nymph, whence this great Change proceeds;
Why scorns the lowly Swain his Oaten Reeds,
Daring aloud to strike the Sounding Lyre ,
And sing Heroick Deeds;
Neglecting Flames of Love, for Martial Fire?

II.

W ILLIAM , alone, my Feeble Voice can raise;
What Voice so weak, that cannot sing his Praise!
The list'ning World each Whisper will befriend
That breaths his Name, and ev'ry Ear attend.
The hov'ring Winds on downy Wings shall wait around,
And catch, and waft to Foreign Lands, the flying Sound.
Ev'n I will in his Praise be heard;
For by his Name my Verse shall be preferr'd.
Born like a Lark upon this Eagle's Wing,
High as the Spheres, I will his Triumph sing;
High as the Head of Fame ; Fame whose exalted Size,
From the deep Vale extends, up to the vaulted Skies:
A thousand talking Tongues the Monster bears,
A thousand waking Eyes, and ever-open Ears;
Hourly she stalks, with Huge Gigantick Pace,
Meas'ring the Globe, like Time, with constant Race:
Yet shall she stay, and bend to W ILLIAM 's Praise:
Of Him, her thousand Ears shall hear triumphant Lays,
Of him her Tongues shall talk, on Him her Eyes shall gaze.

III.

But lo, a Change astonishing my Eyes!
And all around, behold new Objects rise!
What Forms are these I see? and whence?
Beings substantial? or does Air condense,
To clothe in visionary Shape my various Thought?
Are these by Fancy wrought!
Can strong Ideas strike so deep the Sense!
O sacred Poesie! O boundless Pow'r!
What Wonders dost thou trace, what hidden Worlds explore.
Thro' Seas, Earth, Air, and the wide circling Sky,
What is not sought and seen, by thy all-piercing Eye!

IV.

'Twas now, when flowry Lawns the Prospect made,
And flowing Brooks beneath a Forest's shade;
A Lowing Heifer, Loveliest of the Herd,
Stood feeding by; while two fierce Bulls prepar'd
Their Armed Heads for Fight; by Fate of War, to prove
The Victor worthy of the Fair One's Love.
Unthought Presage, of what met next my View!
For soon the shady Scene withdrew.
And now, for Woods, and Fields, and springing Flow'rs;
Behold a Town arise, Bulwark'd with Walls, and lofty Tow'rs!
Two Rival Armies all the Plain o'respread,
In Gallant Order Rang'd, and Shining Arms array'd:
With eager Eyes, beholding both from far,
Namure , the Prize and Mistress of the War.

V.

Now, Thirst of Conquest, and Immortal Fame,
Does ev'ry Chief and Soldier's Heart inflame.
Defensive Arms, the Gallick Forces bear;
While Hardy Britons for the Storm prepare:
For Fortune had, with partial Hand, before
Resign'd the Rule to Gallia 's Haughty Pow'r.
High on a Rock the mighty Fortress stands,
Founded by Fate; and wrought by Nature's Hands.
A wondrous Task it is th' Ascent to gain,
Thro craggy Cliffs, that strike the Sight with Pain,
And Nod impending Terrours o'er the Plain.
To this, what Dangers Men can add, by Force or Skill,
(And great is Humane Force and Wit in Ill)
Are joyn'd; on ev'ry side, wide gaping Engines wait,
Teeming with Fire, and big with certain Fate;
Ready to hurl Destruction from above,
In dreadful Roar, mocking the Wrath of Jove .
Thus fearful, does the Face of adverse Pow'r appear;
But British Forces are unus'd to fear:
Tho' thus oppos'd, they might, if N ASSAW were not there.

VI.

But hark, the Voice of War! Behold the Storm begin!
The Trumpet's Clangor speaks in loud Allarms,
Mingling shrill Notes with dreadful Din
Of Cannons burst, and ratling clash of Arms.
Clamours from Earth to Heav'n, from Heav'n to Earth rebound,
Distinction, in promiscuous Noise is drown'd,
And Echo lost in one continu'd Sound.
Torrents of Fire from Brazen Mouths are sent,
Follow'd by Peals, as either Pole were tent;
As the Tartarean Gulph did Flames disgorge,
So vaulted Ætna roar from Vulcan 's Forge;
Such were the Peals from thence, such the vast Blaze that broke,
Redning with horrid Gloom, the dusky Smoke,
When the huge Cyclops did with molding Thunder sweat,
And Massie Bolts on repercussive Anvils beat.

VII.

Amidst this Rage, behold, where N ASSAW stands,
Undaunted, Undismay'd!
With Face Serene, dispensing dread Commands;
Which heard with Awe, are with Delight obey'd,
A thousand fiery Deaths around him fly;
And burning Balls with rapid hiss pass harmless by:
For ev'ry Fire his sacred Head must spare,
Nor dares the Lightning touch the Lawrels there.

VIII.

Now many a wounded Briton feels the Rage
Of Missive Fires that fester in each Limb,
Which dire Revenge alone has Pow'r t'asswage;
Revenge makes Danger dreadless seem.
And now, with desp'rate Force, and fresh Attack,
Through obvious Deaths, resistless Way they make;
Raising high Piles of Earth, and heap on heap they lay
And then ascend; resembling thus (as far
As Race of Men inferiour, may)
The fam'd Gigantick War.
When those tall Sons of Earth, did Heav'n aspire;
(A Brave, but Impious Fire!)
Uprooting Hills, with most stupendous Hale,
To form the High and Dreadful Scale.
The Gods, with Horrour and Amaze look down,
Beholding Rocks from their firm Basis rent;
Mountain on Mountain thrown,
With threatning hurl, that shook th' Æthereal Firmament!
Th' Attempt did Fear in Heav'n create;
Ev'n Jove desponding sat,
'Till Mars with all his Force collected, stood,
And pour'd whole War on the rebellious Brood;
Who tumbling Headlong from th' Empyreal Skies,
O'erwhelm'd those Hills, by which they thought to rise:
Mars , on the Gods did then his Aid bestow,
And now in Godlike W ILLIAM storms, with equal Force below.

IX.

Still they proceed, with firm unshaken Pace,
And hardy Breasts oppos'd to Danger's Face,
Cat'aracts of Fires Precipitate are driv'n
On their Adventrous Heads, as Ruin rain'd from Heav'n.
With daring Feet, on springing Mines they tread
Of secret Sulphur, in dire Ambush laid.
Echos each scalding step resound
And horrid Flames bellowing to be unbound
Rumble with hollow rage in Cavern'd Ground.

X.

Still they proceed; tho' all beneath, the Lab'ring Earth
Trembles to give the dread Irruptions Birth.
Thro this, and more, thro oppositions Self they go,
Mounting at last amidst the vanquish'd Foe.
See, how they climb, and Scale the Steepy Walls!
See, how the Britons rise; see the retiring Gauls!
Now from the Fort, behold the yielding Flag is spread,
And N ASSAW 's Conqu'ring Banner on the Breach display'd.

XI.

Hark, the Triumphant shouts, from every Voice!
The Skies with Acclamations ring!
Hark, how around, the Hills rejoice,
And Rocks reflected Io's sing!
Hautboys and Fifes and Trumpets joyn'd,
Heroick Harmony prepare,
And charm to Silence every Wind,
And glad the late Tormented Air.
Far, is the sound of Martial Musick spread,
Echoing thro' all the Gallick Host.
Whose numerous Troops the dreadful Storm survey'd:
But they with Wonder, or with Awe dismay'd,
Unmov'd beheld the Fortress lost.
N ASSAW , their num'rous Troops with Terrour fill'd,
Such wondrous Charms can Godlike Vallour show!
Nor the wing'd Perseus , with Petrisick Shield
Of Gorgon's Head, to more Amazement charm'd his Foe.
Nor, when on soaring Horse he flew, to aid
And save from Monster's Rage, the Beauteous Maid;
Or more Heroick was the Deed;
Or she to surer Chains decreed,
Than was Namure ; 'till now by N ASSAW'S vallour freed.

XII.

Descend, my Muse, from thy too daring height,
Descend to Earth, and ease thy wide-stretch'd Wing;
For weary art thou grown, of this unwonted Flight,
And dost with Pain of Triumphs sing.
More fit for thee, resume thy rural Reeds;
For War let more Harmonious Harps be strung:
Sing thou of Love, and leave Great N ASSAW'S Deeds
To Him who sung the Boyne ; or Him to whom he Sung.