Lewesdon Hill Author:William Crowe Purchase of this book includes free trial access to www.million-books.com where you can read more than a million books for free. This is an OCR edition with typos. Excerpt from book: VERSES INTENDED TO HAVE BEEN SPOKEN IN THE THEATRE TO THE DUKE OF PORTLAND, AT HIS INSTALLATION AS CHANCELLOR OF THE UNIVERSITY OF OXFORD, IN THE YEAR 1793... more ». In evil hour, and with unhauWd voice, Profaning the pure gift of Poesy, Did he begin to sing, He, first who sung Of arms and combats, and the proud array Of warriors on th' embattled plain, and raised Th' aspiring spirit to hopes of fair renown By deeds of violence!—For since that time Th' imperious victor oft, unsatisfied With bloody spoil and tyrannous conquest, dares To challenge fame and honour; and too oft The poet, bending low, to lawless pow'r Hath paid unseemly reverence, yea, and brought Streams clearest of th' Aonian fount to wash Blood-stain'd Ambition. If the stroke of war Fell certain on the guilty head, none else, If they that make the cause might taste th' effect, And drink, themselves, the bitter cup they mix, Then might the bard (tho' child of peace) deb'ght To twine fresh wreaths around the Conqueror's brow; Or haply strike his high-toned harp, to swell The trumpet's martial sound, and bid them on Whom Justice arms for vengeance: but, alas ! That undistinguishing and deathful storm Beats heaviest on th' exposed innocent, And they that stir its fury, while it raves, Stand at safe distance, send their mandate forth Unto the mortal ministers that wait To do their bidding.—Ah ! who then regards The widow's tears, the friendless orphan's cry, And Famine, and the ghastly train of woes That follow at the dogged heels of War ? They, in the pomp and pride of victory Rejoicing, o'er the desolated earth, As at an altar wet with human blood, And flaming with the fire of cities burnt, Sing their mad hymns of triumph ; hymns to God, O'er the destruction of his graciou...« less