The poetical works of Walter Scott esq Author:Walter Scott 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: CONCLUSION. Who shall command Estrella's mountain-tide Back to the source, when tempest-chafed, to hie? Who, when Gascogne's vexed gulf is raging wide, ... more » Shall hush it as a nurse her infant's cry ? His magic power let such vain boaster try, And when the torrent shall his voice obey, And Biscay's whirlwinds list his lullaby, Let him stand forth and bar mine Eagles' way, And they shall heed his voice, andat hisbiddingstay. " Else, ne'er to stoop, till high on Lisbon's towers They close their wings, the symbol of our yoke, And their own sea hath whelmed yon red-cross Powers!" Thus, on the summit of Alverca's rock, To Marshal, Duke, and Peer, Gaul's Leader spoke. While downward on the land his legions press, Before them it was rich with vine and flock, And smiled like Eden in her summer dress;— Behind their wasteful march, a reeking wilderness. And shall the boastful Chief maintain his word, Though Heaven hath heard the wailings of the land, Though Lusitania whet her vengeful sword, Though Britons arm, and Wellington com- mand ? No! grim Busaco's iron ridge shall stand An adamantine barrier to his force ! And from its base shall wheel his shattered band, As from the unshaken rock the torrent hoarse Bears off its broken waves, and seeks a devious course. IV. Yet not because Alcoba's mountain-hawk Hath on his best and bravest made her food, In numbers confident, yon Chief shall balk His Lord's imperial thirst for spoil and blood: For full in view the promised conquest stood, And Lisbon's matrons, from their walls, might The myriads that had half the world subdued, And hear the distant thunders of the drum, That bids the band of France to storm and havoc Four moons have heard these thunders idly rolled, Have seen the...« less