Volume Ii Part 23 (1/2)

YE MARINERS OF ENGLAND.

Ye mariners of England That guard our native seas!

Whose flag has braved, a thousand years, The battle and the breeze!

Your glorious standard launch again To match another foe: And sweep through the deep, While the stormy winds do blow; While the battle rages loud and long And the stormy winds do blow.

The spirits of your fathers Shall start from every wave-- For the deck it was their field of fame, And Ocean was their grave: Where Blake and mighty Nelson fell Your manly hearts shall glow, As ye sweep through the deep, While the stormy winds do blow; While the battle rages loud and long And the stormy winds do blow.

Britannia needs no bulwarks No towers along the steep; Her march is o'er the mountain waves, Her home is on the deep.

With thunders from her native oak She quells the floods below-- As they roar on the sh.o.r.e, When the stormy winds do blow; When the battle rages loud and long, And the stormy winds do blow.

The meteor flag of England Shall yet terrific burn; Till danger's troubled night depart And the star of peace return.

Then, then, ye ocean warriors!

Our song and feast shall flow To the fame of your name, When the storm has ceased to blow; When the fiery fight is heard no more, And the storm has ceased to blow.

THOMAS CAMPBELL.

[Ill.u.s.tration: ADMIRAL HORATIO NELSON.]

THE DEATH OF NELSON.

'Twas in Trafalgar's bay We saw the Frenchmen lay; Each heart was bounding then.

We scorned the foreign yoke, Our s.h.i.+ps were British oak, And hearts of oak our men.

Our Nelson marked them on the wave, Three cheers our gallant seamen gave, Nor thought of home and beauty.

Along the line this signal ran,-- ”England expects that every man This day will do his duty.”

And now the cannons roar Along the affrighted sh.o.r.e; Brave Nelson led the way: His s.h.i.+p the Victory named; Long be that victory famed!

For victory crowned the day.

But dearly was that conquest bought, Too well the gallant hero fought For England, home, and beauty.

He cried, as 'midst the fire he ran,-- ”England shall find that every man This day will do his duty!”

At last the fatal wound Which shed dismay around, The hero's breast received.

”Heaven fights on our side; The day's our own!” he cried; ”Now long enough I've lived.

In honor's cause my life was pa.s.sed, In honor's cause I fall at last, For England, home, and beauty!”

Thus ending life as he began; England confessed that every man That day had done his duty.

ARNOLD.

[Ill.u.s.tration: CHARLES KINGSLEY.]

ODE TO THE NORTHEAST WIND.

Welcome, wild Northeaster!

Shame it is to see Odes to every zephyr; Ne'er a verse to thee.