The Poems of Philip Freneau Volume III Part 30

Reflect how many tender ties A female must forego Ere to the martial camp she flies To meet the invading foe: How many bars has nature placed, And custom many more, Lest slighted woman should be graced With trophies gain'd in war.

All these she n.o.bly overcame, And scorn'd a censuring age, Join'd in the ranks, her road to fame, Despis'd the Briton's rage; And men, who, with contracted mind, All arrogant, condemn And make disgrace in womankind What honor is in them.

[131] These odes first appeared in the _Time-Piece_, where they were published in rapid succession between October 16 and November 13, 1797.

Three of them--the fourth, sixth, and eleventh--were republished, greatly revised, in the edition of 1809. The eighth, tenth, and thirteenth were used in revised form in the 1815 edition. The others are here republished for the first time.

The first ode, which is manifestly an adaptation of Dr. Watts'

well-known hymn, seems to have been objected to in some quarters, for in the _Time-Piece_ for December 22 appeared the following:

"Some serious animadversions appear in the Connecticut Courant on the first number of the _Book of Odes_, published in the Time-Piece of the 14th ult. being a profane parody, as the writer insinuates, on the first Psalm of David--where the _aristocrat_ corresponds with the _saint_ in the psalm, and the _democrat_ with the _impenitent sinner_. These gentlemen writers ought to consider that the parody in question (as they choose to call it) was not meant to be sung through a deacon's nose, to the sound of the organ: nor yet to the timbrel of seven strings: it was merely intended to be _harped_ upon _out of doors_, for the benefit of all good democrats, and the utter astoundment and confusion of _the contrary character_. In the name of common sense how did the printers of the Connecticut Courant _dare_ to act so _irreverantly_ as to place the parody before the psalm? Are they trampling on all sanct.i.ty; or what do they mean? Let them beware--serious times are coming on, gentlemen:

'Your life is but a vapour, sure, A mere old woman's qualm-- And good king David's lyric harp, May close it--with a psalm.'"

[132] _Time-Piece_, October 18, 1797.

[133] The _Time-Piece_, October 20, 1797.

[134] From the edition of 1809, the text of which I have followed in all but the t.i.tle which is "To a Democratic Editor." This poem first appeared in the _Time-Piece_, October 23, 1797, with the following introduction: "'He that first put a real mark upon the forehead of the BEAST was the inventor of Printing. This mark was impressed deeply, and becomes deeper from day to day.'--_Erasmus._"

[135] The _Time-Piece_, October 25, 1797. William Cobbett, an English adventurer, settled in Philadelphia in 1792. Under the signature "Peter Porcupine" he wrote many political pamphlets, and edited a paper called _Porcupine's Gazette_. He left America in 1800 after having been convicted of libel. His works in twelve volumes, including many selections from the _Gazette_, were published in 1801, in London. He was an avowed enemy to the Democrats of America; he opposed the French interests, and abused roundly Dr. Priestly, Benjamin Franklin, and Dr.

Rush.

[136] Text from the edition of 1809. Originally in the _Time-Piece_, October 27, 1797, with the following introduction:

"Let but a dancing bear arrive, A pig that counts you four or five, And Cato, with his moral strain, Shall strive to mend the town--in vain."

[137] From the _Time-Piece_, October 31, 1797.

[138] From the 1815 edition. The _Time-Piece_ version, November 1, 1797, bore the t.i.tle "To Thos. Swawgum, a Wharf Builder," with the following introduction:

"'And Alexander built a solid mole from the coast, even unto the isle of Tyre, through the deep waters of the channel between: and people said it would be everlasting; and yet at this day it is overwhelmed, and few vestiges left thereof.'--_Modern Travels._"

[139] From the Time-Piece, October 31, 1797. The following account of the launch is given in the same issue:

"BOSTON, _October 23_, The Launch! On Sat.u.r.day last at fifteen minutes P. M. the frigate CONSt.i.tUTION was launched into the adjacent element, on which she now rides an elegant and superb specimen of American naval architecture, combining the unity of wisdom, strength, and beauty. On a signal being given from on board, her ordnance, on sh.o.r.e, announced to the neighboring Country, that the CONSt.i.tUTION WAS SECURE."

[140] From the edition of 1815, with the exception of the t.i.tle, which is, "The Millennium--To a Ranting Field Orator."

[141] From the _Time-Piece_, November 13, 1797.

[142] Text from the edition of 1809. The t.i.tle of the newspaper version was "To the Philadelphia Doctors," with the following motto: "And he said unto him, Physician Heal Thyself."

[143] Published in the _Time-Piece_, December 4, 1797, and reprinted in the edition of 1815, the text of which I have used, though I have retained the t.i.tle of the newspaper version. In the 1815 edition the t.i.tle is "The Heroine of the Revolution. _To the men in power_," with the note "On December 23, 1797, Deborah Gannet presented a pet.i.tion to congress for a pension, in consideration of services rendered during the whole of the American Revolutionary war, in the rank of a common soldier in the regular armies of the United States. The above lines were written on this occasion, at the request of the heroine. It is needless to say, she had a competency bestowed on her during her natural life." Freneau's daughter has thus recounted the circ.u.mstances under which the affair became known to the poet:

"While editor of the _Time-Piece_ his office was thronged with visitors mostly wanting favors of one kind or another. One day he came into dinner and told Mrs. Freneau that there had been rather an eccentric character in the office that morning, telling him that she had served through the Revolutionary War in man's attire and had received several wounds and showed the scars. All he could do for her was to send her to Washington with a pet.i.tion, which he did. Her name was Deborah Gannet.

She went to Congress, presented her pet.i.tion, and received her pension.

Though he put not his name to it, it was immediately known, as many of the members were his correspondents, also Thomas Jefferson, the President."

ON THE FEDERAL CITY[144]

1797

All human things must have their rise, And Rome advanced from little size Till future ages saw her grown The mistress of the world, then known.

So, bounding on Potowmac's flood, Where ancient oaks so lately stood An infant city grows apace Intended for a ruling race.

Here capitols of awful height-- Already burst upon the sight, And buildings, meant for embryo kings Display their fronts and spread their wings.

This city bodes no common fate-- All other towns, as books relate, With huts at first were thinly spread, With hovels mean, or humble shed.

But matters here are quite reversed, Here, palaces are built the first, And late will common rustics come In such abodes to find a home.

Meantime, it will be fair and just (Nor will our congress fret, we trust) If while the poor at distance lurk-- Themselves do their own dirty work.

Rome's earliest citizens were thieves, So history tells, and man believes, May matters be again reversed, May they who here inhabit first Instruct the late historians pen To write--that they were honest men.

[144] From the 1815 edition. A young Englishman, Thomas Twining, who visited Washington in 1796, describes it as follows: "Having crossed an extensive tract of level country somewhat resembling an English heath, I entered a large wood through which a very imperfect road had been made, princ.i.p.ally by removing the trees or the upper parts of them in the usual manner. After some time this indistinct way a.s.sumed more the appearance of a regular avenue, the trees having been cut down in a straight line although no habitation of any kind was visible. I had no doubt but I was now riding along one of the streets of the metropolitan city. I continued in this s.p.a.cious avenue for half a mile and then came out upon a large spot cleared of wood, in the center of which I saw two unfinished buildings and men at work on one of them. Advancing and speaking to these workmen, they informed me that I was in the center of the city and that the building was the Capitol. Looking from where I stood I saw on every side a thick wood pierced with avenues in a more or less perfect state."

THE ROYAL c.o.c.kNEYS IN AMERICA[145]

1797

Why travel so far from your insular home, Ye c.o.c.kneys of London, and all in a foam, To talk, and to talk, with c.o.xcombical phiz, And tell what a nuisance democracy is: Twas a lesson we learn'd When you were concern'd In wishing success to the vast preparations To conquer and pillage the royal-plantations.

We Americans far from your king-ridden isle Do humbly beseech you, all democrat haters, For fear that your bodies or souls you defile, Would fairly go off, with your lies and your satires: The monarch you worship requests your a.s.sistance, And how can you help him at such a long distance?

Tis an Englishman's creed, And they all have agreed That, out of old England, there's nothing, they swear, That can with old England--dear England--compare; So, away to old England, or we'll send you there.

A swarm is arrived from the hives of the east, Determined to sap the republic's foundation; And who is their leader, their scribe, and their priest?

Why, Porcupine Peter, The democrat-eater, Transported by Pitt, at the charge of the nation, To preach to the demos a new revelation.

His patrons in England, and some who are here, Consented to join in his sink of scurrility, And gave him, tis certain, four thousand a year To print a d.a.m.n'd libel, to please our n.o.bility: Where I--is the hero of all that is said I--Corporal Cobbett[A]-a man of the blade!

If his countrymen thought That for nothing we fought And they mean to regain, by the aid of his press, A country they lost, to their shame and disgrace, Let them fairly engage In some liberal page: We can give them an answer, not relish'd by some, Who will see their friend Peter go, whimpering, home.

[A] Alluding to the egotistical style of his writings.--_Freneau's note._

[145] From the edition of 1815.