The Poems of Philip Freneau Volume I Part 20

[A] It is allowed by most historians, that Ferdinand was an implicit believer and one of the must superst.i.tious bigots of his age.--_Freneau's note._

PICTURE V.

Ferdinand and his First Minister

_Ferdinand_

What would this madman have, this odd projector!

A wild address I have to-day attended, Mingling its folly with our great affairs, Dreaming of islands and new hemispheres Plac'd on the ocean's verge, we know not where-- What shall I do with this pet.i.tioner?

_Minister_

Even send him, sire, to perish in his search: He has so pester'd me these many years With idle projects of discovery-- His name--I almost dread to hear it mention'd: He is a Genoese of vulgar birth And has been round all Europe with his plans Presenting them to every potentate; He lives, 'tis said, by vending maps and charts,[52]

And being us'd to sketch imagin'd islands On that blank s.p.a.ce that represents the seas, His head at last grows giddy with this folly, And fancied isles are turned to real lands With which he puzzles me perpetually: What pains me too, is, that our royal lady Lends him her ear, and reads his mad addresses, Oppos'd to reason and philosophy.

_Ferdinand_

He acts the devil's part in Eden's garden; Knowing the man was proof to his temptations He whisper'd something in the ear of Eve, And promis'd much, but meant not to perform.

_Minister_

I've treated all his schemes with such contempt That any but a rank, mad-brain'd enthusiast, Pushing his purpose to extremities, Would have forsook your empire, royal sir, Discourag'd, and forgotten long ago.

_Ferdinand_

Has he so long been busy at his projects?-- I scarcely heard of him till yesterday: A plan pursued with so much obstinacy Looks not like madness:--wretches of that stamp Survey a thousand objects in an hour, In love with each, and yet attach'd to none Beyond the moment that it meets the eye-- But him I honour, tho' in beggar's garbs, Who has a soul of so much constancy As to bear up against the hard rebuffs, Sneers of great men, and insolence of power, And through the opposition of them all Pursues his object:--Minister, this man Must have our notice:--Let him be commissioned Viceroy of all the lands he shall discover, Admiral and general in the fleets of Spain; Let three stout ships be instantly selected, The best and strongest ribb'd of all we own, With men to mann them, patient of fatigue: But stay, attend! how stands our treasury?--

_Minister_

Empty--even to the bottom, royal sir!

We have not coin for bare necessities, Much less, so pardon me, to spend on madmen.

PICTURE VI.

Columbus addresses Queen Isabella

While Turkish queens, dejected, pine, Compell'd sweet freedom to resign; And taught one virtue, to obey, Lament some eastern tyrant's sway,

Queen of our hearts, bright Isabell!

A happier lot to you has fell, Who makes a nation's bliss your own, And share the rich Castilian throne.

Exalted thus, beyond all fame, a.s.sist, fair lady, that proud aim Which would your native reign extend To the wide world's remotest end.

From science, fed by busy thought, New wonders to my view are brought: The vast abyss beyond our sh.o.r.e I deem impa.s.sable no more.

Let those that love to dream or sleep Pretend no limits to the deep: I see beyond the rolling main Abounding wealth reserv'd for Spain.

From Nature's earliest days conceal'd, Men of their own these climates yield, And scepter'd dames, no doubt, are there, Queens like yourself, but not so fair.

But what should most provoke desire Are the fine pearls that they admire, And diamonds bright and coral green More fit to grace a Spanish queen.

Their yellow sh.e.l.ls, and virgin gold, And silver, for our trinkets sold, Shall well reward this toil and pain, And bid our commerce shine again.

As men were forc'd from Eden's shade By errors that a woman made, Permit me at a woman's cost To find the climates that we lost.

He that with you partakes command, The nation's hope, great Ferdinand, Attends, indeed, to my request, But wants no empires in the west.

Then, queen, supply the swelling sail, For eastward breathes the steady gale That shall the meanest barque convey To regions richer than Cathay.[A]

[A] The ancient name for China.--_Freneau's note._

Arriv'd upon that flowery coast Whole towns of golden temples boast, While these bright objects strike our view Their wealth shall be reserv'd for you.

Each swarthy king shall yield his crown, And smiling lay their sceptres down, When they, not tam'd by force of arms, Shall hear the story of your charms.

Did I an empty dream pursue Great honour still must wait on you, Who sent the lads of Spain to keep Such vigils on the untravell'd deep,

Who fix'd the bounds of land and sea, Trac'd Nature's works through each degree, Imagin'd some unheard of sh.o.r.e But prov'd that there was nothing more.

Yet happier prospects, I maintain, Shall open on your female reign, While ages hence with rapture tell How much they owe to Isabell!

PICTURE VII.

Queen Isabella's Page of Honour writing a reply to Columbus

Your yellow sh.e.l.ls, and coral green.

And gold, and silver--not yet seen, Have made such mischief in a woman's mind The queen could almost pillage from the crown, And add some costly jewels of her own, Thus sending you that charming coast to find Where all these heavenly things abound, Queens in the west, and chiefs renown'd.

But then no great men take you by the hand, Nor are the n.o.bles busied in your aid; The clergy have no relish for your scheme, And deem it madness--one archbishop said You were bewilder'd in a paltry dream That led directly to undoubted ruin, Your own and other men's undoing:-- And our confessor says it is not true, And calls it heresy in you Thus to a.s.sert the world is round, And that Antipodes are found Held to the earth, we can't tell how.-- But you shall sail; I heard the queen declare That mere geography is not her care;-- And thus she bids me say, "Columbus, haste away, "Hasten to Palos, and if you can find "Three barques, of structure suited to your mind, "Strait make a purchase in the royal name; "Equip them for the seas without delay, "Since long the journey is (we heard you say) "To that rich country which we wish to claim.-- "Let them be small--for know the crown is poor "Though basking in the sunshine of renown.

"Long wars have wasted us: the pride of Spain "Was ne'er before so high, nor purse so mean; "Giving us ten years' war, the humbled Moor "Has left us little else but victory: "Time must restore past splendor to our reign."

PICTURE VIII.

Columbus at the Harbour of Palos, in Andalusia

_Columbus_

In three small barques to cross so vast a sea, Held to be boundless, even in learning's eye, And trusting only to a magic gla.s.s, Which may have represented things untrue, Shadows and visions for realities!--[53]

It is a bold attempt!--Yet I must go, Travelling the surge to its great boundary; Far, far away beyond the reach of men, Where never galley spread her milk-white sail Or weary pilgrim bore the Christian name!

But though I were confirm'd in my design And saw the whole event with certainty, How shall I so exert my eloquence, And hold such arguments with vulgar minds As to convince them I am not an idiot Chasing the visions of a shatter'd brain, Ending in their perdition and my own?

The world, and all its wisdom is against me; The dreams of priests; philosophy in chains; False learning swoln with self-sufficiency; Men seated at the helm of royalty Reasoning like school-boys;--what discouragements!

Experience holds herself mine enemy, And one weak woman only hears my story!-- I'll make a speech--"Here jovial sailors, here!

"Ye that would rise beyond the rags of fortune, "Struggling too long with hopeless poverty, "Coasting your native sh.o.r.es on shallow seas, "Vex'd by the gallies of the Ottoman; "Now meditate with me a bolder plan, "Catching at fortune in her plenitude!

"He that shall undertake this voyage with me "Shall be no longer held a vulgar man: "Princes shall wish they had been our companions, "And Science blush she did not go along "To learn a lesson that might humble pride "Now grinning idly from a pedant's cap, "Lurking behind the veil of cowardice.

"Far in the west a golden region lies "Unknown, unvisited for many an age, "Teeming with treasures to enrich the brave.