The Poems of Philip Freneau Volume I Part 48

99

But, shepherd, haste, and leave behind thee far Thy b.l.o.o.d.y plains, and iron glooms above, Quit the cold northern star, and here enjoy, Beneath the smiling skies, this land of love.

100

The drowsy pelican wings home his way, The misty eve sits heavy on the sea, And though yon' sail drags slowly o'er the main, Say, shall a moment's gloom discourage thee?

101

To-morrow's sun now paints the faded scene, Though deep in ocean sink his western beams, His spangled chariot shall ascend more clear, More radiant from the drowsy land of dreams.

102

Of all the isles the neighbouring ocean bears, None can with this their equal landscapes boast: What could we do on Saba's cloudy height; Or what could please on 'Statia's barren coast?

103

Couldst thou content on rough Tortola stray, Confest the fairest of the Virgin train; Or couldst thou on these rocky summits play Where high St. John stands frowning o'er the main?

104

Haste, shepherd, haste--Hesperian fruits for thee, And cl.u.s.ter'd grapes from mingled boughs depend-- What pleasure in thy forests can there be That, leafless now, to every tempest bend?

105

To milder stars, and skies of clearer blue, Sworn foe to arms, at least a-while repair, And, till to mightier force proud Britain bends, Despise her triumphs, and deceive thy care.

106

Soon shall the genius of the fertile soil A new creation to thy view unfold; Admire the works of Nature's magic hand, But scorn that vulgar bait, all potent gold.

107

Yet, if persuaded by no lay of mine, You still admire your climes of frost and snow, And pleas'd, prefer above our southern groves The darksome forests, that around thee grow:

108

Still there remain--thy native air enjoy, Repell the tyrant who thy peace invades, While, pleas'd, I trace the vales of Santa Cruz, And sing with rapture her inspiring shades.

[158] Text from the edition of 1786. The poem was first published in the February (1779) issue of the _United States Magazine_, as a part of an extended article, with the t.i.tle, "Account of the Island of Santa Cruz: Containing an original Poem on the Beauties of that Island. In a letter to A. P. Esq." The poem is introduced as follows: "I believe the best thing I can do with the rest of this paper is to transcribe a few dull heavy lines which I composed near two years ago on the spot." The poem consisted of fifty-two stanzas, corresponding to the following above: 1-4, 6-10, 14-16, 18-23, 31-34, 39, 40, 48-51, 53, 54, 56, 58-63, 70, 79-82, 85, 88, 96, 98, 100, 101, 104, 106-108. Freneau revised it with a careful hand for his edition of 1786. Some of the lines changed most notably are as follows:

Stanza

1. "Less rigorous climes, and a more friendly sky."

6. "So some dull minds, in spite of age and care, Are grown so wedded to this globe below."

39. "Sweet spungy plumbs on trees wide spreading hang, The happy flavour'd pine grows crested from the ground."

51. "Where once the Indian dames inchanted slept."

56. "Ca.s.sada shrubs abound, whose poison root, Supplies the want of snow-white Northern flour; This grated fine, and steep'd in water fair, Forsakes each particle of noxious power."

70. "On yonder peaked hill fresh harvests rise, Where wretched he--the Ethiopian swain."

79. "He pants a land of freedom and repose, Where cruel slavery never sought to reign, O quit thee them, my muse, and tell me why."

88. "But now the winds are past, the storm subsides, All nature smiles again serenely gay, The beauteous groves renew'd--how shall I leave My green retreat at Butler's verdant bay."

96. "Fain would I view my native climes again, But murder marks the cruel Briton there-- Contented here I rest, in spite of pain, And quaff the enlivening juice in spite of care."

100. "The misty night sits heavy on the sea, Yon lagging sail drags slowly o'er the main, Night and its kindred glooms are nought to me."

104. "Then shepherd haste, and leave behind thee far The b.l.o.o.d.y plains and iron glooms above, Quit thy cold northern star, and here enjoy, Beneath the smiling skies this land of love."

Each of the later editions pa.s.sed under the revising pen of Freneau, but the variations consisted largely of verbal changes. As a sample of his revision, note the following:

Stanza 3, 1779, "Two weeks, with prosperous gales"; 1786, "Twice seven days prosperous gales"; 1809, "Twice ten days prosperous gales"; 26, 1779, "And tho' fierce Sol his beams directly shed"; 1786, "And though the noon-sun all his radiance shed"; 1795, "The noon sun his fierce radiance shed"; 30, 1779, "fruits that over-top the wood"; 1786, "fruits, the richest of the wood"; 1795, "fruits the n.o.blest of the wood"; 38, 1779, "peaked hill"; 1786, "steepy hill"; 1795, "blue-brow'd hill"; 41, 1779, "lovely green"; 1786, "lively green"; 1795, "liveliest green." Freneau added three stanzas to the later versions. After stanza 16 above, be added the following:

"The native here, in golden plenty blest, Bids from the soil the verdant harvests spring; Feasts in the abundant dome, the joyous guest; Time short,--life easy,--pleasure on the wing."

Following this he added stanza 43 of "The Jamaica Funeral." Stanza 49 of "The House of Night" was interpolated between 90 and 91. Stanzas 35-38 were omitted from the 1786 version, and in connection with stanzas 39-43 of "The House of Night," became the "Elegiac Lines" of the later editions. The text of the 1795 version was almost unrevised for the 1809 edition.

ON A HESSIAN DEBARKATION[159]

1776

_There is a book, tho' not a book of rhymes, Where truth severe records a nation's crimes;-- To check such monarchs as with brutal might Wanton in blood, and trample on the right._

Rejoice, O Death!--Britannia's tyrant sends From German plains his myriads to our sh.o.r.e; The Caledonian with the English joined:-- Bring them, ye winds, but waft them back no more.

To these far climes with stately step they come, Resolved all prayers, all prowess to defy; Smit with the love of countries not their own, They come, indeed, to conquer--not to die.

In the slow breeze (I hear their funeral song,) The dance of ghosts the infernal tribes prepare: To h.e.l.l's dark mansions haste, ye abandoned throng, Drinking from German sculls old Odin's beer.

From dire Cesarea[A] forced, these slaves of kings, Quick, let them take their way on eagle's wings: To thy strong posts, Manhattan's isle, repair, To meet the vengeance that awaits them there!

[A] The old Roman name of Jersey.--_Freneau's note._

[159] This poem first appears in the 1795 edition, though the opening stanzas had formed a part of "The House of Night" in the 1786 edition.

It must have been composed after this edition was published. I have inserted it here on account of its historical significance. Text is from the edition of 1809.