The Poems of Philip Freneau Volume II Part 22

"Indeed 'tis a shame to persuade one to lie"-- But Satan replied--"Consider, my son, "I am a prince of the winds, and have seen what is done:

"With a conquest like this, how bright we shall shine!

"That Rodney has taken six ships of the line, "Will be in your paper a brilliant affair; "How the Tories will laugh, and the rebels will swear.

"But farther, dear Jemmy, make Rodney to say, "If the sun two hours longer had held out the day, "The rest were so beaten, so baisted, so tore, "He had taken them all, and he knew not but more."

So the partners broke up, as good friends as they met, And soon it was all in the _Royal Gazette_; The Tories rejoiced at the very good news, And said, There's no fear we shall die in our shoes.

Now let us give credit to Jemmy, forsooth, Since once in a way he has. .h.i.t on the truth: If again he returns to his practice of lies, He hardly reflects where he'll go when he dies.

But still, when he dies, let it never be said That he rests in his grave with no verse at his head; But furnish, ye poets, some short epitaph, And something like this, that readers may laugh:

Here _lies_ a King's Printer, we needn't say who: There is reason to think that he tells what is true: But if he _lies_ here, 'tis not over-strange, His present position is but a small change, So, reader, pa.s.s on--'tis a folly to sigh, For all his life long he did little but _lie_.

[153] The first trace that I can find of this poem is in the 1786 edition, where it is signed, "Written _April, 1782_."

On June 5, 1782, Freneau printed the following in the Journal:

"Formidable, between Guadaloupe and Monpenat, April 14, 1782.

"Sir: I am this moment favoured with your excellency's letter, and have the happiness to acquaint you that after having had a partial engagement with the enemy on the 9th, wherein 16 of my rear were prevented by calms from joining in the action, on the 12th I had the good fortune to bring them to a general action, which lasted from seven o'clock in the morning until half-past six in the afternoon, without a moment's intermission.

Count de Gra.s.se, with the _Ville de Paris_ and four other ships of the line and one sunk, graced the victory. The remainder of their fleet was so miserably shattered and their loss of men so very great from their having their whole army consisting of 5,500 men on board the ships of war, that I am convinced it will be almost impossible to put them in a condition for service for some considerable time.

I am hastening with my whole fleet, etc.

G. B. RODNEY."

Freneau's early doubts as to this victory, which was loudly proclaimed in the _Royal Gazette_, is evidenced not only by the poem, but by the following comment on Rodney's letter:

"The unskilful forger of Sir George Rodney's letter, which is pretended to have been wafted from Jamaica to Savannah and thence to Charleston, exhibits Sir George not as a British admiral, but as a saucy upstart....

To comment on this absurd forgery would be nugatory."

[154] "For that was enough."--_Ed. 1786._

BARNEY'S INVITATION[155]

Come all ye lads who know no fear, To wealth and honor with me steer In the _Hyder Ali_ privateer, Commanded by brave Barney.

She's new and true, and tight and sound, Well rigged aloft, and all well found-- Come away and be with laurel crowned, Away--and leave your la.s.ses.

Accept our terms without delay, And make your fortunes while you may, Such offers are not every day In the power of the jolly sailor.

Success and fame attend the brave, But death the coward and the slave, Who fears to plow the Atlantic wave, To seek the bold invaders.

Come, then, and take a cruising bout, Our ship sails well, there is no doubt, She has been tried both in and out, And answers expectation.

Let no proud foes whom Europe bore, Distress our trade, insult our sh.o.r.e-- Teach them to know their reign is o'er, Bold Philadelphia sailors!

We'll teach them how to sail so near, Or to venture on the Delaware, When we in warlike trim appear And cruise without Henlopen.

Who cannot wounds and battle dare Shall never clasp the blooming fair; The brave alone their charms should share, The brave are their protectors.

With hand and heart united all, Prepared to conquer or to fall, Attend, my lads, to honour's call, Embark in our _Hyder Ali_.

From an Eastern prince[156] she takes her name, Who, smit with Freedom's sacred flame, Usurping Britons brought to shame, His country's wrongs avenging;

See, on her stern the waving stars-- Inured to blood, inured to wars, Come, enter quick, my jolly tars, To scourge these warlike Britons.

Here's grog enough--then drink a bout, I know your hearts are firm and stout; American blood will never give out, And often we have proved it.

Though stormy oceans round us roll, We'll keep a firm undaunted soul, Befriended by the cheering bowl, Sworn foes to melancholy:

While timorous landsmen lurk on sh.o.r.e, 'Tis ours to go where cannons roar-- On a coasting cruise we'll go once more, Despisers of all danger;

And Fortune still, who crowns the brave, Shall guard us over the gloomy wave A fearful heart betrays a knave-- Success to the _Hyder Ali_.

[155] "A number of gentlemen having met in the evening [about April 1, 1782] at Crawford and Donaldson's insurance office in High street and, conversing on the subject of the captures making in the bay by the _General Monk_, just then arrived, it was resolved to raise a loan of money by which to fit out a vessel which might succeed to capture her.

The money was obtained of the Bank of North America upon the responsibility of sundry individuals; the _Hyder Ali_ was purchased of John W. Stanley and the command given to Capt. Barney; a crew of volunteers, chiefly from the regular service, was engaged, and a commission of a letter of marque procured. In a week the vessel was ready and sailed."--Watson's _Annals of Philadelphia_. The poem was included in the editions of 1786 and 1809. Why Freneau omitted this spirited lyric and also 'Barney's Victory over the _Monk_' from his edition of 1795 has never been explained.

[156] Hyder Ali, a prince of Mysore, India, who defeated in 1767 the British troops and forced them to sue for peace. In 1780, a.s.sisted by the French, he invaded Carnatic, but was defeated the following year by Sir Eyre Coote. From his hostility to the English and his alliance with the French he was hailed with enthusiasm by the American patriots.

SONG[157]

On Captain Barney's Victory over the Ship _General Monk_

O'er the waste of waters cruising, Long the _General Monk_ had reigned; All subduing, all reducing, None her lawless rage restrained: Many a brave and hearty fellow Yielding to this warlike foe, When her guns began to bellow Struck his humbled colours low.

But grown bold with long successes, Leaving the wide watery way, She, a stranger to distresses, Came to cruise within Cape May: "Now we soon (said captain Rogers) "Shall their men of commerce meet; "In our hold we'll have them lodgers, "We shall capture half their fleet.

"Lo! I see their van appearing-- "Back our topsails to the mast-- "They toward us full are steering "With a gentle western blast: "I've a list of all their cargoes, "All their guns, and all their men: "I am sure these modern Argos "Cant escape us one in ten:

"Yonder comes the _Charming Sally_ "Sailing with the _General Greene_-- "First we'll fight the _Hyder Ali_, "Taking her is taking them: "She intends to give us battle, "Bearing down with all her sail-- "Now, boys, let our cannon rattle!

"To take her we cannot fail.

"Our eighteen guns, each a nine pounder, "Soon shall terrify this foe; "We shall maul her, we shall wound her, "Bringing rebel colours low."-- While he thus antic.i.p.ated Conquests that he could not gain, He in the Cape May channel waited For the ship that caused his pain.

Captain Barney then preparing, Thus addressed his gallant crew-- "Now, brave lads, be bold and daring, "Let your hearts be firm and true; "This is a proud English cruiser, "Roving up and down the main, "We must fight her--must reduce her, "Though our decks be strewed with slain.

"Let who will be the survivor, "We must conquer or must die, "We must take her up the river, "Whate'er comes of you or I: "Though she shews most formidable "With her eighteen pointed nines, "And her quarters clad in sable, "Let us baulk her proud designs.