EDMUND BURKE

OLIVER GOLDSMITH

(From "Retaliation ")

THE most eloquent orator of the day was Fox's friend, Edmund Burke. He had eagerly advocated various projects of reform, but he was frightened by the excesses of the French Revolution, and thereafter wrote and spoke in the interest of the old order. Many Englishmen sympathized with him and preferred to put up with present abuses rather than risk such radical reforms as France was attempting.

Here lies our good Edmund, whose genius was such We scarcely can praise it, or blame it too much; Who, born for the universe, narrow'd his mind, And to party gave up what was meant for mankind; Though fraught with all learning, yet straining his throat

To persuade Tommy Townshend to lend him a vote;

Who, too deep for his hearers, still went on refining, And thought of convincing, while they thought of dining;

Though equal to all things, for all things unfit;
Too nice for a statesman, too proud for a wit,
For a patriot too cool, for a drudge disobedient,
And too fond of the right to pursue the expedient.
In short 'twas his fate, unemploy'd, or in place, sir,
To eat mutton cold, and cut blocks with a razor.

THE BATTLE OF THE BALTIC

THOMAS CAMPBELL

THE execution of Louis XVI. and the ambitious projects of Napoleon led the English government to declare war against France. Britain had no foothold on the Continent, but her navy was the finest afloat. Her best policy was to blockade the French ports and starve out her great antagonist by preventing neutral nations from supplying France with the provisions of war. It was a policy greatly resented by commercial countries, and the states along the Baltic formed an alliance in self-defence. To break the power of this alliance, the British government sent a squadron under Parker and Nelson with instructions to destroy the Danish fleet. On the morning of April 2, 1801, the British men-of-war sailed into the harbor at Copenhagen and opened fire on the Danes. The return fire was unexpectedly strong, for every ablebodied man in the city had offered his services for the defence. Both fleets suffered severely and Parker gave the signal for retreat. But Nelson clapped a telescope to his blind eye and declared he could not see the Admiral's flag. He fought on until victory was assured and then sent ashore a flag of truce, proposing to prevent further bloodshed by an armistice. The Danes gladly consented and the Northern Maritime League came to an end.

Of Nelson and the North

Sing the glorious day's renown,
When to battle fierce came forth

All the might of Denmark's crown,

And her arms along the deep proudly shone;

By each gun the lighted brand

In a bold determined hand,

And the Prince of all the land

Led them on.

Like leviathans afloat

Lay their bulwarks on the brine;

While the sign of battle flew

On the lofty British line:

It was ten of April morn by the chime:

As they drifted on their path
There was silence deep as death;
And the boldest held his breath
For a time.

But the might of England flush'd
To anticipate the scene;

And her van the fleeter rush'd

O'er the deadly space between.

"Hearts of oak!" our captains cried, when each gun From its adamantine lips

Spread a death-shade round the ships,

Like the hurricane eclipse

Of the sun.

Again! again! again!

And the havoc did not slack,

Till a feeble cheer the Dane
To our cheering sent us back;

Their shots along the deep slowly boom:

Then ceased—and all is wail,

As they strike the shatter'd sail;

Or in conflagration pale

Light the gloom.

Out spoke the victor then

As he hail'd them o'er the wave, "Ye are brothers; ye are men! And we conquer but to save:

So peace instead of death let us bring:
But yield, proud foe, thy fleet

With the crews, at England's feet,
And make submission meet

Then Denmark bless'd our chief
That he gave her wounds repose;
And the sounds of joy and grief
From her people wildly rose,

As death withdrew his shades from the day:
While the sun look'd smiling bright

O'er a wide and woful sight,

Where the fires of funeral light

Died away.

Now joy, old England, raise!
For the tidings of thy might,
By the festal cities' blaze,

Whilst the wine cup shines in light;
And yet amidst that joy and uproar,
Let us think of them that sleep

Full many a fathom deep

By thy wild and stormy steep,
Elsinore!

Brave hearts! to Britain's pride
Once so faithful and so true,

On the deck of fame that died,

With the gallant good Riou:

Soft sigh the winds of Heaven o'er their grave!

While the billow mournful rolls

And the mermaid's song condoles
Singing glory to the souls

Of the brave!

NELSON

AN OLD MAN-O'-WAR'S-MAN'S YARN

GERALD MASSEY

NAPOLEON was bent on the invasion of England, but while Nelson's fleet guarded the coasts, the French army could not be carried across the Channel. The Emperor determined to rid himself of this obstacle, and he therefore ordered the combined French and Spanish fleets to give battle to the English. The great sea-fight took place off Trafalgar (1805). Napoleon's naval force was destroyed, and he was obliged thereafter to confine his ambitious projects to the Continent.

Our best beloved of all the brave
That ever for freedom fought;
And all his wonders of the wave
For fatherland were wrought!
He was the manner of man to show
How victories may be won;

So swift, you scarcely saw the blow;
You lookt - the deed was done.

You should have seen him as he trod
The deck, our joy, and pride!
You should have seen him, like a god
Of storm, his war-horse ride!