And filence watch, on woodland heights around, In Lybian groves, where damned rites are done, 335 Where barb'rous hordes on Scythian mountains roam, Truth, Mercy, Freedom, yet fhall find a home; 340 Where'er degraded Nature bleeds and pines, From Guinea's coaft to Sibir's dreary mines, Truth fhall pervade th' unfathom'd darkness there, 345 Fierce in his eye the fire of valour burns, And, as the flave departs, the man returns! Oh! facred Truth! thy triumph ceas'd a while, And Hope, thy fifter, ceas'd with thee to smile, 350 When leagu'd Oppreffion pour'd to Northern wars Her whisker'd pandoors and her fierce huffars, Wav'd her dread ftandard to the breeze of morn, Peal'd her loud drum, and twang'd her trumpet horn; Tumultuous horror brooded o'er her van, Prefaging wrath to Poland-and to man! 9 Warfaw's laft champion, from her height furvey'd, Is there no hand on high to shield the brave?— 355 360 Yet, though deftruction fweep thefe lovely plains, By that dread name, we wave the sword on high, And fwear for her to live!—with her to die! He said, and on the rampart-heights array'd His trusty warriors, few, but undismay'd ; In vain, alas! in vain, ye gallant few! From rank to rank your volley'd thunder flew : 365 370 Oh! bloodiest picture in the book of Time, Sarmatia fell, unwept, without a crime; 375 Found not a generous friend, a pitying foe, Strength in her arms, nor mercy in her woe! Dropp'd from her nerveless grasp the shatter'd spear, Clos'd her bright eye, and curb'd her high career ;- 380 Hope, for a feafon, bade the world farewell, And Freedom fhriek'd-as KOSCIUSKO fell! The fun went down, nor ceas'd the carnage there, Tumultuous murder shook the midnight air On Prague's proud arch the fires of ruin glow, 385 Hark! as the fmouldering piles with thunder fall, Earth fhook-red meteors flash'd along the sky, And confcious Nature shudder'd at the cry! 399 Oh! Righteous Heav'n! ere Freedom found a grave, Why flept the fword, omnipotent to fave? Where was thine arm, O Vengeance! where thy rod, 395 That fmote the foes of Zion and of God, That crush'd proud Ammon, when his iron car Was yok'd in wrath, and thunder'd from afar? Where was the ftorm that flumber'd till the hoft Of blood-ftain'd Pharaoh left their trembling coaft, 400 Then bade the deep in wild commotion flow, And heav'd an ocean on their march below? |