542 POETRY. 



The Nations bow'd before him; some In war 

 Subdued, some yielding to superior art ; 

 Submiss, thev follow'd his victorious car. 

 Their Kings, like Satraps, waited round his throne ; 

 For Britain's ruin and their own, 

 By force or fraud in monstrous league combined. 

 Alone in that disastrous hour 

 Britain stood firm and braved his power; 

 Alone she fought the battles of mankind. 



IV. 



O Virtue, which, above all former fame, 

 Exalts her venerable name! 

 O joy of joys for every British breast! 

 That with tliat mighty peril full in view, 

 The Queen of Ocean to herself was true ! 

 That no weak heart, no abject mind possess'd 

 Her councils, to abase her lofty crest, . . 

 Then had she sunk in everlasting shame, . 

 But ready still to succour the oppress'd, 

 Her Red-Cross floated on the waves unfurl'd, 

 Offering redemption to the groaning world. 



V. 

 First from his trance the heroic Spaniard woke; 



His chains he broke, 



And casting off his neck the treacherous yoke, 



He call'd on England, on his generous foe ; 



For well he knew that whercsoe'er 



Wise policy prevailed, or brave despair, 



Thither would Britain's succours flow, 



Her arm be present there. 

 Then, too, regenerate Portugal display '<l 

 Her ancient virtue, dormant all-too-long, 

 Rising against intolerable wrong. 

 On England, on her old ally, for aid 

 The faithful nation call'd in lier distress : 

 And well that old ally the call obey'd. 

 Well was her faithful friendship then repaid. 



VI. 



Say from thy trophied field how well 

 Vimeiro ! rocky Douro, tell ! 

 And thou, Busaco, on whose sacred height 

 The astonish'd Carmelite, 

 While those unwonted thunders shook his cell, 

 Join'd with his prayers the fervour of the fight ! 



