No soldier sound his honour'd name; Keen and bleak the chill blasts blow; Glows the adder, swells the toad, For sad is Hela's cold abode. Spread then the Gothic banners to the sky, Lift your sable banners high; Yoke your coursers to the car, Strike the sounding shield of war; Be like the raging torrent's force, That, rushing from the hills, speds on its foaming course. Haste, my sons, to war's alarms, Triumph in the clang of arms; Joy amid the warlike toil, Feed the raven with your spoil; Go, prepare the eagle's food, Go, and drench the wolf with blood, 'Till ye shall hear dark Hela's call, And virgins waft ye to my hall; There, wrapt in clouds, the shadowy throng To airy combat glide along; "Til wearied with the friendly fight, The festive song shall echo round, The first of warriors now, and then their god; every Let vengeance glow in The Druid throng shall fall away, And sink beneath your No more shall nations bow the knee, No more upon the sacred stone, Tentates, shall thy victims groan; The vanquish'd Odin, Rome, shall cause thy fall, And his destruction shake thy proud imperial wall. Yet, my faithful friends, beware Luxury's enerving snare; 'Twas this that shook our Asgard's dome That drove us from our native home; 'Twas this that smooth'd the way for victor Rome: Gaul's fruitful plains invite your sway, Conquest points the destin'd way; Conquest shall attend your call, And your success shall gild still more Valhalla's hall. So spake the dauntless chief, and pierc'd his breast, Then rush'd to seize the seat of endless rest. THE DEATH OF MOSES. ISRAEL, hour is come! my Borne on the wings of time, Death marks his destined prey, Now, in the fulness of my age, Ere faint my shrunken limbs wax weak, Of years and honours full, I seek the tomb. Offspring of Abram, Moses' guardian voice, When wandering o'er the desert wilds of Zin Along the busy tents? Have ye forgot the hour When, bold in secrecy, Sedition's impious feet Stole on from tent to tent? Then Israel sinn'd against the God of Hosts: On me his vengeance fell. 'Twas there where Miriam died, Where o'er a sister's corse I rear'd in grief the monumental stone. 'Twas then the prophet's ardour lostI felt the brother's grief: For memory's painful gratitude recall'd I call'd to mind her care, How sweetly soft she touch'd the lute How graceful moved amid the dance, Stole on from tent to tent, Aloud the fury lifts her daring voice. Why, Moses, did thy treach'rous art For here no seeds enrich the earth, Its murmuring course along. 'Twas thus, blaspheming Heaven, ye spake :- For Israel sinn'd against the God of Hosts: From Nebo's mountain top Far as the distant ocean's shore, Where, bower'd in palm-trees, rise her lofty towers. Blest are Abram's favour'd race, Heaven led the people forth. E'en as the eagle's parent care And flutters fondly o'er her young, Offspring of Israel! have your thankless hearts Have ye forgot the fires That led your nightly march? For Israel's chosen race? Oh! write his mercies on your hearts, Sons of my care! to you, from highest heaven, By me JEHOVAH gave the words of life: And fly the snares which superstition spreads. Astarte's orgies lewd, And Thammuz' annual dirge, Is Sittim's field forgot? Forgot the fatal hour when thousands fell; Hurl'd down the shafts of death? For then in Chemos' wanton rites Forgot avenging Heaven- |