Classic Poem

CANTO I.

EXTRACT .

'T WAS thine alone, O youth of giant frame,
Isosceles! that rebel heart to tame!
In vain coy Mathesis thy presence flies:
Still turn her fond hallucinating eyes;
Thrills with Galvanic fires each tortuous nerve,
Throb her blue veins, and dies her cold reserve.
—Yet strives the fair, till in the Giant's breast
She sees the mutual passion-flame confess'd:
Where'er he moves, she sees his tall limbs trace
Internal Angles equal at the Base;
Again she doubts him: but produced at will ,
She sees the external Angles equal still .

 Say, bless'd Isosceles! what favouring power,
Or love, or chance, at night's auspicious hour,
While to the Asses' Bridge entranced you stray'd,
Led to the Asses' Bridge the enamour'd maid?
—The Asses' Bridge , for ages doom'd to hear
The deafening surge assault his wooden ear,
With joy repeats sweet sounds of mutual bliss,
The soft susurrant sigh, and gently murmuring kiss.

 So thy dark arches, London Bridge , bestride
Indignant Thames, and part his angry tide;
There oft—returning from those green retreats,
Where fair Vauxhallia decks her sylvan seats;—
Where each spruce nymph, from city compters free,
Sips the froth'd syllabub, or fragrant tea;
While with sliced ham, scraped beef, and burnt champaign,
Her prentice lover soothes his amorous pain;
—There oft, in well-trimm'd wherry, glide along
Smart beaux and giggling belles, a glittering throng;
Smells the tarr'd rope—with undulation fine
Flaps the loose sail—the silken awnings shine;
“Shoot we the bridge!”—the venturous boatmen cry—
“Shoot we the bridge!”—the exulting fare reply.
—Down the steep fall the headlong waters go,
Curls the white foam, the breakers roar below.
—The veering helm the dextrous steersman stops,
Shifts the thin oar, the fluttering canvas drops;
Then with closed eyes, clench'd hands, and quick-drawn breath,
Darts at the central arch, nor heeds the gulf beneath.
—Full 'gainst the pier the unsteady timbers knock,
The loose planks starting own the impetuous shock;
The shifted oar, dropp'd sail, and steadied helm,
With angry surge the closing waters whelm—
Laughs the glad Thames, and clasps each fair one's charms
That screams and scrambles in his oozy arms.
—Drench'd each smart garb, and clogg'd each struggling limb,
Far o'er the stream the Cockneys sink or swim;
While each badged boatman clinging to his oar,
Bounds o'er the buoyant wave, and climbs the applauding shore.

 So, towering Alp! from thy majestic ridge
Young Freedom gazed on Lodi's blood-stain'd bridge ;
—Saw, in thick throngs, conflicting armies rush,
Ranks close on ranks, and squadrons squadrons crush;
—Burst in bright radiance through the battle's storm,
Waved her broad hands, display'd her awful form;
Bade at her feet, regenerate nations bow,
And twined the wreath round Buonaparte's brow.
—Quick with new lights, fresh hopes, and alter'd zeal,
The slaves of Despots drop the blunted steel:
Exulting Victory own'd her favourite child,
And freed Liguria clapp'd her hands and smiled.

 Nor long the time ere Britan's shores shall greet
The warrior-sage, with gratulation sweet:
Eager to grasp the wreath of Naval Fame,
The Great R EPUBLIC plans the Floating Frame!
—O'er the huge plane gigantic Terror stalks,
And counts, with joy, the close-compacted balks:
Of young-eyed Massacres , the Cherub crew,
Round their grim Chief the mimic task pursue;
Turn the stiff screw, apply the strengthening clamp,
Drive the long bolt, or fix the stubborn cramp,
Lash the reluctant beam, the cable splice,
Join the firm dove-tail with adjustment nice,
Through yawning fissures urge the willing wedge,
Or give the smoothing adze a sharper edge.
—Or, group'd in fairy bands, with playful care,
The unconscious bullet to the furnace bear;—
Or gaily tittering, tip the match with fire,
Prime the big mortar, bid the shell aspire;
Applaud, with tiny hands, and laughing eyes,
And watch the bright destruction as it flies.

 Now the fierce forges gleam with angry glare—
The windmill waves his woven wings in air;
Swells the proud sail, the exulting streamers fly,
Their nimble fins unnumber'd paddles ply:
—Ye soft airs breathe, ye gentle billows waft,
And, fraught with Freedom, bear the expected Raft!
—Perch'd on her back, behold the Patriot train,
Muir, Ashley, Barlow, Tone, O'Connor, Paine;
While Tandy's hand directs the blood-empurpled rein.

 Ye Imps of Murder, guard her angel form,
Check the rude surge, and chase the hovering storm;
Shield from contusive rocks her timber limbs,
And guide the sweet Enthusiast as she swims!

—And now, with web-foot oars, she gains the land,
And foreign footsteps press the yielding sand:
—The Communes spread, the gay Departments smile,
Fair Freedom's Plant o'ershades the laughing isle:
—Fired with new hopes, the exulting peasant sees
The Gallic streamer woo the British breeze;
While, pleased to watch its undulating charms,
The smiling infant spreads his little arms.

 Ye Sylphs of D EATH , on demon pinions flit
Where the tall Guillotine is raised for Pitt:
To the poised plank tie fast the monster's back,
Close the nice slider, ope the expectant sack;
Then twitch, with fairy hands, the frolic pin—
Down falls the impatient axe with deafening din;
The liberated head rolls off below,
And simpering Freedom hails the happy blow!
Rend her strong towers and gorgeous fanes, &c.
  &c. &c. &c. &c.
While each light moment, as it passes by,
With feathery foot and pleasure-twinkling eye,
Feeds from its baby-hand, with many a kiss,
The callow nestlings of domestic bliss.