Written during captivity at Tripoli.

WHEN the sweet smiling moon rolls her orb through

the sky,

And the white clouds are flying afar,
I rove

Through the grove,

While no danger is nigh,

And with pensiveness utter a heart-broken sigh,
As I think on the horrors of war.

O'er the earth hostile armies, in battle around,
Spread destruction and carnage afar,
While blood,

Like a flood,

Flows with crimson the ground,

And the groans of the dying unnumber'd around-
O! the horrors of merciless war!

Heaven hasten the time when the battle shall cease,
And dread terror be banish'd afar;

When love,

Like a dove,

With the emblems of peace,

Shall return to the ark, and all wretchedness cease,
Which embitters the horrors of war.

Then the vulture despair shall from misery fly,
And no ill-omen'd, grief-bearing star,

Shall keep
Gentle sleep

From the fatherless eye,

Nor disturb the repose of the brave with a sigh,
For the wide-wasting horrors of war.

24

WASHINGTON'S BIRTH-DAY.

No peerage we covet, no sceptres desire,
Nor gewgaws that garnish a throne;
For Liberty loves on her own native lyre
To celebrate sons of her own.

And always with rapture his virtue she sings,
And exults on the morn of his birth,
Who shakes every throne of despotical kings,
And gives a new lesson to earth.

O, widely diffuse it, ye winds, as ye blow;
O, waft it, ye waves, that they fan;

For the choicest of gifts that the God can bestow
Is the blessing of Freedom to man.

Oh! WASHINGTON, hail! whom the breath of pure
Fame

With praises more sweet shall perfume,
Than ever embalm'd or exalted a name
In Macedon, Athens, or Rome.

For Freedom, say, what did that foe of the Greek,
Alexander, that hero admired ?

Let the foes or the friends whom he massacred, speak,
Or the beautiful city he fired.

Ye unfetter'd freemen, examine each deed

That made him renown'd or adored;
Then mention what race by his valour was freed,
Or bless'd by his sceptre or sword?

Did conquering Cesar Rome's senate obey?
Did his legions disperse at a word?

Did he halt or retire from a summit of sway,
That saving his country conferr'd?

Then, WASHINGTON, hail, &c.

Did Athens, did Sparta one hero produce,
To extinguish their feuds by his mind?
prove
to the free the pre-eminent use
Of union to them, and mankind?

Or

Ah, no! if the wise but one patriot adept,
One leader like ours had enjoy'd,
No lover of Science or Freedom had wept,
For Science and Freedom destroy'd.
Then, WASHINGTON, hail! &c.

25

THE FEDERAL CONSTITUTION.

Tune-" The Dauphin."

CROWN'D with auspicious light,
Columbia's eagle, rise!

Thine emblems bless our sight,
Thine honours greet our eyes.

Nations admire thy rising dawn,
And shall salute thy day;
While generations yet unborn
Receive the genial ray.

An empire's born!—let cannons roar;

Bid echo rend the sky;

Let every heart adore

High Heaven, our great ally.

Illustrious era, hail

Thy stars in union grow,

Opposing mists dispel,

And with fresh splendour glow.
Thy glories burst upon the gloom,
Where darkness dragg'd her chain;
The sons of cruelty and death
Shall own thy gentle reign.
An empire's born, &c.

Let joy our hearts engage,
Let foul contention cease;
Exchange for jealous rage

The enrapturing smile of peace.

No human genius e'er devised
A federal plan more pure;
Wisdom, and strength, and freedom guard
Columbia's rights secure.

An empire's born, &c.

Now, Fame, exert your powers,
Your silver trumpet raise :
Still Washington is ours;

Through earth proclaim his praise.

He once, in crimson fields of blood,
Forbade us to be slaves;

And now, with an illustrious hand,
Again his country saves.

An empire's born, &c.

Discord aghast shall frown;
Science her temple rear;

Labour insure her crown,

And useful arts appear.

Then bend your spears to pruning-hooks,

Break up the generous soil,

While fruits of plenty round the land,

Reward the reaper's toil.

An empire's born, &c.

Commerce, your sails display,
While agriculture sings:
Where late the bramble lay,
The rose of beauty springs.
Union shall glad revolving years,
No partial view remain;
Justice aloft advance her scale,
And public virtue reign.

An empire's born, &c.

26

THE RAISING.

COME, muster, my lads, your mechanical tools, Your saws and your axes, your hammers and rules; Bring your mallets and planes, your level and line, And plenty of pins of American pine.

For our roof we will raise, and our song still shall be,
A government firm, and our citizens free.

Come, up with the plates, lay them firm on the wall,
Like the people at large, they're the groundwork of all;
Examine them well, and see that they're sound;
Let no rotten parts in our building be found;
For our roof we will raise, &c.

Now hand up the girders, lay each in his place,
Between them the joists must divide all the space;
Like assembly-men, these should lie level along,
Like girders, our senate prove loyal and strong:
For our roof we will raise, &c.