The Poems of Philip Freneau Volume III Part 7

Thus half unwilling, half resign'd, Desponding, why, the generous mind?-- Think right,--nor be the hour delayed That flies the sun, to seek the shade.

Though injured, exiled, or alone, n.o.bly presume the world your own, Convinced that, since the world began, Time, only, makes The Banish'd Man.

[40] Published in the _Daily Advertiser_, September 1, 1790, with the introduction: "A little before Lord Bolingbroke was banished into France, he wrote an essay upon Exile.--Some of his thoughts on that occasion are expressed in the following Stanzas." Text from the 1809 edition.

THE DEPARTURE[41]

Occasioned by the Removal of Congress from New-York to Philadelphia.--[1790.]

From Hudson's banks, in proud array, (Too mean to claim a longer stay) Their new ideas to improve, Behold the generous Congress move!

Such thankless conduct much we feared, When Timon's coach stood ready geered, And He--the foremost on the floor, Stood pointing to the Delaware sh.o.r.e.

So long confined to little things, They sigh to be where Bavius sings, Where Sporus builds his splendid pile, And Bufo's tawdry Seasons smile.

New chaplains, now, shall ope their jaws, New salaries grease unworthy paws: Some reverend man, that turtle carves, Will fatten, while the solder starves.

The Yorker asks--but asks in vain-- "What demon bids them 'move again?

"Whoever 'moves must suffer loss, "And rolling stones collect no moss.

"Have we not paid for chaplains' prayers, "That heaven might smile on state affairs?-- "Put some things up, pulled others down, "And raised our streets through half the town?

"Have we not, to our utmost, strove "That Congress might not hence remove-- "At dull debates no silence broke, "And walked on tip-toe while they spoke?

"Have we not toiled through cold and heat, "To make the Federal Pile complete-- "Thrown down our Fort, to give them air, "And sent our guns, the devil knows where?

"Times change! but Memory still recalls "The Day, when ruffians scaled their walls-- "Sovereigns besieged by angry men, "Mere prisoners in the town of Penn?

"Can they forget when, half afraid, "The timorous Council[A] lent no aid; "But left them to the rogues that rob, "The tender mercies of the mob?

[A] See the history of those times.--_Freneau's note._

"Oh! if they can, their lot is cast; "One hundred miles will soon be pa.s.sed-- "This Day the Federal Dome is cleared, "To Paulus'-Hook the barge is steered, "Where Timon's coach stands ready geered!"

[1790.]

[41] In the edition of 1795 this bore the t.i.tle "On the Departure of the Grand Sanhedrim." Text from the 1809 edition.

THE AMERICAN SOLDIER[42]

[A Picture from the Life]

"_To serve with love, And shed your blood, Approved may be above, And here below (Examples shew) 'Tis dangerous to be good._"

--LORD OXFORD.

Deep in a vale, a stranger now to arms, Too poor to s.h.i.+ne in courts, too proud to beg, He, who once warred on Saratoga's plains, Sits musing o'er his scars, and wooden leg.

Remembering still the toil of former days, To other hands he sees his earnings paid;-- They share the due reward--he feeds on praise, Lost in the abyss of want, misfortune's shade.

Far, far from domes where splendid tapers glare, 'Tis his from dear bought peace no wealth to win, Removed alike from courtly cringing 'squires, The great-man's Levee, and the proud man's grin.

Sold are those arms which once on Britons blazed, When, flushed with conquest, to the charge they came; That power repelled, and Freedom's fabrick raised, She leaves her soldier--famine and a name! [1790]

[42] The first trace I can find of this poem is in the edition of 1795.

Text from the 1809 edition.

OCCASIONED[43]

By a Legislation Bill proposing a Taxation upon Newspapers

"'Tis time to tax the News, (Sangrado cries) "Subjects were never good that were too wise: "In every hamlet, every trifling town, "Some sly, designing fellow sits him down, "On s.p.a.cious folio prints his weekly mess, "And spreads around the poison of his Press.

"Hence, to the World the streams of scandal flow, "Disclosing secrets, that it should not know, "Hence courtiers strut with libels on their backs;-- "And shall not news be humbled by a tax!

"Once ('tis most true) such papers did some good, "When British chiefs arrived in angry mood: "By them enkindled, every heart grew warm, "By them excited, all were taught to arm, "When some, retiring to Britannia's clime, "Sat brooding o'er the vast events of time; "Doubtful which side to take, or what to say, "Or who would win, or who would lose the day.

"Those times are past; (and past experience shews) "The well-born sort alone, should read the news, "No common herds should get behind the scene "To view the movements of the state machine: "One paper only, filled with courtly stuff, "One paper, for one country is enough, "Where incense offered at Pomposo's shrine "Shall prove his house-dog and himself divine."

[43] Published in the _Daily Advertiser_ early in 1791. Text from the 1809 edition.

LINES[44]

Occasioned by a Law pa.s.sed by the Corporation of New-York, early in 1790, for cutting down the trees in the streets of that City, previous to June 10, following

THE CITIZEN'S SOLILOQUY

A man that owned some trees in town, (And much averse to cut them down) Finding the Law was full and plain, No trees should in the streets remain, One evening seated at his door, Thus gravely talked the matter o'er:

"The fatal Day, dear trees, draws nigh, When you must, like your betters, die, Must die!--and every leaf will fade That many a season lent its shade, To drive from hence the summer's heat, And make my porch a favourite seat.