Poems in Two Volumes, Volume 1: XXI

XXI

  England! the time is come when thou shouldst wean
  Thy heart from its emasculating food;
  The truth should now be better understood;
  Old things have been unsettled; we have seen
  Fair seed-time, better harvest might have been
  But for thy trespasses; and, at this day,
  If for Greece, Egypt, India, Africa,
  Aught good were destined, Thou wouldst step between.
  England! all nations in this charge agree:
  But worse, more ignorant in love and hate,
  Far, far more abject is thine Enemy:
  Therefore the wise pray for thee, though the freight
  Of thy offences be a heavy weight:
  Oh grief! that Earth's best hopes rest all with Thee!

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