The dastard hound who e'er would run,
When Freedom's battle was begun,
Far better that he early fell,
Than live to ring his country's knell !
And fasten chains on those unborn,
With honour from that country torn,
Who, for a selfish coward's fears,
Would rob his children's future years,
Yea! millions of a noble race,
And leave eternal foul disgrace!
The homes of Freedom on the globe,
Dare not be bartered like a robe;
Whoever gets his country free,
Should die to keep her liberty,
Supported by that Freedom's God,
Who ever tells the world abroad
That Liberty shall rule at last,
When Tyranny is gone and past,
And peaceful Trade alone shall gain,
The lasting empire of the main ;
Whichever hath most faith in this,
That nation comes the nearest bliss,
And strongest too, if all were known,
For martial empire soon is blown.
If there's a sin which God shall strike,
'Tis tyrants, and their tools alike;
For they would barter Freedom's crown,
And even tear the sunbeams down.
heavy yoke of oxen, attacked and drove them back. The story goes, that this peasant founded the fortunes of the noble family of Hay, by obtaining for his services as much land as a hawk would fly over before alighting; local names preserve the tradition, for a suburb of Dundee is still called the Hawkhill, and Luncarty, where the battle was fought, is a station on the railway from Perth, to the north. The yoke of oxen also bears a prominent part in Scripture, for "the son of Anath slew of the Philistines six hundred men with an or goad, and he also delivered Israel."-Judges iii. Saul also saved his country through a yoke of oxen, for "Behold, Saul came after the herd out of the field; and said, What aileth the people that they weep? And they told him of the men of Jabesh. And the Spirit of God came upon Saul when he heard the tidings, and his anger was kindled greatly, and he took a yoke of oxen and hewed them in pieces, and sent them throughout all the coasts of Israel by the hands of messengers, saying, Whosoever cometh not forth (as volunteers) after Saul and after Samuel, so shall it be done unto his oxen, And the fear of the Lord fell on the people, and they came out with one consent."-1 Sam. xi. 5-7.
But ah! my dear, my native land,
Thy rugged hills, and sheathless brand,
Alike proclaim that Heavenly fire,
Which strikes Apollo's freeborn lyre;
Propped up by fame of thousand years,
Thy sons disclaim all dastard fears,
And calmly tell the world around,
That where they stand is Freedom's ground,
And not their own, but only given
In sacred trust, the gift of Heaven,
Protected by His billowy arm,
And rocky teeth-as shields from harm,
But, if the time should ever be
That courage fails to keep her free,
His gift would sink beneath the sea.
For, why should breakers round her roll?
A gift of Heaven without His soul!
What to a nation can atone
For Freedom's spirit lost and gone ?
If Scotland's hills were reft of these,
Far better sunk beneath the seas.
The Hand that tempered Gideon's sword,
And Soul that levelled Jordan's ford,
Are strong, and willing now, as then,
That Freedom shall her rights maintain.
Can beacons be by ice consumed?
Or Darkness reign, when Day's illumed?
No! and till Britain leaves the van,
Or fails to see God's sacred plan-
Defending Right,-His holy Cause,
And teaching Freedom's simple laws,
Than Wrong should reign, or break His shield,
Or Tyranny make Scotia yield!
The Deity would firebrands raise,
As Samson sent his foes ablaze,
Or Gideon,-Baal sunk in Night
By emblem of Eternal Light.
If God's true principles be there,
The Right must conquer1 everywhere!
1 This may seem wrong if we take such examples as Poland, but even she must either have been divided herself, or not imbued with the true spirit of
Success, from her, is certain born,
She never knew her Hope forlorn,
Although her field's a highland pass,
Or weapon torn from dying ass!
This feeling steels her soldiers' heart,
Who nobly bear their destined part.
Through smoke, and fire, and bloody wave,
They wade to fill a warrior's grave:
And shall her voluntary fire,
For want of courage e'er expire?
If deadly War, to test them rose,
And brought them forth to mortal blows?
No! this despotic nations know,
Although they sneer upon the flow
Of such a little mighty host,
That swarm, like bees, around her coast,
And doubtless give ironic smile,
As if we had grown mad the while;
But let them smile, for from that hour
Still higher flies our moral pow'r,
And Wisdom hints it has, perchance,
Checkmated jealous, fickle France :
The fairest girl that braids her hair,
Would pull a trigger in despair,
And would the quiet burgher less,
Than mate the British Pythoness?
Since envious Cain 'gainst Abel rose,
And brother fell by brother's blows,
A struggle in the world has been,
'Twixt Tyranny and Freedom's Queen,
Yet though her flag was often torn,
And even fell, 'twas ne'er forlorn,
Though often in the battle tost,
And sometimes riv'n, 'twas never lost,
Although one standard-bearer falls,
A higher pow'r with thunder calls—
progressive freedom. Or her embers are not yet, nor ever will be, completely burnt out, and may revive again when some great struggle for principle betwixt Right and Wrong takes place in the world, in some future day, for Truth and Right, God's sacred weapons, must conquer in the end anywhere and everywhere.
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