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POEMS OF PHILIP FRENEAU
Volume II
THE
POEMS OF PHILIP FRENEAU
POET OF THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION
EDITED FOR
The Princeton Historical Association
BY
FRED LEWIS PATTEE
OF THE PENNSYLVANIA STATE COLLEGE, AUTHOR OF "A HISTORY OF AMERICAN LITERATURE"
"THE FOUNDATIONS OF ENGLISH LITERATURE" ETC.
Volume II
Princeton, N. J.
The University Library
1903
Copyright 1902 by
The Princeton University Library
C. S. Robinson & Co. University Press
Princeton N. J.
CONTENTS
VOLUME II PAGE PART II Continued
The First Poetic Period. 1775-1781 George the Third's Soliloquy 3 Sir Harry's Invitation 7 Dialogue between his Britannic Majesty and Mr. Fox 9 The British Prison Ship 18 The Spy 39 PART III
Era of the Freeman's Journal. 1781-1790 On the Memorable Victory of Paul Jones 75 An Address 81 A New-York Tory 84 To Lord Cornwallis 86 A London Dialogue 87 Lord Cornwallis to Sir Henry Clinton 89 The Vanity of Existence 91 On the Fall of General Earl Cornwallis 92 To the Memory of the Brave Americans 101 Arnold's Departure 103 Plato to Theon 104 Prologue to a Theatrical Entertainment 108 Ruins of a Country Inn 110 The Royal Adventurer 112 Lord Dunmore's Petition 114 Epigram 116 A Speech by the King of Britain 117 Rivington's Last Will and Testament 120 Lines Occasioned by Mr. Rivington's New Titular Types
The First Poetic Period. 1775-1781 George the Third's Soliloquy 3 Sir Harry's Invitation 7 Dialogue between his Britannic Majesty and Mr. Fox 9 The British Prison Ship 18 The Spy 39 PART III
Era of the Freeman's Journal. 1781-1790 On the Memorable Victory of Paul Jones 75 An Address 81 A New-York Tory 84 To Lord Cornwallis 86 A London Dialogue 87 Lord Cornwallis to Sir Henry Clinton 89 The Vanity of Existence 91 On the Fall of General Earl Cornwallis 92 To the Memory of the Brave Americans 101 Arnold's Departure 103 Plato to Theon 104 Prologue to a Theatrical Entertainment 108 Ruins of a Country Inn 110 The Royal Adventurer 112 Lord Dunmore's Petition 114 Epigram 116 A Speech by the King of Britain 117 Rivington's Last Will and Testament 120 Lines Occasioned by Mr. Rivington's New Titular Types
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href="@public@vhost@g@gutenberg@html@files@38529@[email protected]#Page_124" class="pginternal" tag="{http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml}a">124 Lines on Mr. Rivington's New Engraved King's Arms 125 A Prophecy, Written 1782 126 The Argonaut or Lost Adventurer 128 The Political Balance 130 Dialogue at Hyde Park Corner 140 On the Late Royal Sloop of War General Monk 142 Truth Anticipated 143 Barney's Invitation 147 Song on Captain Barney's Victory 149 On Sir Henry Clinton's Recall 153 Sir Guy Carleton's Address 156 Scandanavian War Song 159 The Projectors 160 On General Robertson's Proclamation 162 A Picture of the Times 165 Prince William Henry's Soliloquy 167 Satan's Remonstrance 169 The Refugees' Petition to Sir Guy Carleton 172 Sir Guy's Answer 173 To a Concealed Royalist 174 To the Concealed Royalist, in Answer to a Second Attack 177 To the Concealed Royalist on his Farewell 179 To the Royalist Unveiled 181 To Shylock Ap-Shenkin 185 The Prophecy of King Tammany 187 Rivington's Reflections 190 New Year's Verses, January 1, 1783 197 New Year's Verses, January 8, 1783 198 Hugh Gaine's Life 201 Stanzas Occasioned by the Departure of the British from Charleston, December 14, 1782
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href="@public@vhost@g@gutenberg@html@files@38529@[email protected]#Page_214" class="pginternal" tag="{http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml}a">214 On the British King's Speech 217 A New-York Tory's Epistle 219 Manhattan City 223 Verses Occasioned by General Washington's Arrival in Philadelphia 225 Rivington's Confessions 229 A News-Man's Address 238 New Year's Verses, January 7, 1784 240 The Happy Prospect 242 The Dying Indian, Tomo-Chequi 243 Lines Intended for Mr. Peale's Exhibition 246 The Hurricane 250 To the Keeper of the King's Water Works 252 Lines Written at Port Royal 253 To Sir Toby, a Sugar Planter 258 Elegy on Mr. Robert Bell 260 On the First American Ship that Explored the Rout to India 261 The Newsmonger 263 Sketches of American History 269 The Progress of Balloons 276 On the Emigration to America 280 The Seasons Moralized 282 On the Death of Colonel Laurens 283 On the Vicissitudes of Things 284 Pewter-Platter Alley in Philadelphia 287 On the Death of General Joseph Reed 288 A Renegado Epistle 290 The American Siberia 293 Epistle to Sylvius 295 The Departure, 1785 298 A Newsman's Address
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href="@public@vhost@g@gutenberg@html@files@38529@[email protected]#Page_301" class="pginternal" tag="{http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml}a">301 Literary Importation 303 The Englishman's Complaint 305 The Wild Honey Suckle 306 On a Book Called Unitarian Theology 307 To Zoilus 309 On the Legislature of Great-Britain Prohibiting the Sale of Dr. Ramsay's History 312 The Death Song of a Cherokee Indian 313 Stanzas Written at the Foot of Monte Souffriere 314 On the Crew of a Certain Vessel 317 The Bermuda Islands 318 Florio to Amanda 319 Philander: or The Emigrant 321 The Fair Solitary 325 Amanda in a Consumption 326 Elegiac Lines 328 The Insolvent's Release 329 May to April 331 To an Author 332 To Misfortune 335 To Cracovius Putridus 336 Slender's Journey 338 The Hermit of Saba 359 The Indian Burying Ground 369 The Indian Student 371 The Man of Ninety 374 Alcina's Enchanted Island 376 Horace, Lib. I. Ode 15 377 A Subscription Prayer 379 Epistle to the Patriotic Farmer 380 Palemon to Lavinia 381 A Newsman's Address
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align="right">383 On the Prospect of a Revolution in France 385 To a Dog 387 To Lydia 387 To Cynthia 391 Amanda's Complaint 392 Hatteras 394 St. Catharine's 397 To Mr. Churchman 398 The Procession to Sylvania 399 The Pilgrim's Progress 401 Sangrado's Expedition to Sylvania 402 The Distrest Theatre 404 To Memmius 406
PART II (Continued)
THE FIRST POETIC PERIOD
1775—1781
THE
POEMS OF PHILIP FRENEAU
GEORGE THE THIRD'S SOLILOQUY[1]
What mean these dreams, and hideous forms that rise
Night after night, tormenting to my eyes—
No real foes these horrid shapes can be,
But thrice as much they vex and torture me.
How cursed is he—how doubly cursed am I—5
Who lives in pain, and yet who dares not die;
To him no joy this world of Nature brings,
In vain the wild rose blooms, the daisy springs.
Is this a prelude to some new disgrace,
Some baleful omen to my name and race!—10
It may be so—ere mighty Cæsar died
Presaging Nature felt his doom, and sighed;
A bellowing voice through midnight groves was heard,
And threatening ghosts at dusk of eve appeared—
Ere Brutus fell, to adverse fates a prey,15
His evil genius met him on the way,
And so may mine!—but who would yield so soon
A prize, some luckier hour may make my own?
Shame seize my crown ere such a deed be mine—
No—to the last my squadrons shall combine,20
And slay my foes, while foes remain to slay,
Or heaven shall grant me one successful day.
Is there a robber close in Newgate hemmed,
Is there a cut-throat, fettered and condemned?
Haste, loyal slaves, to George's standard come,25
Attend his lectures when you hear the drum;
Your chains I break—for better days prepare,
Come out, my friends, from prison and from care,
Far to the west I plan your desperate sway,
There 'tis no sin to ravage, burn, and slay,30
There, without fear, your bloody aims pursue,
And shew mankind what English thieves can do.
That day, when first I mounted to the throne,
I swore to let all foreign foes alone.
Through love of peace to terms did I advance,35
And made, they say, a shameful league with France.[2]
But different scenes rise horrid to my view,
I charged my hosts to plunder and subdue—
At first, indeed, I thought short wars to wage
And sent some jail-birds to be led by Gage,[3]40
For 'twas but right, that those we marked for slaves
Should be reduced by
Night after night, tormenting to my eyes—
No real foes these horrid shapes can be,
But thrice as much they vex and torture me.
How cursed is he—how doubly cursed am I—5
Who lives in pain, and yet who dares not die;
To him no joy this world of Nature brings,
In vain the wild rose blooms, the daisy springs.
Is this a prelude to some new disgrace,
Some baleful omen to my name and race!—10
It may be so—ere mighty Cæsar died
Presaging Nature felt his doom, and sighed;
A bellowing voice through midnight groves was heard,
And threatening ghosts at dusk of eve appeared—
Ere Brutus fell, to adverse fates a prey,15
His evil genius met him on the way,
And so may mine!—but who would yield so soon
A prize, some luckier hour may make my own?
Shame seize my crown ere such a deed be mine—
No—to the last my squadrons shall combine,20
And slay my foes, while foes remain to slay,
Or heaven shall grant me one successful day.
Is there a robber close in Newgate hemmed,
Is there a cut-throat, fettered and condemned?
Haste, loyal slaves, to George's standard come,25
Attend his lectures when you hear the drum;
Your chains I break—for better days prepare,
Come out, my friends, from prison and from care,
Far to the west I plan your desperate sway,
There 'tis no sin to ravage, burn, and slay,30
There, without fear, your bloody aims pursue,
And shew mankind what English thieves can do.
That day, when first I mounted to the throne,
I swore to let all foreign foes alone.
Through love of peace to terms did I advance,35
And made, they say, a shameful league with France.[2]
But different scenes rise horrid to my view,
I charged my hosts to plunder and subdue—
At first, indeed, I thought short wars to wage
And sent some jail-birds to be led by Gage,[3]40
For 'twas but right, that those we marked for slaves
Should be reduced by
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cowards, fools, and knaves;
Awhile directed by his feeble hand,
Whose troops were kicked and pelted through the land,
Or starved in Boston, cursed the unlucky hour45
They left their dungeons for that fatal shore.
France aids them now, a desperate game I play,
And hostile Spain will do the same, they say;
My armies vanquished, and my heroes fled,
My people murmuring, and my commerce dead,50
My shattered navy pelted, bruised, and clubbed,
By Dutchmen bullied, and by Frenchmen drubbed,
My name abhorred, my nation in disgrace,
How should I act in such a mournful case!
My hopes and joys are vanished with my coin,55
My ruined army, and my lost Burgoyne!
What shall I do—confess my labours vain,
Or whet my tusks, and to the charge again!
But where's my force—my choicest troops are fled,
Some thousands crippled, and a myriad dead—60
If I were owned the boldest of mankind,
And hell with all her flames inspired my mind,
Could I at once with Spain and France contend,
And fight the rebels on the world's green end?—
The pangs of parting I can ne'er endure,65
Yet part we must, and part to meet no more!
Oh, blast this Congress, blast each upstart State,
On whose commands ten thousand captains wait;
From various climes that dire Assembly came,
True to their trust, as hostile to my fame,70
'Tis these, ah these, have ruined half my sway,
Disgraced my arms, and led my slaves astray—
Cursed be the day when first I saw the sun,
Cursed be the hour when I these wars begun:
The fiends of darkness then possessed my mind,75
And powers unfriendly to the human kind.
To wasting grief, and sullen rage a prey,
To Scotland's utmost verge I'll take my way,
There with eternal storms due concert keep
And while the billows rage, as fiercely weep—80
Ye highland lads, my rugged fate bemoan,
Assist me with one sympathizing groan,[4]
For late I find the nations are my foes,
I must submit, and that with bloody nose,
Or, like our James, fly basely from the state,85
Or share, what still is worse—old Charles's fate.
Awhile directed by his feeble hand,
Whose troops were kicked and pelted through the land,
Or starved in Boston, cursed the unlucky hour45
They left their dungeons for that fatal shore.
France aids them now, a desperate game I play,
And hostile Spain will do the same, they say;
My armies vanquished, and my heroes fled,
My people murmuring, and my commerce dead,50
My shattered navy pelted, bruised, and clubbed,
By Dutchmen bullied, and by Frenchmen drubbed,
My name abhorred, my nation in disgrace,
How should I act in such a mournful case!
My hopes and joys are vanished with my coin,55
My ruined army, and my lost Burgoyne!
What shall I do—confess my labours vain,
Or whet my tusks, and to the charge again!
But where's my force—my choicest troops are fled,
Some thousands crippled, and a myriad dead—60
If I were owned the boldest of mankind,
And hell with all her flames inspired my mind,
Could I at once with Spain and France contend,
And fight the rebels on the world's green end?—
The pangs of parting I can ne'er endure,65
Yet part we must, and part to meet no more!
Oh, blast this Congress, blast each upstart State,
On whose commands ten thousand captains wait;
From various climes that dire Assembly came,
True to their trust, as hostile to my fame,70
'Tis these, ah these, have ruined half my sway,
Disgraced my arms, and led my slaves astray—
Cursed be the day when first I saw the sun,
Cursed be the hour when I these wars begun:
The fiends of darkness then possessed my mind,75
And powers unfriendly to the human kind.
To wasting grief, and sullen rage a prey,
To Scotland's utmost verge I'll take my way,
There with eternal storms due concert keep
And while the billows rage, as fiercely weep—80
Ye highland lads, my rugged fate bemoan,
Assist me with one sympathizing groan,[4]
For late I find the nations are my foes,
I must submit, and that with bloody nose,
Or, like our James, fly basely from the state,85
Or share, what still is worse—old Charles's fate.
[1] From the edition of 1809. The poem was first published in the May number of the United States Magazine, 1779, and much revised and enlarged for the edition of 1786, where it bore the title, "George III. His Soliloquy for 1779." This earliest version, which began with the startling line,
"O Damn this Congress, damn each upstart state,"
was made up as follows, the numbering referring to the above version:
Lines 68-72, 47-64, followed by
"Yet rogues and savage tribes I must employ,
And what I cannot conquer will destroy."
And what I cannot conquer will destroy."
Lines 23-32, followed by
"Ye daring hosts that croud Columbia's shore,
Tremble ye traitors, and exult no more;
Flames I shall hurl with an unceasing hand,
Till fires eternal blaze throughout your land,
And every dome and every town expires,
And traitors perish in the unfeeling fires;
But hold—though this be all my soul's desire,
Will my own towns be proof to rebel fire.
If in revenge my raging foes should come,
And burn my London—it would strike me dumb,
To see my children and my queen in tears,
And these tall piles come tumbling round my ears,
Would to its inmost caverns fright my mind,
And stun ourself, the boldest of mankind."
Tremble ye traitors, and exult no more;
Flames I shall hurl with an unceasing hand,
Till fires eternal blaze throughout your land,
And every dome and every town expires,
And traitors perish in the unfeeling fires;
But hold—though this be all my soul's desire,
Will my own towns be proof to rebel fire.
If in revenge my raging foes should come,
And burn my London—it would strike me dumb,
To see my children and my queen in tears,
And these tall piles come tumbling round my ears,
Would to its inmost caverns fright my mind,
And stun ourself, the boldest of mankind."
Lines 73-76, followed by
"My future years I consecrate to woe,
For this great loss my soul in tears shall flow."
For this great loss my soul in tears shall flow."
Ending with lines 77-82.
[2] Alluding to the peace of 1761 and the forced retirement of Pitt.
[3] "And sent a scoundrel by the name of Gage."—Ed. 1786.
[4]
"O let the earth my rugged fate bemoan,
And give at least one sympathizing groan."
—United States Magazine, 1779.
And give at least one sympathizing groan."
—United States Magazine, 1779.