Richard Snowden

“ It is expedient that we fend another captain in the room of Ho- ratio, that he may go forth before the men of war; fo will the fpirits of the people revive, and peradventure they will fland before their enemies. Speak therefore, all that is in thine heart, and fay if thou knowefl any man in tile hod of the people, that will anfwer the cxpe£lations and deHre of the princes of the Provinces.
6. Then anfwered George the chief captain, and faid : there is a man in the army of Co- lumbia, in whom is the fpirit of v/ifdom and underftanding, his name is Nathaniel ”

“ Then the Inhabitants of the land, even the Canadians, furthermore anfwered, and faid, It feemeth not good unto us to harken unto 5^ou in this matter; for our wives and our children are too tender to bear the jour- ney : and moreover, is this not the land of our nativity, and do we not dwell amongfl: our own people? ”

“ What a humiliating contrafl is here! thy fons are now taken captive by a people unufed to war; whofe occupation is hufband- ry, and whofe greatefl fkill is in the ufe of the plow, the hoe, and the mattock.
20. Is not the wickednefs that aboundeth in thy borders, the caufe of thy misfortunes? for vice and luxury weaken the people, and the rulers caufeth them to err. ”

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fcourge the human race, on whom the cre- ator hath fet a mark, Hke he did on Cain^ that all men may fhun him as the dellroyer.
8. The glory of Britain pafleth away like a fliadow; her degenerate fons confume her fame; Ihe is verily, like unto a harlot, whofe virtue has vaniihed, and whofe beauty is withered'
9. O Albion, thou wail once the defire of all nations! thou fat as a queen in the mid ft of Europe! the mildnefs of thy laws were the admiration and envy of thy neighbours, and thy fons were honored in foreign lands. ”

“ Now the hold- was defended by valiant men, and no man could approach nigh there- to, but with great jeopardy : Howbeit Wayne put his life in his hand, and the men who ivere with him, were men of valour. ”

“ Now Cornwallis was enfnared, inafmuch as his enemies furrounded him on every fide, and he was filled with indignation, becaufe of thefe things; yea, he was like the fierce lion, when he is purfued by the hunter : he fliakes his mane in anger, his active powers are ilimulated by fierce wrath! he foams at
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the mouth, and fuddenly fprings upon the daring foe!
6. Such was the wrath of CornwaUis the chief captain; accuftomed ro victory, hefcorn- ed to be hemmed within the narrow enclofures of the town, but often broke forth upon the men of war, like a mighty torrent! ”

“ Jf the king of Britain fhould prove too flrongfor the peo- ple of the Provinces, then we will be fubjed to the king; but if the people of the Provin- ces fnould prove too flrong for the king of Britain, then we will ferve the great Sanhe- drim, and be as the refl of iho. ”

“ But they fpake and faid unto them, Ir IS not for man to know the hidden things of futurity, nor for the fons of men to tell what will come to pafs! if it had been fo, then this thing would not have happened unto us,
9. But is it not known unto you, that Guy is purfuing after us with a mighty hoft from the ifland of Britain, and that we are in jeo- pardy every hour? neverthelefs, if you will cad in your lots with us, and go with us to our own borders, then ye Ihall eat the good of the land, and verily ye fhall be free. ”

“ Fierce was the fight, and terrible the foe, Six hundred Briions fought the /liades below; And twice, that number of Columbia's hoft; Fell! — bravely fell — before the day was loll.— Then ihou fweet Liberty — dear lovely maid! Uifpell'd each fear, and thus divinely faid :
O tried in arms! by ftern afTli
Eion prov'd, Thus heaven in mercy, proves the wife and good! But know the day, the glorious day draws near, Thefe haughty Britons in their turn fhall fear; Shall leave your coaft, and feek their native fhore, Then arts and peace your lolTes Ihall reflore. ”

“ Infpire each patriot with thy facred fire, Inform their minds, and grant our juft defire. Teach L'rltain's king the law of right and VyTong : Oh, f^ve Columbia! and her race proU.ng; Nurtibers in vain oppofe thy dread decree. If thou srt for us, we will yet be free.
Thus pray'd the men, inur'd to every florm; Whom death oft threaten M, in each frightful lorm. ' They now retreat before fuperior might : Wifdom commands to fiian th' unequal fight. ”

“ For envy biteth like the rattlefnakc that lieth concealed in the foreil, and their poifon is alike fatal; the one deftroyeth the body, and the other the noble virtues, that dignify and adorn the fons of men,
23. Such are the fruits of envy! it feedeth on the wormwood and the gall, and nothing is pleafant to the tafte; fhun therefore the leafl appearance thereof, left it deprive thee of the pleafant flowers that yet remain in the garden of life, to cheer the heart of man in his paf- fage through a thprny wildernefs, replete
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with numberlefs dangers and confuming woe. ”

“ The foe at hand, difputes the dreadful pafs, Unfeen they war, from trees and tangled grafs. Behind thick fhades impervious to the eye. They lift the tube and leaden deaths let fiy. Fierce to the charge the BritiHi troops advance, Diflodge the tawny foe and fons oi France. To thefe dark forefts form a fafe retreat, From thence they war, and Albion's fons df feat. ”

“ And as the hod with martial front drew nigh, Great Raivdon mark'd him with a piercing eye; And feiz'd the moment when th' unwary foe Was lead prepar'd for any fudden blow : Then rais'd his voice and thus his thoughts brol^e forth: Ye generous Britons! men of mighty worth! Thinlc on your fathers fame, and deeds of old; Like them be valiant, and like them be bold : Grafp well your arms, and play the men this day, For the man dies that dares to runaway!— Rufh on the foe, and with delerminM force Drive oppofiiion from its headlong courfe.
Then on Columbia's hofl they furious ran. ”

“ Let the children of poverty comfort themfelves, inafmuch as they are removed far from the fnares of the diffipated fons of vo- luptuoufnefs, whofe tents are furrounded by the harbingers of the king of terrors! ”

“ But v/hen the evil day came to try the foundations of men, lo! their hearts failed them! and like the grafs upon the houfe top, they foon withered away!
14. Nevcrthelefs there were fome who maintained their integrity, and were as the firong oaks in the forefts of Columbia, that feareth not the windy florm and tempeft.
15. They followed after the chief captain: the words of his mouth were as a law in their hearts; and the hour of adverflty endeared them to each other. ”

“ That they fent aband of men, to flrength- en the hoft that was with Denedid; and fent large money to the foldiers: and the number of the men that were fent, was three thou- sand : and they were all valiant men-
3. Now it happened, about that time, that
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a certain woman, who had a loathfome dif- eafe,* and whofe uncleannefs was vifible, inafmuch as her ikin was fpotted by the mere force thereof. ”