A Renegado Epistle 290The American Siberia 293
Epistle to Sylvius 295
[Pg ix]The Departure, 1785 298
A Newsman's Address 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
[Pg x]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 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
3
[Pg 1]
PART II (Continued)
THE FIRST POETIC PERIOD
1775--1781 [Pg 2]
[Pg 3] 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 Caesar died
Presaging Nature felt his doom, and sighed;[Pg 4]
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.[Pg 5] 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
4
For 'twas but right, that those we marked for slaves Should be reduced by 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![Pg 6] But where's my force--my choicest troops
