Poetry Explorer- Classic Contemporary Poetry, ENGLAND, by EBENEZER ELLIOTT


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Classic and Contemporary Poetry

ENGLAND, by                     Poet's Biography
First Line: Nurse of the pilgrim sires, who sought, beyond the atlantic foam
Last Line: So let thy children live!
Alternate Author Name(s): Corn-law Rhymer; Elliot, Ebenezer
Variant Title(s): Hymn
Subject(s): England; English


NURSE of the Pilgrim sires, who sought,
Beyond the Atlantic foam,
For fearless truth and honest thought,
A refuge and a home!
Who would not be of them or thee
A not unworthy son,
That hears, amid the chain'd or free,
The name of Washington?

Cradle of Shakspeare, Milton, Knox!
King-shaming Cromwell's throne!
Home of the Russells, Watts, and Lockes!
Earth's greatest are thine own:
And shall thy children forge base chains
For men that would be free?
No! by thy Elliots, Hampdens, Vanes,
Pyms, Sydneys, yet to be!

No! -- for the blood which kings have gorged
Hath made their victims wise,
While every lie that fraud hath forged
Veils wisdom from his eyes:
But time shall change the despot's mood:
And mind is mightiest then,
When turning evil into good,
And monsters into men.

If round the soul the chains are bound
That hold the world in thrall --
If tyrants laugh when men are found
In brutal fray to fall --
Lord! let not Britain arm her hands,
Her sister states to ban;
But bless through her all other lands,
Thy family of man.

For freedom if thy Hampden fought;
For peace if Falkland fell;
For peace and love if Bentham wrote,
And Burns sang wildly well --
Let knowledge, strongest of the strong,
Bid hate and discord cease;
Be this the burden of her song:
"Love, liberty, and peace!"

Then, Father, will the nations all,
As with the sound of seas,
In universal festival,
Sing words of joy, like these: --
Let each love all, and all be free,
Receiving as they give;
Lord! -- Jesus died for love and thee!
So let thy children live!





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