The writings of John Greenleaf Whittier, Volume 3.
John Greenleaf Whittier, Ed.

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“ [319]
     Like tipplers answering Father Mathew's call;
The sullen Spaniard, and the mad-cap Gaul,
     The bull-dog Briton, yielding but with life,
The Yankee swaggering with his bowie-knife,
     The Russ, from banquets with the vulture shared,
The blood still dripping from his amber beard,
     Quitting their mad Berserker dance to hear
The dull, meek droning of a drab-coat seer;
     Leaving the sport of Presidents and Kings,
Where men for dice each titled gambler flings,
     To meet alternate on the Seine and Thames,
For tea and gossip, like old country dames!
     No! let the cravens plead the weakling's cant,
Let Cobden cipher, and let Vincent rant,
     Let Sturge preach peace to democratic throngs,
And Burritt, stammering through his hundred tongues,
     Repeat, in all, his ghostly lessons o'er,
Timed to the pauses of the battery's roar;
     Check Ban or Kaiser with the barricade
Of “Olive-leaves” and Resolutions made,
     Spike guns with pointed Scripture-texts, and hope
To capsize navies with a windy trope;
     Still shall the glory and the pomp of War
Along their train the shouting millions draw;
     Still dusty Labor to the passing Brave
His cap shall doff, and Beauty's kerchief wave;
     Still shall the bard to Valor tune his song,
Still Hero-worship kneel before the Strong;
     Rosy and sleek, the sable-gowned divine,
O'er his third bottle of suggestive wine,
     To plumed and sworded auditors, shall prove
Their trade accordant with the Law of Love;
”