Poetry: The Antiquity Of Freedom

fiere are are oíd treea, tall oaks and gnarlcd pine That streatn with gray-green moeses; here th ground Was hever trenchtid by spade, and flowers spring úp Unsown, and die ungathered It is sweet To linger here. arnong the flittering buds And leaping squirrels, wandering brook6, onc winds That shake the lcavcs-, and Ecatter as they paas A fragrance from the cedars thickly set Wiih palé blue berm s. In these peaceful shades- Peaceful, unpruned, immeasurably oíd - My thoughts go up the long dim path of years. Back to the earuest days ofliberty. Oh JFkkjsdom! Thoü art not, as poets dream. A fair young girl, with light and del cate l.nibs, And vavy trosses. gishing from ihe cap With whichthè Roman rnas'.er crownéd liisslave, W'htn he took off the gyves. A bu;irded man, Anv.ed to the the tceth. artthou; one niaücd hand Grasps the broad shield, and onc the sword; thy bro'w. Gloriousin beauty ihough it b'e, is scnrred With tokeüsof old wars; thy niasüive linibs Aresirüng with struggüug. Powor at thee hns launch'd His bolts, and with his lightnings smitïen thee: They could not qi'.ench the life thou hast from heaven. Mercilees power has dug tliy dunjrei.n deap. Ahd his swart armorers, by a ihousand tires. Háve forged thy chain; yet while he deOüis ihec bound,The links are shivcred, and the prison waïl.a Fall outward: Terribly thou springest fbrih, Aa 6j)rihg6 the flamó above a burning pile, And shoutest to the nations, who return Thy shoutings. while the pale oppressor fiies. Thy birthright was not given by human hands: Thou wert twin-born wiih man. In plcaeam iields, While yet oür mee waa few. thou sat'at with hirn. To tend the quiet flock and watch the star6, And teach the reed to utter simple aire. Thou by hie side amid the tanglecl wood. Did'st war upon the paniher and the wolf, Thine only foes; and thou with hirn duist draw The earliest furrowson the mountain side,Soft with the Deluge. Tyrunny him?elf, Thy eneniy, although of rc'veiend look, Hoary with many years, and far oboyed. Is later born than thoü; and as he meets The grave defiance of thine eider eye, Theusurper trembles in his faslnesses Thou shalt roar stronger with the lapse of years. But he shall fade into a feeble age: Feebier yet subtler: he shall weave his snares. And spring them on thy cnreless steps, and clap His withered hands, and from theïr ambush cali His hordes to fall upon thee. He shall send Quaint masquers, forms of fair and gallant mien. To catch thy gaze, and uttering graceful words To charm thy ear; while his ally imps, by stealth. Twme round thee threads of steel, light thread on thread, That grow to fetters; or bind down thy anus With chains concealed in chaplets. Oh! not yet May'st thou unbrace thy. corselet, or lay by Thy sword, nor yet, O Freedom! close thy lids In slumber; for thine enemy never sleeps, And thou must watch and combat, till the day Ol the new earth and heaven. Ba would'st thou rest Awhüe from tumult and froln treachery. The6eold and friendly solitudes invite Thy visit. They, while yet the forest trees Were young upon the mviolated earth. Aud yet the moss-st'iins on the rock were new. Beheld thy glorious childhood and rejoiccd.