LIBERTY and PEACE. Phillis Wheatley Alexander Huber Editor Bodleian Libraries, University of Oxford
Broad Street Oxford OX1 3BG UK
Eighteenth-Century Poetry Archive
Taylor Institution Library St Giles' Oxford OX1 3NA UK info@eighteenthcenturypoetry.org https://www.eighteenthcenturypoetry.org/
Oxford This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License. N14772 Wheatley, Phillis, 1753-1784. Liberty and peace, a poem. / By Phillis Peters. Boston Printed by Warden and Russell, at their office in Marlborough-Street 1784 M,DCC,LXXXIV. pp. 2-4. 4 p. ; 22 cm. (4to)

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LIBERTY and PEACE . LO ! Freedom comes . Th' prescient Muse foretold , All Eyes th' accomplish'd Prophecy behold : Her Port describ'd , " She moves divinely fair , " Olive and Laurel bind her golden Hair . " She , the bright Progeny of Heaven , descends , And every Grace her sovereign Step attends ; For now kind Heaven , indulgent to our Prayer , In smiling Peace resolves the Din of War. Fix'd in Columbia her illustrious Line , And bids in thee her future Councils shine . To every Realm her Portals open'd wide , Receives from each the full commercial Tide . Each Art and Science now with rising Charms , Th' expanding Heart with Emulation warms . E'en great Britannia sees with dread Surprize , And from the dazzl'ing Splendors turns her Eyes ! Britain , whose Navies swept th' Atlantic o'er , And Thunder sent to every distant Shore : E'en thou , in Manners cruel as thou art , The Sword resign'd , resume the friendly Part ! For Galia's Power espous'd Columbia's Cause , And new-born Rome shall give Britannia Law , Nor unremember'd in the grateful Strain , Shall princely Louis ' friendly Deeds remain ; The generous Prince th' impending Vengeance eye's , Sees the fierce Wrong , and to the rescue flies . Perish that Thirst of boundless Power , that drew On Albion's Head the Curse to Tyrants due . But thou appeas'd submit to Heaven's decree , That bids this Realm of Freedom rival thee ! Now sheathe the Sword that bade the Brave attone With guiltless Blood for Madness not their own . Sent from th' Enjoyment of their native Shore Ill-fated — never to behold her more ! From every Kingdom on Europa's Coast Throng'd various Troops , their Glory , Strength and Boast . With heart-felt pity fair Hibernia saw Columbia menac'd by the Tyrant's Law : On hostile Fields fraternal Arms engage , And mutual Deaths , all dealt with mutual Rage ; The Muse's Ear hears mother Earth deplore Her ample Surface smoak with kindred Gore : The hostile Field destroys the social Ties , And ever-lasting Slumber seals their Eyes . Columbia mourns , the haughty Foes deride , Her Treasures plunder'd , and her Towns destroy'd : Witness how Charlestown's curling Smoaks arise , In sable Columns to the clouded Skies ! The ample Dome , high-wrought with curious Toil , In one sad Hour the savage Troops despoil . Descending Peace the Power of War confounds ; From every Tongue coelestial Peace resounds : As from the East th' illustrious King of Day , With rising Radiance drives the Shades away , So Freedom comes array'd with Charms divine , And in her Train Commerce and Plenty shine . Britannia owns her Independent Reign , Hibernia , Scotia , and the Realms of Spain ; And great Germania's ample Coast admires The generous Spirit that Columbia fires . Auspicious Heaven shall fill with fav'ring Gales , Where e'er Columbia spreads her swelling Sails : To every Realm shall Peace her Charms display , And Heavenly Freedom spread her golden Ray .