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VERSES Written at MOUNTAUBAN in FRANCE, 1750.

By the Rev. Mr. JOSEPH WARTON.
1 TARN, how delightful wind thy willow'd waves,
2 But ah! they fructify a land of slaves!
3 In vain thy bare-foot, sun-burnt peasants hide
4 With luscious grapes yon' hill's romantic side;
5 No cups nectareous shall their toils repay,
6 The priest's, the soldier's, and the fermier's prey:
7 Vain glows this sun in cloudless glory drest,
8 That strikes fresh vigour thro' the pining breast;
9 Give me, beneath a colder, changeful sky,
10 My soul's best, only pleasure, LIBERTY!
11 What millions perish'd near thy mournful flood
b Alluding to the persecutions of the protestants, and the wars of the Saracens, carried on in the Southern provinces of France.
12 When the red papal tyrant cry'd out — "Blood!
13 Less fierce the Saracen, and quiver'd Moor,
14 That dash'd thy infants 'gainst the stones of yore.
15 Be warn'd ye nations round; and trembling see
16 Dire superstition quench humanity!
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17 By all the chiefs in Freedom's battles lost;
18 By wise and virtuous ALFRED'S aweful ghost;
19 By old GALGACUS' scythed, iron car,
20 That swiftly whirling thro' the walks of war,
21 Dash'd Roman blood, and crush'd the foreign throngs:
22 By holy Druids' courage-breathing songs;
23 By fierce BONDUCA'S shield, and foaming steeds;
24 By the bold peers that met on Thames's meads;
25 By the fifth HENRY'S helm, and lightning spear,
26 O LIBERTY, my warm petition hear;
27 Be ALBION still thy joy! with her remain,
28 Long as the surge shall lash her oak-crown'd plain!

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About this text

Title (in Source Edition): VERSES Written at MOUNTAUBAN in FRANCE, 1750.
Author: Joseph Warton
Themes: liberty; landscapes
Genres: heroic couplet
References: DMI 25752

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Source edition

Dodsley, Robert, 1703-1764. A Collection of Poems in Six Volumes. By Several Hands. Vol. IV. London: printed by J. Hughs, for R. and J. Dodsley, 1763 [1st ed. 1758], pp. 203-204. 6v.: music; 8⁰. (ESTC T131163; OTA K104099.004) (Page images digitized by the Eighteenth-Century Poetry Archive from a copy in the archive's library.)

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