“When cannons, loud roaring, taught Valour its duty;
“And many a time, have I sigh’d to behold thee—
“When the sulphur of War, in its cloudy mist roll’d me!
“At the still hour of morn, when the Camp was reposing,
“I wander’d alone on the wide dewy plain:
“And when the gold curtains of Ev’ning were closing,
“I watch’d the long shadows steal over the Main!
“Across the wild Ocean, half frantic they bore me,
“Unheeding my groans, from Thee, Agnes, they tore me;
“But, though my poor heart might have bled in the battle,