August 24, 1814
——Jam deiphobi dedit ampla ruinam,
Vulcano superante, domus; jam proximus ardet
Ucalegon.—Virgil.
Now, George the third rules not alone,
For George the vandal shares the throne,
True flesh of flesh and bone of bone.
God save us from the fangs of both;
Or, one a vandal, one a goth,
May roast or boil us into froth.
Like danes, of old, their fleet they man
And rove from Beersheba to Dan,
To burn, and beard us—where they can.
They say, at George the fourth's command
This vagrant host were sent, to land
And leave in every house—a brand.
An idiot only would require
Such war—the worst they could desire—
The felon's war—the war of fire.
The warfare, now, th' invaders make
Must surely keep us all awake,
Or life is lost for freedom's sake.
They said to Cockburn, "honest Cock!
To make a noise and give a shock
Push off, and burn their navy dock:
"Their capitol shall be emblazed!
How will the buckskins stand amazed,
And curse the day its walls were raised!"