| |
| FORESEEN in the vision of sages, | |
| Foretold when martyrs bled, | |
| She was born of the longing of ages, | |
| By the truth of the noble dead | |
| And the faith of the living fed! | 5 |
| No blood in her lightest veins | |
| Frets at remembered chains, | |
| Nor shame of bondage has bowed her head. | |
| In her form and features still | |
| The unblenching Puritan will, | 10 |
| Cavalier honor, Huguenot grace, | |
| The Quaker truth and sweetness, | |
| And the strength of the danger-girdled race | |
| Of Holland, blend in a proud completeness. | |
| From the homes of all, where her being began, | 15 |
| She took what she gave to Man; | |
| Justice, that knew no station, | |
| Belief, as soul decreed, | |
| Free air for aspiration, | |
| Free force for independent deed! | 20 |
| She takes, but to give again, | |
| As the sea returns the rivers in rain; | |
| And gathers the chosen of her seed | |
| From the hunted of every crown and creed. | |
| Her Germany dwells by a gentler Rhine; | 25 |
| Her Ireland sees the old sunburst shine; | |
| Her France pursues some dream divine; | |
| Her Norway keeps his mountain pine; | |
| Her Italy waits by the western brine; | |
| And, broad-based under all, | 30 |
| Is planted England’s oaken-hearted mood, | |
| As rich in fortitude | |
| As e’er went worldward from the island-wall! | |
| Fused in her candid light, | |
| To one strong race all races here unite; | 35 |
| Tongues melt in hers, hereditary foemen | |
| Forget their sword and slogan, kith and clan. | |
| ’T was glory, once, to be a Roman: | |
| She makes it glory, now, to be a man! | |
| |
