-But what Republick bears so foul a curse,
(Ev'n Rome and Athens may repel the charge-)
As that base Monarchy, and its worse tools,
Who listened to thy slanderers; and with rude
And sacrilegious hand, and perjured faith,
Infringed the sacred compact made with thee,
And ratified with due solemnity
By Spain's proud Queen, high-minded Isabel.
-Long, long thy struggle !-Eight perplexing years
Thy suit was urged-thy patience tried-ere yet
O'er ignorance, philosophy prevailed,
And to thy prayer obtained the listening ear
Of Spain's united monarchs; who at length
"Supplied the barque, and bade Columbus sail!"
Thy native Genoa but ill repaid
That patriotism, which led thee, first, to seek
Her aid, and tender her thy services.
And feeble JOHN of Portugal refused
To lend his aid, and second thy desire
To give new splendour to his faded crown,
By aiding thine emprize :—yet meanly sought
To rob thee of thy glory, and by stealth
Obtain thy wished-for prize. But Heaven ordained
Far otherwise for thee, for thee alone,
It was decreed, to track the pathless waste;
And in despite of boisterous elements
And the phenomenon of nature's change,20
Thy "reason steered-thy skill disarmed the gale;"
While feebler spirits cowered before the task,
And treachery's efforts met discomfiture.
Thy prescience led thee on:-thy puny fleet-
Thy St. Maria, Pinta, Nigna-sailed,
And rode, triumphant, o'er the boisterous deep,
Till Guanahani blessed thy longing sight:
And, safely landed on that barbarous strand,
A glad Te Deum rose from grateful hearts!
Here was the germ, whence all thy laurels spring.
Now grateful plaudits welcome thy return To Palos-but too soon Spain's haughty sons Gave wanton rein to Envy: base self-love And captious spleen ill brook'd that thou shouldst share The honours and emoluments assured
By Spain's united crown. Oh, perfidy!
Ingratitude most base!-And must the Musc,
In after-ages, far remote, recount
This deed, most infamous in History's lore,
That, on a further visit to thy land-
Thine, by discovery-by compact thine-
Thy graceful limbs should wear the felon's chain,
And, at the mandate of an envious wretch,
Hispaniola's lord, thou shouldst be bound?
And, FETTERED like a criminal, return
To that ungrateful land, which, else, had won,
By thine exploits, a never-dying fame,
But which thy FETTERS stamp with infamy!
Thy violated rights were ne'er restored,
And basely were thy promised honours filched:
The remnant of thy useful life was spent
In fruitless efforts to redress thy wrongs.
But while possessed of sound, disposing mind,
Thou wast permitted to indite a WILL,
And designate thy son, Executor : 21
"Go, FERDINAND, go bring my FETTERS here,
Hang them in my apartment, where my eyes
May ever be delighted with the sight!
They are a precious treasure:-rich reward
For all my services! a Monarch's Gift!
A kingly present! pledge of royal faith!
A token of a Nation's Gratitude!
Here let them hang, to bless my ardent gaze,
And fix within my heart a Monarch's love!
And when my 'dust to dust' thou shalt commit,
So highly do I prize this royal gift,
O, let it not be sundered from my heart;
But let my FETTERS share my peaceful grave!" -A WILL, indeed! A scorching epitaph
For punick faith-for perjured royalty!
Yet, though COLUMBUS sleeps, his name shall live, And Spain's proud aristocracy outlive.
Though Florentine Vespucius stole his name,22
COLUMBIA still shall grace the Roll of Fame!
This name is dear to every patriot breast;-
Why should injustice blot it from our crest?
In the corrupted customs of this world,
Too oft is VIRTUE from her zenith hurled!
Vice, oft triumphant, holds remorseless sway;
But Heaven has in reserve a glorious day,
"To bring forth all the deeds of men to light,
And every one, as he deserves, requite."
Then fetters shall COLUMBUS gall no more;
But, there, redressed for all the wrongs he bore,
His sainted spirit shall in glory reign,
While his malignant foes are doomed to misery's chain
BORNE on affection's wing, I haste
Back to my native hills again;
Hope of the future, cheers the past—
I launch upon the wide-spread main!
Anxious to lay this painful head
On my LOUISA's faithful breast,
I leave this distant, lonely bed,
To greet my long-loved HOME OF REST.
For there, a wife and children dear,
With anxious longing, look for me;
Then will the INVALID not fear
Once more to brave the treacherous sea.
Propitious breezes! swell the sail,
And waft me to my welcome Home; Though borne, alas! on every gale, A summons greets me from the tomb!
|