Introduction [vii-viii]
[vii] This collection differs in one particular from the usual anthologies. It strives to show that heroic verse is the verse dealing with heroes, heroic character, heroic acts, quite irrespective of the nationality or century of the actors themselves. A patriotic hymn is a patriotic hymn, an heroic action is an heroic action, whether the hymn celebrate Thermopylae or Mukden or whether the action takes place outside Bethulia or Ladysmith. Indeed, until a short time ago, Leonidas was more real to British youth than either Wolfe or Clive, and this catholicity is an element in the mutual admiration which makes for world-peace, even though the songs be of war. It follows too, though this has, I think, been little appreciated in books on history or sociology, that it is impossible in such a collection to hide the transcendent merit of man as an individual. I do not say that collective heroism in unknown (for many of the pieces included in this book seem to show its possibility); but it appears to be clear that nowhere does the importance of the single personality show itself so brilliantly as in the individual act, word, thought. Even when, as in a stubborn defence of a town, or as in a sortie, or as in the unnamed, unknown heroism of families under agonizing stress, or as in the prolongation of a righteous strike – even when collective heroism seems demonstrated, it will surely be found that the dynamic thrust comes from a character, an attitude, a sacrifice. The crowning example of this is, of course, seen in the history of Christianity, the most absolute monarchy and the most individualistic creed which the world has ever [viii] seen. The hero is always in the minority; and heroic majority is unthinkable. This gives to heroic verse its sting and stimulus. […]
The Editor
Contents
Patria –Breathes there the Man 3
A State 3
Of old sat Freedom 4
Part of Gray’s Elegy 5
This Royal Throne of Kings 7
Men of England 8
England 9
To the Virginian Voyage 10
The Song of the Bow 12
The Bard 12
The Isles of Greece 17
The Prophecy of Capys 20
The Words of Faulconbridge 25
The Island 25
The Roast Beef of Old England 27
John Dory 27
Heart of Oak 28
Rule, Britannia! 29
The Fatherland 30
Freedom 31
O Mother State 32
The Deserted Village 32
Harp of the North 33
I tell Thee, Priest 35
The Destruction of Sennacherib 36
Christmas 37
The Patriot 38
The Cotter’s Saturday Night 39
My Heart’s in the Highlands 42
Prologues to Henry V 42
War and Peace –
War 51
War 52
The Minstrel Boy 52
The Soldier’s Tear 53
Lullaby of an Infant Chief 54
Pibroch 54
A Dirge 55
The War-Horse 56
War Song of the Red Sea 56
War Song of Kishon 58
Boadicea 60
Chevy Chase 61
Scots Wha Hae 69
Agincourt 70
Agincourt 73
Flodden 75
Ivry 82
Naseby 84
The Burial of Sir John Moore 87
Hohenlinden 88
Waterloo 89
The Charge of the Light Brigade 91
Song 93
Boat Song 94
The Bold Dragoon 95
The Dance of Death 96
Border Ballad 100
Bonny Dundee 100
The Pipes at Lucknow 102
Marston Moor 105
The Soldier’s Return 107
The Prayer at Habakkuk 107
Disarmament 109
The Soldier 110
England 112
Sir Galahad 112
The Soldier’s Dream 114
Horatius 115
War-Horse 122
The Battle 123
The War Song 124
Thy Voice is Heard 125
Home they Brought 125
Our Enemies have Fallen 126
The Sea –
The Sea 129
Ye Mariners of England 130
Sir Humphrey Gilbert 131
Drake’s Drum 132
The Armada 133
Toll for the Brave 136
The Battle of the Baltic 137
Cheer, Boys, Cheer 139
A Wet Sheet 140
Admiral Death 141
The Traveller 142
A Drowned Soldier 142
The Sailor Boy 143
Heroes –
Hope 147
Valour 147
The Young Hero 148
Armed 149
The Citizens defend Angiers 150
Father and Son 154
A Combat 157
A Swimmer 160
The Tyrant’s Death 161
A Mother and Her Seven Sons 162
Dying Heroes 165
The Glove and the Lions 166
Coronach 167
Bravery 167
Samson Agonistes 169
Ode on the Death of the Duke of Wellington 171
Lament of Sir Philip Sidney 175
Lament over Saul 175
A Hero in Prison 176
A Hero in Despair 176
A Brave Epitaph 177
Jephthah’s Daughter 178
Iphigenia 179
The Academy at Venice 180
The Knight’s Leap 181
The Brave Women of Tann 182
The King 184
The Ideal 186
Prometheus 186
Childe Roland 188
Mary Queen of Scots 195
Portraits and Characters –
To the Queen 199
The Upright Life 200
My Mind to Me a Kingdom Is 201
How Happy Is he Born 202
Epistle to the Lady Margaret 203
For What is Life 205
The Knight’s Tomb 205
The Happy Warrior 206
Dost Though Look Back? 208
Dr. Levett 209
A Man 210
A Farewell 210
Julius Cæsar 211
Hotspur 222
Traitors 228
After the Battle 230
Columbus 234
Kossuth 237
Ulysses 238
Yussouf 239
Columbus 240
Jacob 241
To an Oak Tree 244
Claud Halcro’s Verses 245
Parson Avery 245
Joseph Sturge 247
Brown of Ossawatomie 248
My Triumph 249
The Lie 251
Milton 253
Pitt 253
Simon, Son of Onias 254
A Psalm of Life 255
Oh, Timely Happy, Timely Wise 256
Let us now Praise Famous Men 258
What Endures? 259
Wisdom 259
Griselda 260
Will 262
Nature’s Gentleman 262
Defiance 263
Saul 265
Sound, Sound the Clarion 266
There is No God 267
At Torcello 268
Hope Evermore 269
Lochinvar 270
A Ballad 271
Helvellyn 273
The Dying Gipsy’s Dirge 274
The Lumbermen 275
Avenge, O Lord 276
Ambition 276
Robin Hood 279
Fortune 280
The Quest of the Grail 280
Dreams, Empty Dreams 283
The Millennium 284
Joy, Shipmate, Joy! 285