You come back from sea And not know my John? I might as well have asked some landsman There's not an ass in all the parish But he knows my John. And unless you let me know Brass button or no, sailor, Sure his ship was the Jolly Briton And why should I speak low, sailor, If I was loud as I am proud, How's my boy - my boy? What care I for the ship, sailor? Be she afloat, or be she aground, I say, how's my John? "Every man on board went down, Every man aboard her." 20. BONNIE GEORGE CAMPELL. Hie upon Hielands, And gallant rade he: Out ran his auld mither, 2 Reaving her hair. Saddled and bridled And booted rade he: "My meadow lies green, My barn is to bigg3, And my babie's unborn." And booted rade he: Poor autumn leaf! down floating Upon the blustering gale; Torn from thy bough, Where goest now, Withered, and shrunk, and pale? 1 Greeting, weeping. 2 Reaving, rending. 3 Bigg, build. "I go, thou sad inquirer, I go where all things go. The rude winds bear me onward Through good, through ill, What though for me one summer, Thou thine, poor man! And thus we go together; For lofty as thy lot, And lowly mine, To die and be forgot!" MACKAY. 22. YE MARINERS OF ENGLAND. Ye Mariners of England! That guard our native seas; Whose flag has braved, a thousand years, Your glorious standard launch again. To match another foe! And sweep through the deep, While the stormy winds do blow; And the stormy winds do blow. For the deck it was their field of fame, As ye sweep through the deep, Britannia needs no bulwarks, No towers along the steep; Her march is o'er the mountain-waves, She quells the floods below, When the stormy winds do blow; The meteor flag of England Till danger's troubled night depart, Then, then, ye ocean-warriors! To the fame of your name, When the storm has ceased to blow; When the fiery fight is heard no more, CAMPBELL. 23. THE SAILOR'S CONSOLATION. One night came on a hurricane, "A strong norwester's blowing, Bill; "Foolhardy chaps who live in towns, For our good luck, in such a storm, "And as for them who're out all day My eyes! what tiles and chimney-pots "And often have we seamen heard How men are kill'd and undone, By overturns of carriages, And thieves, and fires, in London. We know what risks all landsmen run, From noblemen to tailors; Then, Bill, let us thank Providence That you and I are sailors." DIBDIN. |