"Ha! rejoice, old Father Euxine! I am brimming full and red; Noble tidings do I carry From my distant channel bed. I have been a Christian river Dull and slow this many a year, Rolling down my torpid waters Through a silence morne and drear; Have not felt the tread of armies Trampling on my reedy shore; Have not heard the trumpet calling, Or the cannon's gladsome roar; Only listened to the laughter From the village and the town, And the church-bells, ever jangling, As the weary day went down. And I lay and sorely pondered On the days long since gone by, When my old primæval forests Echoed to the war-man's cry; When the race of Thor and Odin Held their battles by my side, And the blood of man was mingling Warmly with my chilly tide. Father Euxine! thou rememb'rest How I brought thee tribute then-- Swollen corpses, gash'd and gory, Heads and limbs of slaughter'd men! Father Euxine! be thou joyful! I am running red once more-- Not with heathen blood, as early, But with gallant Christian gore! For the old times are returning, And the Cross is broken down, And I hear the tocsin sounding In the village and the town; And the glare of burning cities Soon shall light me on my way-- Ha! my heart is big and jocund With the draught I drank to-day. Ha! I feel my strength awaken'd, And my brethren shout to me; Each is leaping red and joyous To his own awaiting sea. Rhine and Elbe are plunging downward Through their wild anarchic land, Every where are Christians falling By their brother Christians' hand! Yea, the old times are returning, And the olden gods are here! Take my tribute, Father Euxine, To thy waters dark and drear. Therefore come I with my torrents, Shaking castle, crag, and town; Therefore, with the shout of thunder, Sweep I herd and herdsman down; Therefore leap I to thy bosom, With a loud, triumphal roar-- Greet me, greet me, Father Euxine-- I am Christian stream no more!" THE MEMOIRS OF LORD CASTLEREAGH.[9]