So spoke Columbia's chief; his guiding hand Points out their march to every ardent band, Assigns to each brave leader, as they claim, His test of valor and his task of fame. With his young host Montgomery first moves forth, To crush the vast invasion of the north; O'er streams and lakes their flags far onward play, Navies and forts surrendering mark their way; Rocks, fens and deserts thwart the paths they go, And hills before them lose their crags in snow. Loud Laurence, clogg'd with ice, indignant feels Their sleet-clad oars, choked helms and crusted keels; They buffet long his tides; when rise in sight Quebec's dread walls, and Wolfe's unclouded height Already there a few brave patriots stood, Worn down with toil, by famine half subdued; Untrench'd before the town, they dare oppose Their fielded cohorts to the forted foes. Ah gallant troop! deprived of half the praise That deeds like yours in other times repays, Since your prime chief (the favorite erst of fame) Hath sunk so deep his hateful, hideous name, That every honest Muse with horror flings The name unsounded from her sacred strings; Else what high tones of rapture must have told The first great action of a chief so bold! Twas his, twas yours, to brave unusual storms, To tame rude nature in her drearest forms; Foodless and guideless, thro that waste of earth, You march'd long months; and, sore reduced by dearth, Reach'd the proud capital, too feeble far To tempt unaided such a task of war; Till now Montgomery's host, with hopes elate, Joins your scant powers, to try the test of fate. With skilful glance he views the fortress round. Bristled with pikes, with dark artillery crown'd; Resolves with naked steel to scale the towers, And snatch a realm from Britain's hostile powers. Now drear December's boreal blasts arise, A roaring hailstorm sweeps the shuddering skies, Night with condensing horror mantles all, And trembling watch-lights glimmer from the wall. From bombs o'erarching, fusing, bursting high, The glare scarce wanders thro the loaded sky; And in the louder shock of meteors drown'd, The accustom'd ear in vain expects the sound.