[E] Grenada, &c.--_Ib._ _King G._ Ah! speak not thus--your words will break my heart, Some softer counsel to my ears impart, How can I march to meet the insulting foe, Who never yet to hostile plains did go? When was I vers'd in battles or in blood? When have I fought upon the faithless flood? Much better could I at my palace door Recline and hear the distant cannons roar. Generals and admirals Britain yet can boast, Some fight on land, and some defend the coast; The fame of these throughout the globe resounds, To these I leave the glory and the wounds; But since this honour for no blood atones, I must and will be careful of my bones. What pleasure to your monarch would it be, If Lords and Commons could at last agree; Could North with Fox in firm alliance stand, And Burke with Sandwich shake the social hand, Then should we bring the rebels to our feet, And France and Spain ingloriously retreat, Her ancient glories to this isle return, And we no more for lost Columbia mourn. _Fox_ Alliance!--what![F]--Your Highness must be mad: Say, what alliance can with these be had? Can lambs and wolves in social bands ally? When these prove friendly, then will North and I. Alliance! no--I curse the horrid thought; Ally with those their country's ruin sought! Who to perdition sold their native land, Leagu'd with the foe, a close connected band-- Ally with these!--I speak it to your face-- Alliance here is ruin and disgrace. Angels and devils in such bonds unite, So hell is ally'd to the realms of light-- Let North or Germaine[13] still my prayers deride, Let turn-coat Johnston[G] take the courtly side, Even Pitt, if living, might with these agree; But no alliance shall they have with me. But since no shame forbids your tongue to own A royal coward fills Britannia's throne; Since our best chiefs must fight your mad campaigns, And be disgrac'd at last by him who reigns,[H] No wonder, heaven! such ill success attends! No wonder North and Mansfield are your friends! Take my advice, with these to battle go, These book-learned heroes may confront the foe-- Those first who led us tow'rds the brink of fate, Should still be foremost when at Pluto's gate; Let them, grown desperate by our run of woes, Collect new fury from this host of foes, And, ally'd with themselves, to ruin steer, The just conclusion of their mad career. [F] _Alliance!--what_, &c. See his speech in the House of Commons, _June 22, 1779_, in answer to Lord Nugent.--_Freneau's note._ [G] _Let turn-coat Johnston_, &c. The worthy British commissioner, of bribing memory, who, for the sake of a few guineas, belied his own conscience, and sided with the majority.--_Ib._ [H] _And be disgrac'd at last by him who reigns._ As Gage, the Howes, Burgoyne, &c, for not doing impossibilities.--_Ib._ _King G._