Haste to the rocks, thou curse to human kind, There thou may'st wolves and brother tygers find; Eternal exile be your righteous doom And gnash your dragon's teeth in some sequester'd gloom; Such be the end of each relentless foe Who feels no pity for another's woe; So may they fall[100]--even you, though much too late, Shall curse the day you languished to be great; Haste from the torments of the present life,[101] Quick, let the halter end thee or the knife; So may destruction rush with speedy wing, Low as yourself, to drag your cruel king;[102] His head torn off, his hands, his feet, and all,[103] Deep in the dust may Dagon's image fall; His stump alone escape the vengeful steel, Sav'd but to grace the gibbet or the wheel. [A] Charlestown, near Boston. See his letter on that occasion.--_Freneau's note._ The poet has satirized Burgoyne's literary pretentions in the "Voyage to Boston," _q. v._ [B] The _Parcae_, or _Fates_, who, according to the Heathen mythology, were three in number.--_Ib._ [C] See Whiston's Hypothesis.--_Freneau's note._ [66] This title was changed for the edition of 1795 by leaving out the words "the renowned and illustrious General George Washington, Commander-in-chief of," and also the quotation from Shakespeare. The same title was used in 1809, with the added quotation: "_One brilliant game our arms have won to-day, Another_, PRINCES, _yet remains to play, Another mark our arrows must attain--_ GALLIA _assist!--nor be our efforts vain_." --_Hom. Odyssey, Book XXII._ In the issue of the _Freeman's Journal_ of October 24, 1781, the editor voiced his joy by printing the following in huge letters, that covered more than half of the first page of the paper: BE IT REMEMBERED That on the 17th day of October, 1781, Lieut. General Charles Earl Cornwallis with above 5000 British troops surrendered themselves prisoners of war to his excellency Gen. George Washington, commander in chief of the allied forces of France and America. LAUS DEO!-- Two weeks later, in the issue of November 7th, Freneau printed the above poem. It was so mutilated and changed for the edition of 1795 that I have reproduced the test of the 1786 edition, which was printed verbatim from the newspaper, and have indicated in the footnotes the most significant changes. [67] "Formed on."--_Ed. 1795._ [68] "Conqueror."--_Ib._ [69] "Foe to the rights of man."--_Ib._