XLII.

Our friends the Turks, who with loud « Allas » now

Began to signalize the Russ retreat,

Were damnably mistaken; few are slow

In thinking that their enemy is beat,
(Or beaten, if you insist on grammar, though
I never think about it in a heat;)

But here I say the Turks were much mistaken,
Who, hating hogs, yet wished to save their bacon.

XLIII.

For, on the sixteenth, at full gallop, drew

In sight two horsemen, who were deemed Cossacques
For some time, till they came in nearer view,
They had but little baggage at their backs,

For there were but three shirts between the two;
But on they rode upon two Ukraine hacks,
Till, in approaching, were at length descried
In this plain pair, Suwarrow and his guide.

XLIV.

«Great joy to London now!» says some great fool,
When London had a grand illumination,
Which to that bottle-conjurer, John Bull,
Is of all dreams the first hallucination;
So that the streets of coloured lamps are full,
That sage (said John) surrenders at discretion
purse, his soul, his sense, and even his nonsense,
To gratify, like a huge moth, this one sense.

His

XLV.

'Tis strange that he should further « damn his eyes,» For they are damned: that once all famous oath Is to the devil now no further prize,

Since John has lately lost the use of both. Debt he calls wealth, and taxes paradise;

And famine, with her gaunt and bony growth, Which stare him in the face, he won't examine, Or swears that Ceres hath begotten famine.

XLVI.

But to the tale. Great joy unto the camp!
To Russian, Tartar, English, French, Cossacque,
O'er whom Suwarrow shone like a gas lamp,

Presaging a most luminous attack,
Or like a wisp along the marsh so damp,
Which leads beholders on a boggy walk;

He flitted to and fro, a dancing light,
Which all who saw it followed, wrong or right.

XLVII.

But certes matters took a different face;
There was enthusiasm and much applause,
The fleet and camp saluted with great grace,
And all presaged good fortune to their cause.
Within a cannon-shot length of the place

They drew, constructed ladders, repaired flaws
In former works, made new, prepared fascines,
And all kinds of benevolent machines.

XLVIII.

'Tis thus the spirit of a single mind

Makes that of multitudes take one direction, As roll the waters to the breathing wind,

Or roams the herd beneath the bull's protection;
Or as a little dog will lead the blind,

Or a bell-wether form the flock's connexion
By tinkling sounds, when they go forth to victual;
Such is the sway of your great men o'er little.

The whole

XLIX.

camp rung with joy; you would have thought That they were going to a marriage feast: (This metaphor, I think, holds good as aught, Since there is discord after both at least.) There was not now a luggage-boy but sought Danger and spoil with ardour much increased; And why? because a little, odd, old man, Stript to his shirt, was come to lead the van.

L.

But so it was; and every preparation

Was made with all alacrity: the first Detachment of three columns took its station, And waited but the signal's voice to burst

Upon the foe: the second's ordination

Was also in three columns, with a thirst
For glory gaping o'er a sea of slaughter:
The third, in columns two, attacked by water.

LI.

New batteries were erected; and was held
A general council, in which unanimity,
That stranger to most councils, here prevailed,
As sometimes happens in a great extremity;
And every difficulty being dispelled,

Glory began to dawn with due sublimity,
While Souvaroff, determined to obtain it,
Was teaching his recruits to use the bayonet.'

LII.

It is an actual fact, that he, commander

In chief, in proper person deigned to drill
The awkward squad, and could afford to squander
His time a corporal's duty to fulfil;

Just as you'd break a sucking salamander
To swallow flame, and never take it ill:
He showed them how to mount a ladder (which
Was not like Jacob's) or to cross a ditch.

LIII.

Also he dressed up, for the nonce, fascines

Like men with turbans, scimitars, and dirks, And made them charge with bayonet these machines, By way of lesson against actual Turks;

And when well practised in these mimic scenes,

He judged them proper to assail the works; At which your wise men sneered in phrases witty:He made no answer; but he took the city.

LIV.

Most things were in this posture on the eve
Of the assault, and all the camp was in

A stern repose: which you would scarce conceive;
Yet men resolved to dash through thick and thin
Are very silent when they once believe

That all is settled:-there was little din, For some were thinking of their home and friends, And others of themselves and latter ends.

LV.

Suwarrow chiefly was on the alert,

Surveying, drilling, ordering, jesting, pondering, For the man was, we safely may assert,

A thing to wonder at beyond most wondering; Hero, buffoon, half-demon and half-dirt,

Praying, instructing, desolating, plundering; Now Mars, now Momus; and when bent to storm A fortress, harlequin in uniform.

LVI.

The day before the assault, while upon drill-
For this great conqueror played the corporal—
Some Cossacques, hovering like hawks round a hill,
Had met a party towards the twilight's fall,
One of whom spoke their tongue--or well or ill,
'T was much that he was understood at all;

But whether from his voice, or speech, or manner,
They found that he had fought beneath their banner.

VOL. II.

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