A Poem of Felicia Hemans in The Christmas Box, 1829/The Name of England
THE NAME OF ENGLAND.
BY MRS. HEMANS.
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The trumpet of the battle
Hath a high and thrilling tone,
And the first deep gun of an ocean fight,
Dread music all its own.
But a mightier power, my England,
Is in that name of thine,
To strike the fire from every heart
Along the banner'd line.
Proudly it woke the spirits
Of you, the tried and true,
When the bow was bent on Cressy's field
And the yeoman's arrow flew.
And proudly hath it floated
Through the battles of the sea,
When thy queenly flag o'er the smoke-wreaths play'd,
Like the lightning in its glee.
On wave, on rock, on bastion,
Its echoes have been known;
By a thousand streams the hearts lie low,
That have answer'd to its tone.
A thousand ancient mountains
Its pealing notes hath stirr'd;
Sound on, and on, for evermore,
Oh, thou victorious word!
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