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26
THE GROANS OF THE TANKARD.
"Let China's earth, enriched with coloured stains,
"Penciled with gold, and streaked with azure veins,
"The grateful flavour of the Indian leaf,
"Or Mocho's sunburnt berry glad receive:
"The nobler metal claims more generous use,
"And mine should flow with more exalted juice.
"Did I for this my native bed resign
"In the dark bowels of Potosi's mine?
"Was I for this with violence torn away,
"And dragged to regions of the upper day?
"For this the rage of torturing furnace bore,
"From foreign dross to purge the brightening ore?
"For this have I endured the fiery test,
"And was I stamped for this with Britain's lofty crest?
"Penciled with gold, and streaked with azure veins,
"The grateful flavour of the Indian leaf,
"Or Mocho's sunburnt berry glad receive:
"The nobler metal claims more generous use,
"And mine should flow with more exalted juice.
"Did I for this my native bed resign
"In the dark bowels of Potosi's mine?
"Was I for this with violence torn away,
"And dragged to regions of the upper day?
"For this the rage of torturing furnace bore,
"From foreign dross to purge the brightening ore?
"For this have I endured the fiery test,
"And was I stamped for this with Britain's lofty crest?
"Unblest the day, and luckless was the hour,
"Which doomed me to a Presbyterian's power:
"Fated to serve the Puritanic race,
"Whose slender meal is shorter than their grace;
"Which doomed me to a Presbyterian's power:
"Fated to serve the Puritanic race,
"Whose slender meal is shorter than their grace;
