William McCarty, comp. The American National Song Book. 1842.
The PatriotT
Ennobling above both ambition and riches:
It fortifies man with invincible spirit—
Is stronger than citadel, bulwark, or ditches.
The well-balanced spirit no panic surprises;
No hazard that chances or time can discover,
Will shake it, though novel disaster arises.
Who shrinks from each point of a possible danger:
Paints fancy-bred peril, and magnifies real,
To firmness and fortitude always a stranger.
Out-flanking new levies, at first should defeat us—
The patriot’s energy, never demolish’d,
But sparkles more brightly when cruel men beat us.
When step-mother Britain hired Indians to scare us;
Brave Stark and Green-Mountain boys, gallant and glorious,
At a blow stunn’d the bloodhounds unmuzzled to tear us.
Like Greeks when the tyrant of Persia would maul ’em,
Will conquer the foe of their country or perish;
No tyrant can daunt and no savage appal ’em.
May vanquish old races less skilful or tamer;
But ne’er was a mighty young nation defeated,
Born martial and free, with a cause to inflame her!