Thomas Humphry Ward, ed. The English Poets. 1880–1918.rnVol. IV. The Nineteenth Century: Wordsworth to Rossetti
Robert Southey (17741843)The Battle of Blenheim
Old Kaspar’s work was done,
And he before his cottage door
Was sitting in the sun,
And by him sported on the green
His little grandchild Wilhelmine.
Roll something large and round,
Which he beside the rivulet
In playing there had found;
He came to ask what he had found,
That was so large, and smooth, and round.
Who stood expectant by;
And then the old man shook his head,
And with a natural sigh,
‘’Tis some poor fellow’s skull,’ said he,
‘Who fell in the great victory.
For there’s many here about;
And often when I go to plough,
The ploughshare turns them out!
For many thousand men,’ said he,
‘Were slain in that great victory.’
Young Peterkin, he cries;
And little Wilhelmine looks up
With wonder-waiting eyes;
‘Now tell us all about the war,
And what they fought each other for.’
‘Who put the French to rout;
But what they fought each other for,
I could not well make out;
But every body said,’ quoth he,
‘That ’t was a famous victory.
Yon little stream hard by;
They burnt his dwelling to the ground,
And he was forced to fly;
So with his wife and child he fled,
Nor had he where to rest his head.
Was wasted far and wide,
And many a childing mother then,
And new-born baby died;
But things like that, you know, must be
At every famous victory.
After the field was won;
For many thousand bodies here
Lay rotting in the sun;
But things like that, you know, must be
After a famous victory.
And our good Prince Eugene.’
‘Why ’t was a very wicked thing!’
Said little Wilhelmine.
‘Nay .. nay .. my little girl,’ quoth he.
‘It was a famous victory.
Who this great fight did win.’
‘But what good came of it at last?’
Quoth little Peterkin.
‘Why that I cannot tell,’ said he,
‘But ’t was a famous victory.’