BETA

Songs for the People.

No. III.

—by George Donald ,

Air—Let’s seek the bower of Robin Hood.

I love to sing of liberty—I love the true and free,1
Tho’ steeped to the very lips in poverty they be ;2
I love to sing of freedom, ’twas the‘earliest strain I sung,3
And freedom’s song shall be the last that trembles on my
tongue.4
Let rank and riches, pride and power, against me fret and
frown,5
I laugh at all their feeble aims to break my spirit down ;6
Let friends and fortune me forsake, or chains my body
bind,7
Of this I cannot be bereft—the freedom of the mind !8
Hall Liberty ! thou first and best of earthly blessings
given9
To elevate the human race ;— thou dearest gift of heaven !10
Inspirer of the truly good, the noble, and the great,11
The terror of the tyrant, and the slavish coward’s hate !12
In evil days, my native land was thralled by wicked men,13
But my fathers sought the mountain side, the cave and
heathy glen,14
And boldly raised their altars there to freedom and to God,15
And kindled up those fires that now are spreading fast
abroad.16
A little while, and there shall be, on every mountain top,17
A flag of triumph waving to confirm the patriot’s hope ;18
The moral war is waging now, and reason leads the fight,19
That soon must terminate in life, and liberty, and light !20
On, then, ye millions, in the strife, be weary not nor faint,21
Why should you idly waste your time in impotent com-
plaint ?22
The spoiler’s trembling, onward then, your rights. as men
demand,23
And the Charter of your freedom soon shall flourish in our
land.24
I love to sing of Liberty —I love the true and free,25
Tho’ steep’d to the very lips in poverty they be ;26
I love to sing of freedom, ’twas the earliest strain I sung,27
And freedom’s song shall be the last that falters on my
tongue.28