'Mid the fire and smoke Of the war-shaken citadel, with eye Of temper'd flame, yet resolute command, His brave sword beaming, and his cheering voice 350 Heard 'mid the onset's cries, his dark-brown hair Spread on his fearless forehead, and his hand Pointing to Gallia's baffled chief, behold The British Hero stand! Why beats my heart With kindred animation?
The warm tear Of patriot triumph fills mine eye.

I strike A louder strain unconscious, while the harp Swells to the bold involuntary song.
I.
Fly, SON OF TERROR, fly! Back o'er the burning desert he is fled! 360 In heaps the gory dead And livid in the trenches lie! His dazzling files no more Flash on the Syrian sands, As when from Egypt's ravaged shore, Aloft their gleamy falchions swinging, Aloud their victor paeans singing, Their onward way the Gallic legions took.
Despair, dismay, are on his altered look, Yet hate indignant lowers; 370 Whilst high on Acre's granite towers The shade of English Richard seems to stand; And frowning far, in dusky rows, A thousand archers draw their bows! They join the triumph of the British band, And the rent watch-tower echoes to the cry, Heard o'er the rolling surge--They fly, they fly! II.
Now the hostile fires decline, Now through the smoke's deep volumes shine; Now above the bastions gray 380 The clouds of battle roll away; Where, with calm, yet glowing mien, Britain's victorious youth is seen! He lifts his eye, His country's ensigns wave through smoke on high, Whilst the long-mingled shout is heard--They fly, they fly! III.
Hoary CARMEL, witness thou, And lift in conscious pride thy brow; As when upon thy cloudy plain BAAL'S PROPHETS cried in vain! 390 They gashed their flesh, and leaped, and cried, From morn till lingering even-tide.
Then stern ELIJAH on his foes Strong in the might of Heaven arose!-- On CARMEL'S top he stood, And while the blackening clouds and rain Came sounding from the Western main, Raised his right hand that dropped with impious blood.
ANCIENT KISHON prouder swell, On whose banks they bowed, they fell, 400 The mighty ones of yore, when, pale with dread, Inglorious SISERA fled! So let them perish, Holy LORD, Who for OPPRESSION lift the sword; But let all those who, armed for freedom, fight, 405 "Be as the sun who goes forth in his might." [160] Alluding to the harps found in the caverns of Thebes.
[161] Migdol was a fortress which guarded the pass of Egypt; Baal-zephon, a sea idol, generally considered the guardian of the coast.
[162] The Cushites inhabited the granite rocks stretching along the Red Sea.
[163] When the Egyptians found the ark, their expression was, "Let us rejoice, we have found the lost Osiris," or Noah.
[164] The deluge or devastating storm.
[165] The desert of Ariana, where the army of Cyrus perished.
[166] Ammon, according to Sir Isaac Newton, was the first artificer who built large ships, and passed the Straits.
[167] The entrance into the Red Sea was called the Gate of Affliction.
[168] Temple of Solomon.
[169] Alluding to the story of Patagonians bursting their cords when taken.
[170] Pillars of Hercules.
[171] Moloch, whose rites of blood are well known, was worshipped along the coast of Syria.
[172] The island described by Plato; by some supposed to be America..