III. Believe me, while in bed you lay, Your danger taught us how to pray; You made us all devouter : eye Each look'd up and seem'd to say, "How can we do without her?" IV. Besides (which vex'd us worse) we knew In the place where you were going. And Heav'n is overflowing. LABERIUS. The BATTLE of BLENHEIM. By ROBERT SOUTHEY. I. It was a summer evening, II. She saw her brother Peterkin Roll something large and round, That 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. III. Old Kaspar took it from the boy And then the old man shook his head, And with a natural sigh, 'Tis some poor fellow's scull, said he, Who fell in the great victory. IV. I find them in the garden, for And often when I go to plough, The ploughshare turns them out; For many thousand men, said he, Were slain in the great victory. V. Now tell us what 'twas all about, And little Wilhelmine looks up With wonder-waiting eyes; Now tell us all about the war, And what they kill'd each other for. VI. It was the English, Kaspar cried, But every body said, quoth he, VII. My father lived at Blenheim then, They burnt his dwelling to the ground So with his wife and child he fled, VIII. With fire and sword the country round Was wasted far and wide, And many a childing mother then, And new-born infant died. But things like that, you know, must be At every famous victory. IX. They say it was a shocking sight Lay rotting in the sun; But things like that you know must be After a famous victory. X. Great praise the Duke of Marlbro' won, Nay-nay-my little girl, quoth he, XI. And every body praised the Duke But what good came of it at last? Quoth little Peterkin. Why that I cannot tell, said he, |