Peace

Halt! ye Legions, sheathe your Steel: Blood grows precious; shed no more: Cease your toils; your wounds to heal Lo! beams of Mercy reach the shore! From Realms of everlasting light The favour'd guest of Heaven is come: Prostrate your Banners at the sight, And bear the glorious tidings home. The plunging corpse with half-clos'd eyes, No more shall stain th' unconscious brine; Yon pendant gay, that streaming flies, Around its idle Staff shall twine. Behold! along th' etherial sky Her beams o'er conquering Navies spread; Peace! Peace! the leaping Sailors cry, With shouts that might arouse the dead. Then forth Britannia's thunder pours; A vast reiterated sound! From Line to Line the Cannon roars, And spreads the blazing joy around. Return, ye brave! your Country calls; Return; return, your task is done: While here the tear of transport falls, To grace your Laurels nobly won. Albion Cliffs--from age to age, That bear the roaring storms of Heav'n, Did ever fiercer Warfare rage? Was ever Peace more timely given? Wake! sounds of Joy: rouse, generous Isle; Let every patriot bosom glow. Beauty, resume thy wonted smile, And, Poverty, thy cheerful brow. Boast, Britain, of thy glorious Guests; Peace, Wealth, and Commerce, all thine own: Still on contented Labour rests The basis of a lasting Throne. Shout, Poverty! 'tis Heaven that saves; Protected Wealth, the chorus raise: Ruler of War, of Winds, and Waves, Accept a prostrate Nation's praise.