How erst in fatal fields their Grandsires fell;

Childhood attentive hears the tragic tale;

And learns to shudder at the name of War.

  GUNPOWDER! let the Soldier's Pean rise,

Where e'er thy name or thundering voice is heard:

Let him who, fated to the needful trade,

Deals out the adventitious shafts of Death,

Rejoice in thee; and hail with loudest shouts

The auspicious era when deep-searching Art

From out the hidden things in Nature's store

Cull'd thy tremendous powers, and tutor'd Man

To chain the unruly element of Fire

At his controul, to wait his potent touch:

To urge his missile bolts of sudden Death,

And thunder terribly his vengeful wrath.

Thy mighty engines and gigantic towers

With frowning aspect awe the trembling World.

Destruction, bursting from thy sudden blaze

Hath taught the Birds to tremble at the sound;

And Man himself, thy terror's boasted lord,

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