More evil in an hour, than thirty bright

Summers could renovate, though they should be Lovely as those which ripen'd Eden's fruit ; For war cuts up not only branch, but root.

XLII.

Our friends the Turks, who with loud " Allahs" now
Began to signalise the Russ retreat, (1)
Were damnably mistaken; few are slow
In thinking that their enemy is beat,
(Or beaten, if you insist on grammar, though
I never think about it in a heat,)

But here I say the Turks were much mistaken,
Who hating hogs, yet wish'd to save their bacon.

XLIII.

For, on the sixteenth, at full gallop, drew
Insight two horsemen, who were deem'd Cossacques
For some time, till they came in nearer view.
They had but little baggage at their backs,
For there were but three shirts between the two;
But on they rode upon two Ukraine hacks,
Till, in approaching, were at length descried
In this plain pair, Suwarrow and his guide. (2)

(1) ["Le courrier est témoin des cris de joie (Allahs) du Turc, qui se croyait à la fin de ses maux."— Hist. de la N. R. p. 205.]

(2) [❝ Le 16, on voit venir de loin deux hommes courant à toute bride : on les prit pour des Kosaks; l'un était Souwarow, et l'autre son guide, portant un paquet gros comme le poing, et renfermant le bagage du général."— Ibid. p. 205.]

XLIV.

"Great joy to London now!" says some great fool,
When London had a grand illumination,
Which to that bottle-conjuror, John Bull,

Is of all dreams the first hallucination;
So that the streets of colour'd lamps are full,

That Sage (said John) surrenders at discretion His purse, his soul, his sense, and even his nonsense, To gratify, like a huge moth, this one sense.

XLV.

'Tis strange that he should farther "damn his eyes," For they are damn'd; that once all-famous oath Is to the devil now no farther prize,

Since John has lately lost the use of both. Debt he calls wealth, and taxes Paradise;

And Famine, with her gaunt and bony growth, Which stare him in the face, he won't examine, Or swears that Ceres hath begotten Famine.

XLVI.

But to the tale;-great joy unto the camp!
To Russian, Tartar, English, French, Cossacque,
O'er whom Suwarrow shone like a gas lamp,
Presaging a most luminous attack;
Or like a wisp along the marsh so damp,
Which leads beholders on a boggy walk,

He flitted to and fro a dancing light,

Which all who saw it follow'd, wrong or right.

XLVII.

But certes matters took a different face;
There was enthusiasm and much applause,
The fleet and camp saluted with great grace,

And all presaged good fortune to their cause.
Within a cannon-shot length of the place

They drew, constructed ladders, repair'd flaws In former works, made new, prepared fascines, (1) And all kinds of benevolent machines.

XLVIII.

'Tis thus the spirit of a single mind

Makes that of multitudes take one direction, As roll the waters to the breathing wind,

Or roams the herd beneath the bull's protection; Or as a little dog will lead the blind,

Or a bell-wether form the flock's connection By tinkling sounds, when they go forth to victual; Such is the sway of your great men o'er little.

XLIX.

The whole camp rung with joy; you would have

thought

That they were going to a marriage feast (This metaphor, I think, holds good as aught, Since there is discord after both at least):

(1) ["Les succès multipliés de Souwarow, sa bravoure à toute épreuve, la confidence que le soldat avait en lui, produisirent un enthousiasme général: une salve des batteries du camp et de la flotte célébrèrent son arrivée, et l'espoir du succès ranima les esprits. Les choses prennent le même jour une autre tournure; le camp se rapproche et s'établit à la portée du canon de la place; on prépare des fascines on construit des échelles, on établit des batteries nouvelles."— Hist. de la N. R. p. 206.],

There was not now a luggage boy but sought

Danger and spoil with ardour much increased; (1) And why? because a little-odd—old man, Stript to his shirt, was come to lead the van.

L.

But so it was; and every preparation
Was made with all alacrity: the first
Detachment of three columns took its station,
And waited but the signal's voice to burst
Upon the foe: the second's ordination

Was also in three columns, with a thirst
For glory gaping o'er a sea of slaughter:
The third, in columns two, attack'd by water. (2)

LI.

New batteries were erected, and was held

A general council, in which unanimity,
That stranger to most councils, here prevail'd, (3)
As sometimes happens in a great extremity;
And every difficulty being dispell'd,

Glory began to dawn with due sublimity,
While Souvaroff, determined to obtain it,
Was teaching his recruits to use the bayonet. (4)

(1) [“ L'ardeur de Souwarow, son incroyable activité, son mépris des dangers, sa presque certitude de réussir, son âme enfin s'est communiquée à l'armée; il n'est pas jusqu'au dernier goujat qui ne désire d'obtenir l'honneur de monter à l'assaut." Hist. de la N. R. p. 206.]

(2) [La première attaque était composée de trois colonnes-trois autres colonnes, destinées à la seconde attaque, avaient pour chefs, &c.— la troisième attaque par eau n'avoit que deux colonnes."- Ibid. p. 207.

(3) [" On construisit de nouvelles batteries le 18e. On tint un conseil de guerre, on y examina les plans pour l'assaut; ils réunirent tous les souffrages."— Ibid. p. 208.]

(4) Fact: Suwaroff did this in person,

LII.

It is an actual fact, that he, commander

In chief, in proper person deign'd to drill The awkward squad, and could afford to squander His time, a corporal's duty to fulfil; Just as you'd break a sucking salamander To swallow flame, and never take it ill: He show'd them how to mount a ladder (which Was not like Jacob's) or to cross a ditch.(1)

LIII.

Also he dress'd up, for the nonce, fascines

Like men with turbans, scimitars, and dirks, And made them charge with bayonet these machines, By way of lesson against actual Turks; (2) And when well practised in these mimic scenes, He judged them proper to assail the works; At which your wise men sneer'd in phrases witty: He made no answer; but he took the city.

LIV.

Most things were in this posture on the eve
Of the assault, and all the camp was in
A stern repose; which you would scarce conceive;
Yet men resolved to dash through thick and thin
Are very silent when they once believe

That all is settled:- there was little din,

For some were thinking of their home and friends, And others of themselves and latter ends.

(1) ["Le 19e et le 20°, Souwarow exerça les soldats; il leur montra comment il fallait s'y prendre pour escalader; il enseigna aux recrues la manière de donner le coup de baïonette."- Hist. de la N. R. p. 208.]:

(2) ["Pour ces exercices d'un nouveau genre, il se servit de fascines disposées de manière à représenter un Turc."— Ibid. p. 208.].