Page:The Annual Register 1758.djvu/415

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Poetry.
401

Non: Frederic a vu les trames
Ourdies au ſond de vos ames:
Tous vos projets ſont conſondus.

Soldats, un ennemi parjure,
Dont l'ambition eſt la loi,
Vous ſait la plus ſanglante injure,
Il oſe attaquer votre Roi.
Il vient ſe montrer a vos portes:
Deja ſes nombreuſes cohortes
Repandent partour la terreur;
Soutenez la plus juſte cauſe,
Sur vous Frederic ſe repoſe;
Si vous l'aimez il eſt vainqueur.

Il dit. Son courage intrepide
Paſſe dans l'ame des ſoldats:
Et chacun d'eux, nouvel Alcide,
Brule de voler aux combats.
Autrichien vain & ſarouche,
Oui, l'inſolence eſt dans ta bouche,
Mais l'epouvante eſt dans ton cœur:
Francois, ta valeur ſi vantee
Devant le Pruſſien eſt glacee:
Tout diſparoit juſqu'a l'honneur.

Jadis les enſans de la terre,
Les tyrans ſiers audacieux,
Oſerent declarer la guerre
Au ſouverain maitre des dieux:
Deja leur ſureur arrogante
Levoit une main triomphante.
Jupiter tonne, ils ſont vaincus.
Toi, Frederic, en ta colere
Tu jettes um regarde ſevere,
Tes ennemis ſont eperdus.

Aux plaintes de la Germanie
L'orgueil Francois eſt ecraſe;
Frederic vole en Sileſie,
L'Autrichien eſt terraſſe
Ses ſoldats lancent ils la ſoudre?
Ils paroiſſent, tout eſt en poudre.
La victoire eſt devant leurs pas,
Non, il n'eſt rien la qui m'etonne.
Il ſaut que les ſucces couronne
Des heros que ſoutient ſon bras.

Et toi, feroce Moſcovite,
Tu crains d'affronter ſa valeur:
Une prompte et heureuſe fuite
Te ſouſtrait a ſon bras vangeur.
Va raconter dans les provinces
Que le plus auguſte de princes
A pour ſoldats des demi dieux:

Vol. I.
Que

No, Frederic ſees the latent ſnare,
And all your projects mix with air.


Soldiers, ſaid he, a lawleſs pow'r
With war profanes the peaceful hour;
Your King aſſails, invades his gates,
And ſhakes with terror all his ſtates.
Support my cauſe, my cauſe is juſt;
In you your Frederic puts his trſt;
Of all his wiſh, your love, poſſeſt,
Of conqueſt ſure, your King is bleſt.



He ſaid, and ſoon the ſacred fire
That warms his breaſt, his troops acquire.
A new Alcides now in might.
Each burns impatient for the fight.
Proud Auſtria ſtill in threats is brave,
But ſinks at heart; to fear a ſlave;
Of France the boaſted valour's fled
The Pruſſian comes, ſhe's chill'd with dread:
Even honour frighted, quits her breaſt,
Her lov'd, her long familiar gueſt.

When erſt the ſons of Earth aroſe.
Of mighty Jove th' audacious foes,
The God ſerene, in awful ſtate,
Launch'd the red bolt, their inſtant fate;
So when with headlong fury fir'd.
To Frederic's crown his foes aſpir'd,
The hero frown'd with martial grace,
And ſwift they vaniſh'd from the place.



Germania ſighs, her voice is heard,
And France chaſtis'd, no more is fear'd;
To aid Sileſia, Frederic flies,
And low on earth proud Auſtria lies.
Does Jove his troops with thunder truſt?
They march—and foes and tow'rs are duſt.
Before them Vict'ry wings her way,
And ſtays where'er the heroes ſtay.
What ſecret cauſe theſe wonders breeds?
No wonders theſe — For Frederic leads.

Fierce Ruſſia fear'd his piercing fight.
And ſav'd her troops by timely flight.
Ye fugitives, proclaim around
What demi-gods combin'd ye found;



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