Thou vexed Atlantic, who hast lately seen
Britain's vain thunder on her offspring hurled,
And the blind parent, in her frantic spleen,
Pouring weak vengeance on a filial world!
Thou, whose rough bilows in loud fury curled,
Have roared indignant under many a keel;
And while contention all her sails unfurled,
Have groaned the weight of ill-starred war to feel;
Now let thy placid waters gaily bear
A freight far differing from blood-thirsty steel;
See Hayley now to cross thy flood prepare,
A female merchant, fraught with friendly zeal!
Give her kind gales, ye spirits of the air,
Kind as her heart, and as her purpose fair!
Britain's vain thunder on her offspring hurled,
And the blind parent, in her frantic spleen,
Pouring weak vengeance on a filial world!
Thou, whose rough bilows in loud fury curled,
Have roared indignant under many a keel;
And while contention all her sails unfurled,
Have groaned the weight of ill-starred war to feel;
Now let thy placid waters gaily bear
A freight far differing from blood-thirsty steel;
See Hayley now to cross thy flood prepare,
A female merchant, fraught with friendly zeal!
Give her kind gales, ye spirits of the air,
Kind as her heart, and as her purpose fair!