English Poetry II: From Collins to Fitzgerald.
The Harvard Classics. 1909–14. |
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| 401. We Must Be Free or Die |
| | | William Wordsworth (1770–1850) |
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| IT is not to be thought of that the flood | |
| Of British freedom, which, to the open sea | |
| Of the world’s praise, from dark antiquity | |
| Hath flowed, ‘with pomp of waters, unwithstood,’ | |
| Roused though it be full often to a mood | 5 |
| Which spurns the check of salutary bands, | |
| That this most famous Stream in bogs and sands | |
| Should perish; and to evil and to good | |
| Be lost for ever. In our halls is hung | |
| Armoury of the invincible knights of old: | 10 |
| We must be free or die, who speak the tongue | |
| That Shakespeare spoke: the faith and morals hold | |
| Which Milton held.—In everything we are sprung | |
| Of Earth’s first blood, have titles manifold. | |
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