The March to Moscow 775 THE MARCH TO MOSCOW THE Emperor Nap he would set off On a summer excursion to Moscow; What a splendid excursion to Moscow! Four hundred thousand men and more Princes a few, and Kings one or two; While the fields are so green, and the sky so blue, What a pleasant excursion to Moscow! There was Junot and Augereau, Dombrowsky and Poniatowsky, Marshall Ney, lack-a-day! General Rapp, and the Emperor Nap; While the fields were so green, and the sky so blue, Nothing would do For the whole of his crew, But they must be marching to Moscow. The Emperor Nap he talk'd so big He'll make all the Poles come out of their holes, And he'll certainly march to Moscow! And Counsellor Brougham was all in a fume Would presently come, With a hop, step, and jump, unto London, And from doing it nothing would come but good, They all of them knew Mr. Jeffrey's Review, It served them for law and for gospel too. But the Russians stoutly they turned to Nap had to fight his way all through; They could fight, though they could not parlez-vous; But the fields were green, and the sky was blue, Morbleu! Parbleu! And so he got to Moscow. He found the place too warm for him, To get there had cost him much ado, And then no better course he knew While the fields were green, and the sky was blue, Morbleu! Parbleu! But to march back again from Moscow. The Russians they stuck close to him The March to Moscow And Karatschkowitch, And all the others that end in itch; And all the others that end in eff: And all the others that end in off; And all the others that end in effsky; And all the others that end in offsky; A terrible man with a terrible name, 777 A name which you all know by sight very well, When parlez-vous no more would do. And then came on the frost and snow The wind and the weather he found, in that hour, For him who, while Europe crouch'd under his rod, Put his trust in his Fortune, and not in his God. Worse and worse every day the elements grew, The fields were so white and the sky was so blue, Sacrebleu! Ventrebleu! What a horrible journey from Moscow! What then thought the Emperor Nap Why, I ween he thought it small delight And so not knowing what else to do, He stole away, I tell you true,- 'Tis myself, quoth he, I must mind most; Too cold upon the road was he; And a place there is to be kept in view, Where the fire is red, and the brimstone blue, Which he must go to, If the Pope say true, If he does not in time look about him; Where his namesake almost He may have for his Host; He has reckon'd too long without him; He won't leave him there alone with his glory; Robert Southey. Half Hours with the Classics HALF HOURS WITH THE CLASSICS Ан, those hours when by-gone sages Led our thoughts through Learning's ways, Called once more to Earth the days Pensive through the land of Lotus, Still our mentor, still our guide, Of Isis and of Osiris. All the learn'd ones trooped before us, To the hemlock drinker grand. Ah, those hours of tend'rest study, Of Love's cheek once warm and ruddy, Pale with grief, with death chill cold! High our hearts beat when Cicero Back to youth I seem to glide, as 779 |