Percy Bysshe Shelley - Lines Written During The Castlereagh Administration lyrics

[Published by Medwin, "The Athenaeum", December 8, 1832; reprinted, "Poetical Works", 1839. There is a transcript amongst the Harvard man*scripts, and another in the possession of Mr. C.W. Frederickson of Brooklyn. Variants from these two sources are given by Professor Woodberry, "Complete Poetical Works of P. B. S.", Centenary Edition, 1893, volume 3 pages 225, 226. The transcripts are referred to in our footnotes as Harvard and Fred. respectively.] 1. Corpses are cold in the tomb; Stones on the pavement are dumb; Abortions are dead in the womb, And their mothers look pale—like the d**h-white shore Of Albion, free no more. 2. Her sons are as stones in the way— They are ma**es of senseless clay— They are trodden, and move not away,— The abortion with which SHE travaileth Is Liberty, smitten to d**h. 3. Then trample and dance, thou Oppressor! For thy victim is no redresser; Thou art sole lord and possessor Of her corpses, and clods, and abortions—they pave Thy path to the grave. 4. Hearest thou the festival din Of d**h, and Destruction, and Sin, And Wealth crying "Havoc!" within? 'Tis the bacchan*l triumph that makes Truth dumb, Thine Epithalamium. 5. Ay, marry thy ghastly wife! Let Fear and Disquiet and Strife Spread thy couch in the chamber of Life! Marry Ruin, thou Tyrant! and Hell be thy guide To the bed of the bride!