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THOUGHT OF A BRITON ON THE SUBJUGATION OF SWITZERLAND by WILLIAM WORDSWORTH

Poet Analysis

First Line: TWO VOICES ARE THERE; ONE IS OF THE SEA
Last Line: AND NEITHER AWFUL VOICE BE HEARD BY THEE!
Subject(s): ENGLAND; FREEDOM; NAPOLEON I (1769-1821); SWITZERLAND; ENGLISH; LIBERTY; SWISS;

TWO voices are there: one is of the sea,
One of the mountains; each a mighty voice:
In both from age to age thou didst rejoice,
They were thy chosen music, Liberty!
There came a tyrant, and with holy glee
Thou fought'st against him; but hast vainly striven:
Thou from thy Alpine holds at length art driven,
Where not a torrent murmurs heard by thee.
Of one deep bliss thine ear hath been bereft:
Then cleave, O, cleave to that which still is left;
For, high-souled maid, what sorrow would it be
That mountain floods should thunder as before,
And ocean bellow from his rocky shore,
And neither awful voice be heard by thee!



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