Transcription
THE MINERS’ SONG.
Sung by Mr. Fox in the celebrated SIEGE OF VALENCIENNES, now performing at ASTLEY’s.
In the bowels of the earth,
We miners take our birth;
Secure from prying eyes, our fatal work prepare:
And soon we’ll make the foe,
Our mighty calling know,
And blow them, and blow them, to atoms in the air!
And blow them, &c.
The faithful compass see,
Direct us where to be,
To countermine the art of Britain’s daring foe:
Now, haughty Gauls, beware,
For not a man we’ll spare,
But to atoms, to atoms, the garrison we’ll blow!
But to atoms, &c.
The business goes on well,
We see the waters swell;
The foe can’t counteract, we’ve made it plain appear:
Now, now, prepare to spring,
For mischief’s on the wing,
And death and certain death, and certain death is near!
And death, &c.
Now, now, we’ll soon enshroud,
With sulphur ev’ry cloud;
And soon their cover’d way, in ruins we’ll display!
With sword in hand proceed,
And storm the breach with speed;
Brave Leigh* and Abercrombie, with Doyle, lead us the way.
Brave Leigh, &c.
*Through the whole of this song, the Poet finely preserves the sense of the action, and colours the more striking incidents with that energetic glow, which is sure to discover the penciling of a great master. The well-timed compliment in the last stanza, to the gallant Officers, who made so conspicuous a figure at the siege, is happily conceived and effected.
