45 

STANZAS 

BY LORD F.L. GOWER, 

ON THE EXECUTION MILITAIRE, 

A PRINT FROM A PICTURE BY VLGNERON 

It exhibits the moment when the condemned soldier kneels to receive the file of the
party appointed to be his executioners. His friends, and the priest, are seen retiring.
His dog, whom he is endeavoring to shake off, still fawns upon him, and seems desirous
to share his fate. 

His doom has been decreed,
He has own’d the fatal deed,
   And it’s forfeit is here to abide:
No mercy now can save,
They have dug the soldiers grave,
And the hapless and the brave
   Kneels beside.

No bandage wraps his eye,
He is kneeling there to die,
   Unblinded, undaunted, alone.
His parting prayer ceased,
And his comrade, and his priest,
From their gloomy task released,-
   Both are gone.

His kindred are not near
The fatal shot to hear,
   They can but weep the deed when ‘tis done. 

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They would shriek, and wail, and pray,
It is good for him to-day
That his friends are far away,
   -All but one! 

In mute, but wild despair,
The Faithful hound is there;
   He has reached his masters side with a spring.
To the hand which rear’d and fed,
Till the ebbing pulse has fled,
Till that hand is cold and dead,
   He will cling.

What art, lure or wile,
That one can now beguile
   From the side of his master and friend?
He has burst his cord in twain;
To the arm which strives in vain
To repel him, he will strain
   To the end.

The tear-drop who shall blame,
Though it dim the veteran’s aim,
   Though each breast along the line heave the sigh?
Yet’t were cruel now to save,
And together in the grave,
The faithful and the brave,
   Let them lie.