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Transcription of Page 5
This is a song I learnt at school, one of our patriotic songs of the England I knew as a child:—
Oh! peaceful England —
While I my watch am keeping
Thou, like Monerva, weary of war are sleeping.
Sleep on a little while,
And in thy slumber smile
Thou wilt awake & feild destruction when I call thee.
Sword & buckle by thy side
Rest on the shore of battle-tide
Which like the ever-hungry sea
Howls round this isle.
Oh! sleep till I awaken thee,
And in thy slumber smile.
I didn't know what it meant then but it was explained to me, that England was a peaceful country until attacked. Then she would rise up & slay her enemies! You see darling many countries had tried to invade this country but few had succeeded & had always eventually been driven out.