England's Heart

England's heart! Oh never fear
  The sturdy good old stock;
Nothing's false or hollow here,
  But solid as a rock:
England's heart is sound enough,
  And safe in its old place,
Honest, loyal, blithe, and bluff,
  And open as her face!

England's heart!  With beating nerves
  It rallies for the throne,--
And, with Luther, well preserves
  The knee for God alone:
England's heart is sound enough,
  Unshaken and serene,
Like her oak-trees true and tough
  And old,-- but glad and green.

England's heart!  All Europe hurl'd
  To ruin, strife, and dearth,
Sees yet one Zoar in the world,
  The Goshen of the earth;
England's heart is sound enough,--
  And -- though the skies be dark,
Though winds be loud, and waves be rough --
  Safe, as Noah's ark!

England's heart, -- ay, God be praised,
  That thus, in patriot pride,
An English cheer can yet be raised
  Above the stormy tide:
Safe enough, and sound enough,
  It thrills the heart to feel
A man's a bit of English stuff,
  True from head to heel!