Charles Dibdin

1745-1814 / Great Britain

The Briton's Alphabet

A stands for Albion, the Queen of the Main;
B for the Britons she boasts in her train
C for the Consul invasion who drums;
And D for the drubbing he'll get when he comes.
E stands for the Ensign of Britain unfurl'd,
And F for her Fleets, which defy all the world;
Next G both for Granville and Gun-boats will tell,
And H for the Heroes who pepper'd 'em well.

I stands for Invasion, that won't stand at all,
K stands for the King, who stands up for us all;
L for Liberty stands, and our King will defend it
From M that's the Murd'rer of Jaffa, who'd end it.
N is NELSON, of whom our foes sadly complain,
O is Ocean, where often he'll beat 'em again;
P our Press, at whose freedom friend BONY looks grim,
But attacking it, Q's a Quietus for him.
R means our Roast-Beef, which no Frenchman shall touch,
And S is Sir SIDNEY, who'll shew 'em as much;
As our Tars and their Triumphs, T nobly appears,
While V stands as glorious for brave Volunteers.
As our Wooden Walls, W may claim some renown,
Which our foes, to invade us, must climb or knock down;
Then X, Y, and Z, means my song's at an end,
As all Frenchmen will soon be, to land who pretend.
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