Patriotism.

Patriotism.

I hate all thraldom in my very soul,
And fain would teach my fellows the same creed:
Though laws must be, I spun that strong control
That crushes every truly-manly deed;
And I would give each patriot the meed[1] 5
Of honest praise, and love, and glory due,
When, with a hero’s heart and prophet’s voice,
He stands undaunted, having made his choice
To tear up falsehood, and defend the true.
Oh! now methinks I could freely bleed 10
To serve my country and all human kind;
Or live to teach obedience to those laws
Ordain’d for our behoof[2] by that First Cause
Whom not to serve is madness undefined.

George Markham Tweddell

p. 22 [in Miscellaneous Sonnets]
Guisbrough Exchange, June 18, 1874.
[1 A fitting reward. 2 advantage.]

Note - Patriotism was used in a different, more radical sense back in the Chartist days, to contrast with tyrants. This is the sense in which Tweddell uses the term rather than the modern understanding of the term.