John Greenleaf Whittier: Collected Lyrics
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Public-domain lyrics

New Hampshire

John Greenleaf Whittier

“New Hampshire” as printed in The Complete Poetical Works of John Greenleaf Whittier (1895).

John Greenleaf Whittier: Collected Lyrics Text 93 1895 · historical text
Public domainBalladAmerican song
Complete public-domain lyrics

This text comes from The Complete Poetical Works of John Greenleaf Whittier, a historical songbook transcribed on Wikisource and reproduced from the pinned revision linked below.

Verse 1

God bless New Hampshire! from her granite peaks

Once more the voice of Stark and Langdon speaks.

The long-bound vassal of the exulting South

For very shame her self-forged chain has broken;

Torn the black seal of slavery from her mouth,

And in the clear tones of her old time spoken!

Oh, all undreamed-of, all unhoped-for changes!

The tyrant’s ally proves his sternest foe;

To all his biddings, from her mountain ranges,

New Hampshire thunders an indignant No!

Who is it now despairs? Oh, faint of heart,

Look upward to those Northern mountains cold,

Flouted by Freedom’s victor-flag unrolled,

And gather strength to bear a manlier part!

All is not lost. The angel of God’s blessing

Encamps with Freedom on the field of fight;

Still to her banner, day by day, are pressing

Unlooked-for allies, striking for the right!

Courage, then, Northern hearts! Be firm, be true:

What one brave State hath done, can ye not also do?

Credits

Written by John Greenleaf Whittier

Words by John Greenleaf Whittier. Historical text published in The Complete Poetical Works of John Greenleaf Whittier (1895); public domain. No claim to a modern recording or arrangement.

Source & text edition

The Complete Poetical Works of John Greenleaf Whittier (1895), “New Hampshire”

Every text in this 1895 collected edition is by John Greenleaf Whittier (1807-1892), who died more than 133 years ago, so the text is in the public domain worldwide; the edition carries a Wikisource PD-old determination.

How to read this historical text and its source

Read the source on Wikisource

View copyright evidence · Transcription terms (CC BY-SA 4.0)

Retrieved 2026-10-27. Line spacing and section labels are adapted for reading. The displayed text follows the linked edition. Editorial notes and abstract artwork are by 52lyrics.
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