_____The faith of a martyr, the tragedy shew'd,
_____As he trod the last stage; as he trod the last stage.
_____And Britons will shudder at gallant Hale's blood,
_____As his words do presage; as his words do presage.
_____"Thou pale king of terrors, thou life's gloomy foe,
_____Go frighten the slave; go frighten the slave;
_____Tell tyrants to you their allegiance they owe.
_____No fears for the brave; no fears for the brave."
The body of the Martyr Spy was never found.
For many years there appears to have been some
interest, but little knowledge, as to the place of
Nathan Hale's execution. During the last one
hundred and thirty-eight years, writer after writer
has described his life and all the events connected
with it as they are believed to have occurred;
and, as was inevitable under the circumstances,
some things have been written that the critical
historian cannot indorse.
Until near the end of the nineteenth century no
reliable information, even as to the place of his
execution, had been gained. The late Mr. William
Kelby, Librarian of the New York Historical
Society, "an accepted authority on all subjects of
this and kindred nature," is said to have undertaken
to locate the exact spot where it occurred,
and met with at least partial success.
Writing on the subject in 1893 he says in sub-
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