Aphra Behn: No rough sound of war’s alarms

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Anti-war essays, poems, short stories and literary excerpts

British writers on peace and war

Women writers on peace and war

Aphra Behn: The pen triumphs over the sword

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Aphra Behn
From The Golden Age

Blest Age! when ev’ry Purling Stream
Ran undisturb’d and clear…

Then no rough sound of Wars Alarms,
Had taught the World the needless use of Arms…

Right and Property were words since made,
When Power taught Mankind to invade:
When Pride and Avarice became a Trade;
Carri’d on by discord, noise and wars,
For which they barter’d wounds and scarrs;
And to Inhaunce the Merchandize, miscall’d it, Fame,
And Rapes, Invasions, Tyrannies,
Was gaining of a Glorious Name:
Stiling their salvage slaughters, Victories…