One gave me life, but would no comfort grant ;
She more than life refum'd by giving want.
Would the the being which the gave destroy?
My queen gives life, and bids me hope for joy.
Honours and wealth I cheerfully refign,
If competence, if learned eafe, be mine;
If I by mental heartfelt joys be fir'd,
And in the vale by all the Muse infpir'd!

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Here cease my plaint-See yon' enliv'ning scenes!
Child of the Spring! behold the best of Queens!
Softnefs and beauty rose this heav'nly morn,
Dawn'd wisdom, and Benevolence was born.
Joy o'er a people in her influence rofe,

Like that which Spring o'er rural nature throws.
War to the peaceful pipe resigns his roar,
And breaks his billows on fome diftant fhore.
Domestic difcord finks beneath her smile,

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And arts, and trade, and plenty, glad the isle.

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Lo! Industry surveys, with feasted eyes,

His due reward, a plenteous harvest rise!

Nor (taught by Commerce) joys in that alone,
But fees the harvest of a world his own.

Hence thy juft praise, thou mild, majestic, Thames!85
Rich River! richer than Pactolus' streams!
Than those renown'd of yore, by poets roll'd

O'er intermingled pearls and fands of gold:

How glorious thou! when from old Ocean's urn, Loaded with India's wealth, thy waves return! 90

Alive thy banks! along each bord'ring line,
High-cultur'd blooms, inviting villas fhine;
And while around ten thousand beauties glow,
These still o'er those redoubling luftre throw.

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"Come then, (fo whisper'd the indulgent Mufe) "Come then, in Richmond groves thy forrows lofe! "Come then, and hymn this day! The pleafing scene "Shews in each view the genius of thy queen. "Hear Nature whisp'ring in the breeze her fong! 99

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Hear her fweet-warbling thro' the feather'd throng! "Come! with the warbling world thy notes unite, "And with the vegetative fimile delight! "Sure fuch a scene and fong will foon restore "Loft quiet, and give blifs unknown before; "Receive it grateful, and adore, when giv'n, "The goodness of thy parent, Queen, and Heav'n! "With me each private virtue lifts the voice, "While public spirit bids a land rejoice; "O'er all thy queen's benevolence descends, "And wide o'er all her vital light extends. "As winter foftens into spring, to you "Blooms Fortune's season, thro' her smile, anew, "Still for past bounty, let new lays impart "The sweet effufions of a grateful heart! "Caft thro' the telescope of hope your eye, "There Goodness infinite, supreme, descry! "From him that ray of virtue stream'd on earth, "Which kindled Caroline's bright foul to birth. Volume II

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"Behold! he spreads one univerfal spring!
"Mortals, transform'd to angels, then shall fing;
Oppreffion then shall fly with want and fhame,

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And bleffing and existence be the fame!”

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THE VOLUNTEER LAUREAT.

A POEM

ON HER MAJESTY'S BIRTH-DAY, 1735-6.

No V.

Lo! the mild fun falutes the op'ning spring,
And gladd'ning Nature calls the Mufe to fing;
Gay chirp the birds, the bloomy fweets exhale,
And health, and fong, and fragrance, fill the gale.
Yet mildeft funs to me are pain fevere,
And Mufic's felf is difcord to my ear!

I jocund Spring unfympathifing fee,

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And health, that comes to all, comes not to me.
Dear Health! once fied, what spirits can I find!
What folace meet, when fled my peace of mind? 10
From abfent books what ftudious hint devife?
From abfent friends what aid to thought can rife?

A Genius whisper'd in my ear-"Go feek
"Some man of ftate!The Mufe your wrongs may
But will fuch liften to the plaintive strain? [speak."
The happy feldom heed th' unhappy's pain.
To wealth, to honours, wherefore was I born?
Why left to poverty, repulfe, and scorn?

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Why was I form'd of elegant defires?
Thought which beyond a vulgar flight afpires!
Why by the proud and wicked crush'd to earth!
Better the day of death than day of birth!

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Thus I exclaim'd: a little cherub fmil'd;

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Hope, I am call'd," faid he, "a heav'n-born child! "Wrongs fure you have; complain you justly may; "But let wild forrow whirl not thought away! 26 "No-trust to honour! that you ne'er will stain "From peerage-blood, which fires your filial vein. "Truft more to Providence! from me ne'er swerve! "Once to diftruft is never to deferve.

"Did not this day a Caroline disclose?

"I promis'd at her birth, and blessing rose !

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(Bleffing o'er all the letter'd world to shine, "In knowledge clear, beneficence divine!)

Tis her's, as mine, to chafe away despair; "Woe undeferv'd is her peculiar care: "Her bright benevolence fends me to grief, "On Want sheds bounty, and on Wrong relief." Then calm-ey'd Patience, born of angel-kind, Open'd a dawn of comfort on my mind: With her came Fortitude, of godlike air! These arm to conquer ills, at least to bear.

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Arm'd thus, my Queen! while wayward Fates ordain
My life to lengthen, but to lengthen pain,
Your bard his forrows with a fmile endures,
Since to be wretched is to be made your's.

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THE VOLUNTEER LAUREAT.

AN ODE

ON HER MAJESTY'S BIRTH-DAY, 1736-7.

No VI.

YE Spirits bright! that ether rove,
That breathe the vernal foul of love,
Bid Health defcend in balmy dews,-
And life in ev'ry gale diffufe,

'That give the flow'rs to fhine, the birds to fing;
Oh! glad this natal day, the prime of spring!

'The virgin fnowdrop first appears,

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Her golden head the crocus rears;

The flow'ry tribe profuse and gay,

Spread to the foft, inviting ray.

So arts fhall bloom by Carolina's smile,

So fhall her fame waft fragrance o'er the isle.

'The warblers various, fweet, and clear,

From bloomy fprays falute the year.
O Mufe! awake; afcend and fing,
Hail the fair rival of the fpring!

To woodland honours woodland hymns belong;

To her, the pride of arts! the Muse's fong.

Kind, as of late her clement sway,

The feafon sheds a tepid ray,

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