With ekes and alsos tack thy strain,
Great bard; and sing the deathless prince, Who lost Namur the same campaign,
He bought Dixmuyd, and plunder'd Deynse.
I'll hold ten pound my dream is out: I'd tell it you, but for the rattle Of those confounded drums; no doubt Yon bloody rogues intend a battle. Dear me ! a hundred thousand French With terror fill the neighb'ring field: While William carries on the trench,
Till both the town and castle yield. Villeroy to Boufflers should advance, Says Mars, through cannons' mouths in fire; Id est, one mareschal of France
Tells t'other, he can come no nigher.
Regain the lines the shortest way, Villeroy; or to Versailles take post; For, having seen it, thou canst say
The steps, by which Namur was lost. The smoke and flame may vex thy sight: Look not once back: but as thou goest, Quicken the squadrons in their flight,
And bid the d-1 take the slowest. Think not what reason to produce, From Louis to conceal thy fear : He'll own the strength of thy excuse;
Tell him that William was but there.
Contemplez dans la tempeste,
Qui sort de ces boulevars, La plume qui sur sa teste Attire tous les regards. A cet astre redoubtable Toujours un sort favorable S'attache dans les combats: Et toujours avec la gloire Mars amenant la Victoire Vole, et le suit à grands pas.
Grands défenseurs de l'Espagne, Montrez-vous : il en est temps: Courage; vers la Mahagne Voilà vos drapeaux flottans. Jamais ses ondes craintives
N'ont veû sur leurs foibles rives Tant de guerriers s'amasser. Courez donc qui vous retarde? Tout l'univers vous regarde. N'osez-vous la traverser?
Loin de fermer le
A vos nombreux bataillons,
Luxembourg a du rivage Reculé ses pavillons.
Quoy? leur seul aspect vous glace? Où sont ces chefs pleins d'audace, Jadis si prompts à marcher, Qui devoient de la Tamise, Et de la Drâve soûmise,
Jusqu'à Paris nous chercher ?
Now let us look for Louis' feather, That us'd to shine so like a star: The gen❜rals could not get together, Wanting that influence, great in war. O Poet! thou hadst been discreeter,
Hanging the monarch's hat so high; If thou hadst dubb'd thy star a meteor, That did but blaze, and rove, and die.
To animate the doubtful fight,
Namur in vain expects that ray : In vain France hopes, the sickly light Should shine near William's fuller day: It knows Versailles, its proper station; Nor cares for any foreign sphere: Where you see Boileau's constellation, Be sure no danger can be near.
The French had gather'd all their force; And William met them in their way: Yet off they brush'd, both foot and horse. What has friend Boileau left to say ? When his high Muse is bent upon't, To sing her king-that great commander, Or on the shores of Hellespont,
Or in the valleys near Scamander Would it not spoil his noble task,
If any foolish Phrygian there is Impertinent enough to ask,
How far Namur may be from Paris.
voy monter nos cohortes,
La flame et le fer en main:
Et sur les monceaux de piques,
De corps morts, de rocs, de briques, S'ouvrir un large chemin.
C'en est fait. Je viens d'entendre Sur ces rochers éperdus
Battre un signal pour se rendre: Le feu cesse. Ils sont rendus. Dépouillez votre arrogance, Fiers ennemis de la France, Et desormais gracieux, Allez à Liege, à Bruxelles, Porter les humbles nouvelles De Namur pris à vos yeux,
Two stanzas more before we end,
Of death, pikes, rocks, arms, bricks, and fire: Leave them behind you, honest friend;
And with your countrymen retire. Your ode is spoilt; Namur is freed;
For Dixmuyd something yet is due: So good Count Guiscard may proceed;1 But Boufflers, Sir, one word with you-
'Tis done. In sight of these commanders, Who neither fight, nor raise the siege, The foes of France march safe through Flanders; Divide to Bruxelles, or to Liege.
Send, Fame, this news to Trianon,
That Boufflers may new honours gain: He the same play by land has shown, As Tourville did upon the main.2 Yet is the marshal made a peer!
O William, may thy arms advance; That he may lose Dinant next year, And so be constable of France.
1 Count Guiscard was commander of the town of Namur. Marshal Bouffleurs of the castle there.
2 M. de Tourville was commander of the French squadron which engaged Admiral Russell in 1692, off La Hogue.
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