POE M S By MR. PRIOR. To the Right Honourable Mr. HARLEY. HORACE, 1 Ep. ix. imitated. "Septimius, Claudi, nimirum intelligit unus, "Quanti me facias, &c." DEAR Dick, howe'er it comes into his head, Believes as firmly as he does his creed, That you and I, Sir, are extremely great; VOL. II. * Richard Shelton Efquire. B From From this wild fancy, Sir, there may proceed To fhun this cenfure, I all fhame lay by ; To Mr. HARLEY, wounded by GUISCARD, 1711. "Ab ipfo HOR. "Ducit opes animumque ferro." I. IN one great now, fuperior to an age, The full extremes of Nature's force we find : How heavenly Virtue can exalt; or Rage Infernal how degrade the human mind. IE. While II. While the fierce monk does at his trial stand; The guilty stroke and torture of the steel Infix'd, our dauntless Briton scarce perceives : The wounds his country from his death must feel, The Patriot views; for thofe alone he grieves. IV. The barbarous rage that durft attempt thy life, Faithful affertor of thy country's cause, Britain with tears shall bathe thy glorious wound : She for thy fafety fhall enlarge her laws; And in her statutes shall thy worth be found. VI. Yet 'midft her fighs fhe triumphs, on the hand A ftranger to her altars, and her land- VII. Mean time thy pain is gracious Anna's care: B 2 VIII. Great as thou art, thou canft demand no more, AN EXTEMPORE INVITATION TO THE Earl of OXFORD, Lord High Treasurer, 1712. MY LORD, Ου UR weekly friends to-morrow meet To try for once if they can dine If, weary'd with the great affairs Which Britain trufts to Harley's cares, Thou, humble statesman, may'st descend, To fee thy fervant from his foul Crown with thy health the sprightly bowl: ERLE |