תמונות בעמוד
PDF
ePub

The British general dooms the fight; his sword
Dreadful he draws; the captains wait the word.
Anne and St. George the charging hero cries:
Shrill echo from the neighbouring wood replies
Anne and St. George.-At that aufpicious fign
The standards move; the adverse armies join.
Of eight great hours, Time measures out the fands;
And Europe's fate in doubtful balance stands:
The ninth, Victoria comes: — o'er Marlborough's-

head

[ocr errors]

Confefs'd fhe fits; the hoftile troops recede :
Triumphs the Goddess, from her promise freed.
The eagle, by the British lion's might
Unchain'd and free, directs her upward flight:
Nor did fhe e'er with ftronger pinions foar
From Tyber's bank, than now from Danube's fhore.
Fir'd with the thoughts which these ideas raise,
And great ambition of my country's praise ;
The English Muse should like the Mantuan rife,
Scornful of earth and clouds, fhould reach the skies,
With wonder (though with envy ftill) pursued by

human eyes.

But we must change the ftyle-juft now I faid,
I ne'er was mafter of the tuneful trade;

Or the fmall genius which my youth could boaft,
In profe and business lies extinct and loft:
Bless'd, if I may fome younger Muse excite;
Point out the game, and animate the flight;

That, from Marseilles to Calais, France may know,
As we have conquerors, we have poets too;

And either laurel does in Britain grow;

2

That,

That, though among ourselves, with too much heat,
We sometimes wrangle, when we fhould debate
(A confequential ill which freedom draws;
A bad effect, but from a noble caufe);
We can with univerfal zeal advance,
To curb the faithless arrogance of France;
Nor ever fhall Britannia's fons refuse
To answer to thy Mafter or thy Mufe;
Nor want juft fubject for victorious strains,
While Marlborough's arm eternal laurels gains;
And where old Spenfer fung, a new Eliza reigns.

UPON THIS PASSAGE IN THE SCALIGERIANA.

[ocr errors]

"Les Allemans ne ce foucient pas quel Vin ils boivent pourveu que ce foit Vin, ni quel Latin ils parlent 66 pourveu que ce foit Latin."

WHEN you with High-Dutch Heeren dine,

Expect falfe Latin, and stumm'd wine:

They never taste, who always drink;
They always talk, who never think.

то

[blocks in formation]

LORDS, knights, and 'fquires, the numerous band,

That wear the fair Mifs Mary's fetters,

Were fummon'd by her high command,
To fhew their paffions by their letters.

II.

My pen amongst the reft I took,

Left those bright eyes that cannot read
Should dart their, kindling fires, and look
The power they have to be obey'd.
III.

Nor quality, nor reputation,

Forbid me yet my flame to tell;
Dear five years old befriends my paffion,

[blocks in formation]

For, while fhe makes her filk-worms beds

With all the tender things I fwear; Whilft all the house my paffion reads, In papers round her baby's hair;

She

V.

may receive and own my flame,

For, though the ftricteft prudes fhould know it,

She'll pafs for a most virtuous dame,

And I for an unhappy poet.

VOL. XXXIII.

C

VI. Then

VI.

Then too, alas! when fhe fhall tear
The lines fome younger rival fends;

She'll give me leave to write, I fear,
And we fhall ftill continue friends.
VII.

For, as our différent ages move,

'Tis fo ordain'd, (would Fate but mend it!) That I shall be past making love, When the begins to comprehend it.

PARTIAL

I.

FAME.

THE fturdy Man, if he in love obtains,
In open pomp and triumph reigns:

The fubtile Woman, if fhe fhould fucceed,
Difowns the honour of the deed.

II.

Though He, for all his boaft, is forc'd to yield,
Though She can always keep the field:

He vaunts his conquests, she conceals her shame;
How partial is the voice of Fame !

FOR

FOR THE

PLAN OF A FOUNTAIN,

ON WHICH ARE

The Effigies of the QUEEN on a Triumphal Arch;

The Figure of the DUKE of MARLBOROUGH beneath;

AND

The chief Rivers of the World round the whole Work.

YE

E active ftreams, where'er your waters flow,
Let diftant climes and furtheft nations know

What ye

from Thames and Danube have been taught, How Anne commanded, and how Marlborough fought.

Quocunque æterno properatis, flumina, lapfu,
Divifis latè terris, populifque remotis,

Dicite, nam vobis Tamefis narravit & Ifter,
Anna quid imperiis potuit, quid Marlburus armis.

THE

CAMEL E O N.

S the Cameleon, who is known

[ocr errors]

To have no colours of his own; But borrows from his neighbour's hue His white or black, his green or blue;

[blocks in formation]
« הקודםהמשך »