A mighty series of new time began,
And rolling years in joyful circles ran.
Then wealth the city, business fill'd the port,
To mirth our tumults turn'd, our wars to fport:
Then learning flourish'd, blooming arts did spring,
And the glad Mufes prun'd their drooping wing:
Then did our flying towers improvement know,
Who now command as far as winds can blow;
With canvafs wings round all the globe they fly,
And, built by Charles's art, all storms defy;
To every coaft with ready fails are hurl'd,
Fill us with wealth, and with our fame the world;
From whose distractions seas do us divide ;
Their riches here in floating castles ride.
We reap the fwarthy Indian's sweat and toil;
Their fruit, without the mischiefs of their foil.
Here in cool fhades their gold and pearls receive,
Free from the heat which does their luftre give.
In Perfian filks, eat Eastern spice; secure
From burning fluxes, and their calenture :
Under our vines, upon the peaceful shore,
We fee all Europe toaft, hear tempests roar :
Rapine, fword, wars, and famine, rage abroad,
While Charles their hoft, like Jove from Ida, aw'd;
Us from our foes, and from ourselves did shield,
Our towns from tumults, and from arms the field;
For when bold Faction goodness could difdain,
Unwillingly he us'd a straiter rein:
In the ftill gentle voice he lov'd to speak,
But could with thunder harden'd rebels break.
Yet though they wak'd the laws, his tender mind
Was undisturb'd, in wrath severely kind;
Tempting his power, and urging to affume;
Thus Jove in love did Semele confume.
As the ftout oak, when round his trunk the vine
Does in foft wreaths and amorous foldings twine,
Eafy and flight appears; the winds from far
Summon their noisy forces to the war :
But though fo gentle feems his outward form,
His hidden ftrenth out-braves the loudeft ftorm :
Firmer he stands, and boldly keeps the field,
Shewing ftout minds, when unprovok'd, are mild.
So when the good man made the crowd prefume,
He shew'd himself, and did the king assume :
For goodness in excefs may be a fin,
Juftice muft tame, whom mercy cannot win.
Thus winter fixes the unstable sea,
And teaches reftlefs water conftancy,
Which under the warm influence of bright days,
The fickle motion of each blast obeys.
To bridle factions, ftop rebellion's course,
By eafy methods, vanquish without force;
Relieve the good, bold stubborn foes fubdue,
Mildness in wrath, meeknefs in anger fhew,
Were arts great Charles's prudence only knew.
To fright the bad, thus awful thunder rolls,
While the bright bow fecures the faithful fouls.
Such is thy glory, Charles, thy lafting name,
Brighter than our proud neighbour's guilty fame;
More noble than the spoils that battles yield,
Or all the empty triumphs of the field.
'Tis lefs to conquer, than to make war cease,
And without fighting, awe the world to peace :
For proudest triumphs from contempt arise;
The vanquish'd first the conqueror's arms despise :
Won enfigns are the gaudy marks of scorn,
They brave the victor first, and then adorn.
But peaceful monarchs reign like gods: while none
Difpute, all love, blefs, reverence their throne.
Tigers and bears, with all the favage hoft,
May boldness, ftrength, and daring conquest boaft;
But the sweet paffions of a generous mind
Are the prerogative of human-kind;
The god-like image, on our clay impreft,
The darling attribute which heaven loves beft :
In Charles fo good a man and king, we fee
A double image of the deity.
Oh! had he more resembled it! Oh, why
Was he not ftill more like, and could not die?
Now do our thoughts alone enjoy his name,
And faint ideas of our bleffing frame !
In Thames, the Ocean's darling, England's pride,
The pleafing emblem of his reign does glide:
Thames the fupport and glory of our ifle,
Richer than Tagus, or Ægyptian Nile :
Though no rich fand in him, no pearls are found,
Yet fields rejoice, his meadows laugh around;
Lefs wealth his bofom holds, lefs guilty stores,
For he exhausts himself, t'enrich the shores.
Mild and ferene the peaceful current flows,
No angry foam, no raging furges knows;
No dreadful wrecks' upon his banks appear,
His crystal ftream unftain'd by widows tear,
His channel ftrong and eafy, deep and clear.
No arbitrary inundations sweep
The plowman's hopes, and life into the deep;
His even waters the old limits keep.
But oh! he ebbs, the fmiling waves decay,
For ever, lovely stream, for ever stay!
To the black fea his filent course does bend,
Where the best streams, the longest rivers, end.
His fpotlefs waves there undistinguish'd pass,
None fee, how clear, how bounteous, fweet, he was.
No difference now, though late fo much, is seen,
'Twixt him, fierce Rhine, and the impetuous Seine.
But lo! the joyful tide our hopes restores,
And dancing waves extend the widening fhores.
James is our Charles in all things but in name:
Thus Thames is daily loft, yet ftill the fame.
ODE on the Marriage of the Princess ANNE and Prince GEORGE of DENMARK.
WHILST black defigns (that direful work of Fate)
Distract the labouring state;
Whilft (like the fea) around loud difcords roar,
Breaking their fury on the frighted fhore;
And England does like brave Vienna stand,
Befieg'd by Infidels on either hand;
What means this peaceful train, this pompous fight?
What means this royal beauteous pair?
This troop of youths and virgins heavenly fair,
That does at once astonish and delight;
Great Charles, and his illuftrious brother here,
No bold affaffinate need fear;
Here is no harmful weapon found,
Nothing but Cupid's darts and Beauty here can wound.
How grateful does this scene appear
To us, who might too juftly fear
We never should have seen again
Aught bright, but armour on the plain!
Ne'er in their chearful garb t' have feen the fair,
While all, with melting eyes and wild dishevel'd hair,
Had mourn'd their brothers, fons, and husbands flain.
These dusky fhadows make this fcene more bright;
The horror adds to the delight.
This glorious pomp our fpirits chears; from hence
We lucky omens take, new happiness commence.
Thus when the gathering clouds a storm prepare,
And their black force affociate in the air;
(Endeavouring to eclipse the bounteous light,
Who, with kind warmth, and powerful rays,
Them to that envy'd height
From their mean native earth did raise.)
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