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Behold where now the lies, depriv'd of breath! Charming though pale, and beautiful in death! troop of weeping Virgins by her fide;

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With all the pomp of woe and forrows pride!
O, early loft! O, fitter to be led

In chearful fplendor to the bridal-bed,
Than thus conducted to th' untimely tomb,
A fpotlefs virgin in her beauty's bloom!
Whatever hopes fuperior merit gave,

Let me, at least, embrace thee in the grave;
On thy cold lips imprint a dying kiss:

O that thy coyness could refuse me this!
Such melting tears upon thy limbs I'll pour,
Shall thaw their numbness, and thy warmth restore,
Claspt to my glowing breast, thou may'st revive ;
I'll breathe fuch tender fighs fhall make thee live,
Or, if feverer fates that aid deny,

If thou canst not revive, yet I may die.
In one cold grave together may be laid
The trueft lover and the loveliest maid.
Then fhall I ceafe to grieve, and not before;
Then fhall I ceafe fair Delia to deplore.

But fee, thofe dreadful objects difappear!
The fun fhines out, and all the heavens are clear:
The warring winds are hufh'd, the fea ferene;
And nature, foften'd, fhifts her angry fcene.
What means this fudden change? methinks I hear
Melodious mufic from the heavenly sphere!
Liften, ye fhepherds, and devour the found!
Liften; the faint, the lovely faint, is crown'd!

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While we,

mistaken in our joy and grief, Bewail her fate, who wants not our relief: From the pleas'd orbs fhe views us here below, And with kind pity wonders at our woe.

Ah, charming faint! fince thou art blefs'd above, Indulge thy lovers, and forgive their love.

Forgive their tears, who, prefs'd with grief and care, Feel not thy joys, but feel their own despair.

ODE III. BOOK III.

HORACE, ODE III.

THE

IMITATE D, 1705.

1.

HE man that 's refolute and juft,
Firm to his principles and trust,
Nor hopes nor fears can blind;
No paffions his defigns control,
Not Love, that tyrant of the foul,
Can shake his fteddy mind.

II.

Not parties for revenge engag'd,
Nor threatenings of a court enrag'd,
Nor ftorms where fleets defpair;

Not thunder pointed at his head;

The fhatter'd world may ftrike him dead,
Not touch his foul with fear.

III.

From this the Grecian glory rofe,

By this the Romans aw'd their foes:
Of this their poets fing.

Thefe

These were the paths their heroes trod,
These acts made Hercules a god;
And great Nassau a king.

IV.

Firm on the rolling deck he stood,
Unmov'd, beheld the breaking flood,
With blackening storms combin'd.
"Virtue, he cry'd, will force its way;
"The wind may for a while delay,
"Not alter our design.

V.

"The men whom selfish hopes inflame, "Or vanity allures to fame,

"May be to fears betray'd: "But here a church for fuccour flies, “Infulted law expiring lies,

"And loudly calls for aid.

VI.

"Yes, Britons, yes, with ardent zeal,
"I come, the wounded heart to heal,
"The wounded hand to bind :
"See tools of arbitrary sway,

"And priests, like locufts, scout away
"Before the western wind.

VII.

"Law fhall again her force refume;

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Religion, clear'd from clouds of Rome,

"With brighter rays advance.

"The British fleet shall rule the deep,

"The British youth, as rous'd from sleep, "Strike terror into France.

VIII.

VIII.

"Nor fhall these promises of fate

"Be limited to my short date:

"When I from cares withdraw, "Still fhall the British fceptre stand, "Still flourish in a female hand,

"And to mankid give law.

1X.

"She fhall domeftic foes unite,

"Monarchs beneath her flags fhall fight,

"Whole armies drag her chain :

"She fhall loft Italy restore,
"Shall make th' imperial eagle foar,
"And give a king to Spain.

X.

"But know, these promises are given, "These great rewards impartial heaven "Does on thefe terms decree;

"That, strictly punishing mens faults, "You let their confciences and thoughts "Reft abfolutely free.

XI.

"Let no falfe politicks confine,

"In narrow bounds, your vast defign

"To make mankind unite ;

Nor think it a fufficient caufe

To punish man by penal laws, "For not believing right.

XII.

"Rome, whose blind zeal destroys mankind; "Rome's fons fhall your compaffion find,

Who ne'er compaffion knew.

"By

"By nobler actions theirs condemn : For what has been reproach'd in them, "Can ne'er be prais'd in you."

XII.

Thefe fubjects fuit not with the lyre;
Mufe! to what height doft thou afpire,

Pretending to rehearse

The thoughts of gods, and god-like kings?
Ceafe, ceafe to leffen lofty things

By mean ignoble verse.

THE GOLDEN AGE RESTORED, 1703.

An Imitation of the FOURTH ECLOGUE of VIRGIL:

Supposed to have been taken from a Sibylline Prophecy. }

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SICILI

Paulò majora canamus."

LIAN Mufe, begin a loftier flight;
Not all in trees and lowly fhrubs delight:

Or if your rural shades you still pursue,

Make your

fhades fit for able statesmens view.

The time is come, by ancient Bards foretold,
Restoring the Saturnian age of gold;
The vile, degenerate, whiggifh offspring ends,
Ahigh-church progeny from heaven defcends.

O learned

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