And then no clown beneath the sky Was e'er more ungallant than I;
alone I now think fit
To turn a poet and a wit
For you whofe charms, I know not how, Have power to smooth my wrinkled brow, And make me, though by nature stupid, As brisk, and as alert, as Cupid. Thefe obligations to repay, Whene'er your happy nuptial day Shall with the circling years return, For you my torch fhall brighter burn Than when you firft my power ador'd, Nor will I call myself your lord, But am (as witness this my hand) Your humble fervant at command.
Dear child let Hymen not beguile You, who are fuch a judge of style, To think that he thefe verfes made, Without an abler penman's aid; Obferve them well, you'll plainly see, That every line was writ by me.
UCH were the notes that struck the wondering ear
Of filent Night, when, on the verdant banks Of Siloë's hallow'd brook, celestial harps, According to feraphic voices, fung
Glory to God on high, and on the earth Peace and good-will to men !-Refume the lyre, Chauntress divine, and every Briton call Its melody to hear-fo fhall thy ftrains, More powerful than the song of Orpheus, tame The favage heart of brutal Vice, and bend At pure Religion's fhrine the stubborn knees Of bold Impiety.-Greece fhall no more Of Lesbian Sappho boast, whose wanton Mufe, Like a falfe Syren, while the charm'd, feduc'd To guilt and ruin. For the facred head Of Britain's poetefs, the Virtues twine A nobler wreath, by them from Eden's grove Unfading gather'd, and direct the hand
HE Gods, on thrones celeftial seated,
By Jove with bowls of nectar heated, All on Mount Edgecumbe turn'd their eyes; "That place is mine," great Neptune cries: "Behold! how proud o'er all the main "Those stately turrets feem to reign! "No views fo grand on earth you see ! "The master too belongs to me : "I grant him my domain to share,
"I bid his hand my trident bear."
"The fea is yours, but mine the land," "by me were plann'd
"Thofe towers, that hospital, those docks, "That fort, which crowns those island rocks: "The lady too is of my choir,
"I taught her hand to touch the lyre; "With every charm her mind I grac'd, ་་ I gave her prudence, knowledge, taste." "Hold, madam," interrupted Venus, "The lady must be shar'd between us : "And furely mine is yonder grove, "So fine, fo dark, fo fit for love; "Trees, fuch as in th' Idalian glade, "Or Cyprian lawn, my palace shade." Then Oreads, Dryads, Naiads, came; Each Nymph alledg'd her lawful claim.
But Jove, to finish the debate,
Thus fpoke, and what he speaks is fate : "Nor god nor goddess, great or small, "That dwelling his or hers may call; "I made Mount Edgecumbe for
TO THE DOWAGER DUCHESS D'AIGUILLON,
7 HEN Peace fhall, on her downy wing, To France and England Friendship bring, Come, Aiguillon, and here receive That homage we delight to give To foreign talents, foreign charms, To worth which Envy's felf difarms Of jealous hatred: Come, and love That nation which you now approve. So fhall by France amends be made (If fuch a debt can e'er be paid) For having with feducing art
From Britain ftol'n her Hervey's heart.
TO COLONEL DRUM GOLD.
DRUMGOLD, whofe ancestors from Albion's
Their conquering standards to Hibernia bore, Though now thy valour, to thy country lost,
Shines in the foremost ranks of Gallia's host,
Think not that France fhall borrow all thy fame- From British fires deriv'd thy genius came Its force, its energy, to thefe it ow'd, But the fair polish Gallia's clime bestow'd: The Graces there each ruder thought refin'd, And livelieft wit with foundeft fenfe combin'd. They taught in fportive Fancy's gay attire To dress the graveft of th' Aonian choir, And gave to fober Wifdom's wrinkled cheek The fmile that dwells in Hebe's dimple fleek.. Pay to each realm the debt that each may ask: Be thine, and thine alone, the pleasing task, In pureft elegance of Gallic phrase To cloathe the spirit of the British lays. Thus every flower which every Mufe's hand- Has raised profufe in Britain's favourite land,. By thee tranfplanted to the banks of Seine, Its fweeteft native odours fhall retain. And when thy noble friend, with olive crown'd, In Concord's golden chain has firmly bound The rival nations, thou for both fhalt raise The grateful fong to his immortal praise. Albion shall think she hears her Prior fing ;- And France, that Boileau ftrikes the tuneful ftring. Then fhalt thou tell what various talents join'd, Adorn, embellish, and exalt his mind; Learning and wit, with fweet politeness grac'd;, Wisdom by guile or cunning undebas'd ; By pride unfullied, genuine dignity;
A nobler and fublime fimplicity.
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