The Roman stage did ne'er his image fee,
Drawn at full length; a task referv'd for thee.
By thee we view the finish'd figure rife,
And awful march before our ravish'd eyes;
We hear his voice, afferting virtue's caufe;
His fate renew'd our deep attention draws,
Excites by turns our various hopes and fears,
And all the patriot in thy scene appears.
On Tyber's bank thy thought was firft infpir'd;
'Twas there, to fome indulgent grove retir'd,
Rome's ancient fortunes rolling in thy mind,
Thy happy Muse this manly work design'd :
Or in a dream thou faw'ft Rome's genius stand,
And, leading Cato in his facred hand,
Point out th' immortal fubject of thy lays,
And ask this labour to record his praise.
'Tis done the hero lives, and charms our age!
While nobler morals grace the British stage.
Great Shakespeare's ghoft, the folemn strain to hear,
(Methinks I fee the laurel'd fhade appear!)
Will hover o'er the fcene, and wondering view
His favourite Brutus rival'd thus by you.
Such Roman greatnefs in each action shines,
Such Roman eloquence adorns your lines,
That fure the Sibyls books this year foretold;
And in fome myftic leaf was found inroll'd,
Rome, turn thy mournful eyes from Africk's shore,
Nor in her fands thy Cato's tomb explore!
When thrice fix hundred times the circling fun
His annual race fhall through the zodiack run,
An ille remote his monument fhall rear,
And every generous Briton pay a tear.'
ON HIS INTENDED TRANSLATION OF
THOU, who, with a happy genius born,
Canft tuneful verfe in flowing numbers turn,
Crown'd on thy. Windfor's plains with early bays,
Be early wife, nor trust to barren praise.
Blind was the bard that fung Achilles' rage,
He fung, and begg'd, and curs'd th' ungiving age;.
If Britain his tranflated fong would hear,
First take the gold-then charm the liftening ear,
So fhall thy father Homer fmile to fee
His penfion paid-though late, and paid to thee..
Homer's Defcription of Himself, under the Character of Demodochus the Musician, at the Feast of King Alcinous.
FROM THE EIGHTH BOOK OF THE ODYSSES.
HE Mufe with transport lov'd him; yet, to fill
His various lot, the blended good with ill;
Depriv'd him of his eyes, but did impart
The heavenly gift of fong, and all the tuneful art.
WO fhining maids this happy work displays;
Each moves our rapture, both divide our praise :
In Marcia, we her godlike father trace;
While Lucia triumphs with each fofter grace.
One ftrikes with awe, and one gives chafte delight;
That bright as lightning, this ferene as light.
Yet by the Muse the shadow'd forms were wrought, And both are creatures of the Poet's thought.
In her that animates these lines, we view
The wonder greater, the defcription true;
Each living virtue, every grace combin'd,
And Marcia's worth with Lucia's fweetnefs join'd.
Had he been born ally'd to Cato's name;
Numidia's prince had felt a real flame;
And, pouring his refiftlefs troops from far,
With bolder deeds had turn'd the doubtful war;
Cæfar had fled before his conquering arms,
And Roman Mufes fung her beauty's charms.
ROMISCUOUS crouds to worthless riches born, Thy pencil paints, 'tis true, yet paints with fcorn. Sometimes the fool, by nature left half-made, Mov'd by fome happy inflinct afks thy aid, To give his face to reafon fome pretence, And raise his looks with fupplemental fenfe,
DUET TO.
WAKE th' harmonious voice and string,
Love and Hymen's triumph fing.
Sounds with fecret charms combining,
In melodious union joining,
Beft the wondrous joys can tell,
That in hearts united dwell.
To young Victoria's happy fame,
Well may the Arts a trophy raise,
Mufick grows fweeter in her praise,
And, own'd by her, with rapture speaks her name,
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