The Roman stage did ne'er his image see,
Drawn at full length ; a task reserv'd for thee.
By thee we view the finish'd figure rise,
And awful march before our ravik'd eyes ;
We hear his voice, asserting virtue's cause;
His fate renew'd our deep attention draws,
Excites by turns our various hopes and sears,
And all the patriot in thy scene appears.

On Tyber's bank thy thought was first inspir’d;
'Twas there, to some 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 saw'st Rome's genius stand,
And, leading Cato in his facred hand,
Point out th' immortal subject 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 Itage. Great Shakespeare's ghost, the solemn strain to hear, (Methinks I see the laurel'd shade appear!) Will hover o'er the scene, and wondering view His favourite Brutus rival'd thus by you. Such Roman greatness in each action fines, Such Roman eloquence adorns your lines, That sure the Sibyls books this year foretold; And in some mystic leaf was found inroll'u,

Rome, turn thy mournful eyes from Africk's shore, • Nor in her tands thy Cato's tomb explore !

" When

" When thrice fix hundred times the circling sun
• His annual race shall through the zodiack run,
. An isle remote his monument Mall rear,
. And every generous Briton pay a tear.'

O

THOU, who, with a happy genius born,

Canst tuneful verse in flowing numbers turn, Crown'd on thy. Windsor's plains with early bays, Be early wise, nor trust to barren praise. Blind was the bard that sung Achilles' rage, He fung, and begg’d, and cursal th'ungiving age ; If Britain his trantiated song would hear, First take the gold-then charm the listening ear, So hail tlıy father Hom:er smile to see His pension paid-though late, and paid to thee..

Τ Ο

THE

MEMORY OF MR, MILTON.

.

Homer's Description of Himself, under the Character of Demodochus the Musician, at the Feast

of King Alcinous.

FROM THE EIGHTH BOOK OF THE ODYSSES.

T

HE Muse 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 long, and all the tuneful art.

T

Wo Mining 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 softer grace. One strikes with awe, and one gives chaste delight; That bright as lightning, this serene 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 description true ;
Each living virtue, every grace combin’d,
And Marcia's worth with Lucia's sweetness join'd.

Had she been born ally'd to Cato's name;
Numidia's prince had felt a real fare;
And, pouring his refiftless troops from far,
With bolder deeds had turn'd the doubtful war;
Cæfar had fled before his conqueri:g arins,
And Roman Muses furg her beauty's charms.

A

FRA G M E N T.

PROMISCUOUS crouds to worthless riches born,

Thy pencil paints, 'tis true, yet paints with scorn. Sometimes the fool, by nature left half-male, Mov’d by some happy inlinet asks thy aid, To give his face to reason some pretence, And raise his looks with supplemental sense,

RIGHT HONOURABLE

н Е LORD COBHAM TO MRS. ANNE HALSEY.

T

DU ET TO.
WAKE th' harmonious voice and fring,

Hymen's ,
Sounds with secret charms combining,
In melodious union joining,
Belt the wondrous joys can tell,
That in hearts united dwell.

RECITATIVE.

FIRST VOICE.

To young Victoria's happy fame,
Well
may

the Arts a trophy raile, Mufick grows sweeter in her praise, And, own'd by her, with rapture speaks her name,

Το