From Thetis fent as fpies, to make report,
And tell the wonders of her fov'reign's court.
All that can, living, feed the greedy eye,
Or dead, the palate, here you may defcry:
The choiceft things that furnish'd Noah's ark,
Or Peter's sheet, inhabiting this Park;
All with a border of rich fruit-trees crown'd,
Whofe loaded branches hide the lofty mound.
Such various ways the fpacious alleys lead,
My doubtful Mufe knows not what path to tread.
Yonder, the harvest of cold months laid up,
Gives a fresh coolness to the royal cup:
There ice, like crystal firm, and never loft,
Tempers hot July with December's froft;
Winter's dark prifon, whence he cannot fly,
Tho' the warm fpring, his enemy draws nigh.
Strange! that extremes fhould thus preferve the fnow,
High on the Alps, or in deep caves below.
Here a well-polish'd Mall gives us the joy
To see our Prince his matchlefs force employ;
His manly posture, and his graceful mien,
Vigour and youth, in all his motions feen ;
His shape so lovely, and his limbs fo strong,
Confirm our hopes we shall obey him long.
No fooner has he touch'd the flying ball,
But 't is already more than half the Mall;
And fuch a fury from his arm has got,
As from a fmoking culv'rin it were shot.
Near this my Muse, what most delights her, fees
A living gallery of aged trees;
Bold fons of Earth, that thrust their arms fo high, As if once more they would invade the sky. In fuch green palaces the first kings reign'd, Slept in their shades, and angels entertain'd; With fuch old counsellors they did advise, And by frequenting facred groves grew wife. Free from th' impediments of light and noise, Man, thus retir'd, his nobler thoughts employs. Here Charles contrives th' ord'ring of his ftates, Here he refolves his neighb'ring princes' fates; What nation shall have peace, where war be made, Determin'd is in this oraç'lous fhade ; The world, from India to the frozen North, Concern'd in what this folitude brings forth. His fancy obje&s from his view receives; The profpect thought and contemplation gives. That feat of empire here falutes his eye, To which three kingdoms do themselves apply; The structure by a prelate * rais'd, Whitehall, Built with the fortune of Rome's Capitol: Both, difproportion'd to the present state
Of their proud founders, were approv'd by Fate. 90 From hence he does that antique pilet behold,
Where royal heads receive the facred gold:
It gives them crowns, and does their ashes keep;
There made like gods, like mortals there they sleep?
Making the circle of their reign complete, 95
Thofe funs of Empire! where they rise they set.
When others fell, this standing did prefage
The crown fhould triumph over pop'lar rage:
Hard by that House *`where all our ills were shap'd
Th' aufpicious temple stood, and yet escap'd.
So fnow on Etna does unmelted lie,
Whence rolling flames and scatter'd cinders fly ;
The diftant country in the ruin shares;
What falls from heav'n the burning mountain fpares
Next that capacious Hall the fees, the room
Where the whole nation does for justice come;
Under whofe large roof flourishes the gown,
And judges grave on high tribunals frown.
Here, like the people's paftor, he does go,
His flock fubjected to his view below;
On which reflecting in his mighty mind,
No private paflion does indulgence find:
The pleafures of his youth fufpended are,
And made a facrifice to publick care.
Here free from court compliances, he walks,
And with himself, his best adviser, talks,
How peaceful olives may his temples shade,
For mending laws, and for restoring trade:
House of Commons. + Westminster-Hall.
Or how his brows may be with laurel charg'd,
For nations conquer'd and our bounds enlarg'd. 120
Of ancient prudence here he ruminates,
Of rifing kingdoms and of falling ftates:
What ruling arts gave great Augustus fame,
And how Alcides purchas'd fuch a name.
His eyes, upon his native palace * bent,
Close by, fuggeft a greater argument.
His thoughts rife higher, when he does reflect
On what the world may from that star expect
Which at his birth appear'd, to let us fee
Day, for his fake, could with the night agree:
A prince on whom fuch diff'rent lights did fmile,
Born the divided world to reconcile !.
Whatever Heav'n, or high extracted blood
Could promise, or foretel, he will make good;
Reform thefe nations, and improve them more
Than this fair Park, from what it was before.
Of the invafion and defeat
OF THE TURKS,
Tuz modern Nimrod, with a safe delight
Pursuing beasts, that fave themselves by flight,
It gives them crowns, and does their ashes keep;
There made like gods, like mortals there they sleep:
Making the circle of their reign complete, 95
Thofe funs of Empire! where they rise they set.
When others fell, this ftanding did prefage
The crown fhould triumph over pop'lar rage:
Hard by that Houfe * where all our ills were shap'd
Th' aufpicious temple stood, and yet escap'd.
So fnow on Etna does unmelted lie,
Whence rolling flames and scatter'd cinders fly;
The diftant country in the rain shares;
What falls from heav'n the burning mountain fpares
Next that capacious Hall the fees, the room
Where the whole nation does for justice come ;
Under whofe large roof flourishes the gown,
And judges grave on high tribunals frown.
Here, like the people's paftor, he does go,
His flock fubjected to his view below;
On which reflecting in his mighty mind,
No private paffion does indulgence find:
The pleasures of his youth fufpended are,
And made a facrifice to publick care.
Here free from court compliances, he walks,
And with himself, his best adviser, talks,
How peaceful olives may his temples shade,
For mending laws, and for reftoring trade:
+ Westminster-Hall.
|