Cheer'd with th' affurance that he there shall find But if immortal any thing remain, Beyond the dome a lofty tower appears, Beauteous in ftrength, the work of long-paft years, Old as his noble ftem, who there bears sway, And, like his loyalty, without decay. This goodly ancient frame looks as it flood The mother pile, and all the reft her brood; So careful watch feems pioufly to keep, While underneath her wings the mighty fleep; And they may reft, fince † Norfolk there commands, Safe in his faithful heart and valiant hands. But now appears the beauteous feat of Peace, Large of extent, and fit for goodly cafe; Where noble order ftrikes the greedy fight With wonder, as it fills it with delight: The maffy walls feem as the womb of earth, Shrunk when fuch mighty quarries thence had birth; Or by the Theban founder they'd been rais'd, As man's united fkill had there combin'd Thus, when the happy world Auguftus íway'd, Knowledge was cherish'd, and improvement made; Learning and arts his empire did adorn, Nor did there one neglected virtue mourn; Rome never yet a work like this could boast: Ease which he wifely chofe, when raging arms The praise of Peace fhall wait on Charles's fame; When he led captive kings from conquer'd, came, Follow'd by fpoils, and ufher'd in by Fame. Nor did they as now from fruitless travels come Where St. George's feaft is kept. 15 The Black Prince. With fabborn faction and rebellious pride, Till fuch bold tumults and disorders rise, But then let mighty Charles at distance stand, Yet fhall his praise for ever live, and laurels from To fend abroad his word, or with a frown it rife. And now furvey what's open to our view, Bow down all heads, and pay devotion due; The temple by this hero built behold, Adorn'd with carvings, and o'erlaid with gold; Whose radiant roof fuch glory does difplay, We think we fee the heaven to which we pray; So well the artist's hand has there delin'd The merciful redemption of mankind; The bright ascension of the Son of God, [rode," Thus when to Charles, as Solomon, was given Happy were they who could before him stand, And faw the wifdom of his dread command; For heaven refolv'd, that much above the reft Of other nations Britain should be bleft; Found him when banish'd from his facred right, Try'd his great foul, and in it took delight; Then to his throne in triumph him did bring, Where never rul'd a wiser, juster king. But now (alas!) in the fad grave he lies, Yet fhall his praise for ever live, and laurels from it rife. Thus far the painter's hand did guide the Muse, The works of Fame, let this be the design: In a large fcene, may give beholders awe, Then whirl them (fpouting venom as they fall) The chapel at the end of the hall. Repel, and dafh th' aspiring rebels down : Let them grow blind, disperse, and reel away; But, oh, imagine Fate t' have waited long Now, painter, (if thy griefs can let thee) draw The faddeft scenes that weeping eyes e'er saw ; How on his royal bed that woeful day The much-lamented mighty monarch lay; Great in his fate, and ev'n o'er that a king, No terror could the Lord of Terrors bring. Through many steady and well-manag'd years He'd arm'd his mind 'gainst all thofe little fears Which common mortals want the power to hide, When their mean fouls and valued clay divide. He'd ftudy'd well the worth of life, and knew Its troubles many, and its bleffings few; Therefore unmov'd did Death's approaches fee, And grew familiar with his destiny; Like an acquaintance entertain'd his fate, Who, as it knew him, feem'd content to wait, Not as his gaoler, but his friendly guide, While be for his great journey did provide. Oh couldst thou exprefs the yearnings of his To his poor mourning people left behind!, For though a ftubborn race deferving ill; Here, painter, if thou canft, thy art improve, And fhew the wonders of fraternal love; How mourning James by fading Charles did ftand, The dying grafping the furviving hand; How round each other's necks their arms they caft, [brac'd; Moan'd with endearing murmurings, and emAnd of their parting pangs fuch marks did give, 'Twas hard to guess which yet could longest live. Both their fad tongues quite loft the power to speak, [break. And their kind hearts feem'd both prepar'd to Here let thy curious pencil next difplay, How round his bed a beauteous offspring lay, With their great father's bleffing to be crown'd, Like young fierce lions ftretch'd upon the ( ground, And in majestic filent forrow drown'd. This done, fuppofe the ghaftly minute nigh, How from each groan of his, deriving smart, And fighs that mount in vain the unrelenting skies. Let them attend her cries, and hear her moan, With looks of beauteous fadness like her own, Because they know her lord's great doom is feal'd, And cannot (though she asks it) be repeal'd. By this time think the work of Fate is done; So any farther fad description fhun. Shew him not pale and breathless on his bed; 'Twould make all gazers on thy art fall dead; And thou thyfelf to such a scene of woe Add a new piece, and thy own ftatue grow. Wipe therefore all thy pencils, and prepare Each fruggling which fhall eldership obtain, Homage to pay, or humble peace to gain, The poor man's cheerful toils, the rich man's cafe; Reaping fuch harvests as their tillage yields, Singing their own content, and ruler's praise. THE 1 POET'S COMPLAINT OF HIS MUSE: OR, A SATIRE AGAINST LIBELS. “Si quid habent veri vatum præfagia, vivam.” To the Right Honourable THOMAS EARL OF OSSORY, BARON OF MOOR PARK, KNIGHT OF THE MOST NOBLE ORDER MY LORD, it would require more art to do your virtue justice, than to flatter any other man. THOUGH never any man had more need of excufe for a prefun ption of this nature than I have now; yet, when I have laid out every way If I have ventured at a hint of the prefent fufto find one, your Lordship's goodness must be ferings of that great prince mentioned in the latmy best refuge; and therefore I humbly caft this ter end of this paper, with favour from your at your feet for protection, and myself for par-Lordship I hope to add a second part, and do all don. My Lord, I have great need of protection; for to the best of my heart I have here publifhed in fome measure the truth, and I would have it thought honestly too (a practice never more out of countenance than now): yet truth and honour are things which your Lordfhip muft needs be kind to, because they are relations to your nature, and never left you. "Twould be a fecond presumption in me to pretend in this a panegyric on your Lordship; for thofe great and good men justice, that have in his calamities ftuck faft to fo gallant a friend and fo good a mafter. To write and finish which great fubject faithfully, and to be honoured with your Lordships patronage in what I may do, and your approbation, or at least pardon, in what I have done, will be the greatest pride of, My Lord, Your most humble admirer and fervant, O D E. To a high hill, where never yet stood tree, Where only heath, coarse fern, and furzes grow, Where (nipt by piercing air) The flocks in tatter'd fleeces hardly gaze, Led by uncouth thoughts and care, Which did too much his penfive mind amaze, A wandering bard, whofe Mufe was crazy grown, [town, Cloy'd with the naufeous follies of the buzzing Came, look'd about him, figh'd, and laid him down. 'Twas far from any path, but where the earth Was bare, and naked all as at her birth, When by the word it firft was made, Let grafs, and herbs, and every green thing grow, With fruitful trees after their kind, and it was fo. The whistling winds blew fiercely round his head, Cold was his lodging, hard his bed; Aloft his eyes on the wide heavens he cast, Where we are told Peace only's found at laft: And as he did its hopeless distance see, Sigh'd deep, and cry'd, How far is Peace from me! I am a wretch of honest race: My parents not obfcure, nor high in titles were: The fages that instructed me in arts And knowledge, oft would praife my parts, My fellow-pupils oft ftood mute: And as my fenfe on the rich banquet fed, A voice (it feem'd no more, fo busy I Was with myfelf, I faw not who was nigh) Pierc'd through my ears; Arife, thy good Senander's dead. It shook my brain, and from their seaft my frighted fenfes fled. IV From thence fad difcontent, uneasy fears, Where Fortune's general game is play'd; A converfe equal to my mind: [fools, I mifs'd the brave and wife, and in their flead |