“On what unyielding base? how finish'd shine?" At this her eye, collecting all its fire, Beam'd more then human, and her awful voice Majeftic thus fhe rais'd -"To Britons bear go "This clofing ftrain, and with intenfer note "Loud let it found in their awaken'd ear."
On Virtue can alone My Kingdom ftand, On Public Virtue, every Virtue jom'd; For loft this focial cement of mankind, The greatest empires, by fcarce felt degrees, Will moulder foft away, till, tottering loose, They prone at last to total ruin rush. Unbleft by Virtue, Government a league Becomes, a circling junto of the great, To rob by law; Religion mild a yoke To tame the ftooping foul, a trick of state To mask their rapine, and to. fhare the prey. What are without it Senates, fave a face Of confultation deep and reafon free, While the determin'd voice and heart are fold? What boafted Freedom, fave a founding name? And what Election, but a market vile
Of flaves felf-barter'd? Virtue! without thee
There is no ruling eye, no nerve, in states;
War has no vigour, and no fafety peac:
L'en juftice warps to party, laws opprefs,
Wide thro' the land their weak-protection fails;
First broke the balance, and then scorn'd the sword.
Thus nations link, fociety diffolves;
115
Rapine, and Guile, and Violence, break loofe,
Everting life, and turning love to gail;
Man hates the face of man, and Indian woods
And Libya's hiffing fands to him are tamè.
By thofe three virtues be the frame fuftain'd Of British Freedom; Independent Life; Integrity in Office; and, o'er all
Supreme, & Paffion for the Common-weal. Hail, independence! hail! Heaven's next beft gift,
To that of life and an immortal foul!
The life of life! that to the banquet high
And fober meal gives tafte; to the bow'd roof
Fair-dream'd repofe, and to the cottage charms.
Of public Freedom, hail, thou fecret Source!
Whofe ftreams, from every quarter confluent
That truce with pain, that animated case,
That felf-cnjoyment fpringing from within, 150
That Independence, active or retir ́d,
Which makes the foundest blifs of man below;
But, loft beneath the rubbish of their means,
And drain'd by wants to Nature all unknown,
A wandering, tastelefs, gaily-wretched train; 155
Tho' rich, are beggars, and tho' noble, flaves.
Lo! damn'd to wealth, at what a grofs expence
They purchase difappointment, pain, and fhame!
Inftead of hearty hofpitable cheer,
See how the hall with brutal riot flows!
While in the foaming flood, fermenting, fteep'd,
The country maddens into party-rage.
Mark thofe difgraceful piles of wood and stone,
Thofe parks and gardens, where, his haunts be-
trimm'd,
And Nature by presumptuous Art opprefs'd, 165
The woodland Genius mourns. See the full board
That fteams difguft, and bowls that give no joy;
No Truth invited there to feed the mind,
Nor Wit the wine rejoicing reafon quaffs.
Hark how the dome with infolence refounds, 170
With those retain'd by Vanity to feare
Repose and friends. To tyrant Fashion mark
The coftly worship paid, to the broad gaze
Of fools. From ftill delufive day to day,
Led an eternal round of lying hope,
See, felf-abandon'd, how they roam adrift,
Dafh'd o'er the town, a miferable wreck!
Then to adore fome warbling eunuch turn'd,
With Midas' ears they crowd; or to the buzz
Of Masquerade unblushing; or, to show
Their fcorn of Nature, at the Tragic fcene
7 hey mirthful fit, or prove the Comic true.
But, chief, behold! around the rattling board,
The civil robbers rang'd; and e'en the fair,
The tender Fair! each sweetness laid afide, 185
As fierce for plunder as all-licens'd troops
In fome fack'd city. Thus diffolv'd their wealth,
Without one generous luxury diffolv'd,
Or quarter'd on it many a needlefs want,
At the throng'd levee bends the venal tribe; 190
With fair but faithlefs fmiles each varuifh'd o'er,
Each fmooth as thofe that mutually deceive,
And for their falfehood each defpifing cach,
Till hook their patron by the winery winds,
Wide flies the wither'd fhower, and leaves him
bare.
O far fuperior Afric's fable fons,
By merchant pilfer'd, to thefe willing flaves!
And rich as uniqeez'd favourite to them,
Is he who can his Virtue boaft alone!
Britons! be firm, nor let Corruption fly 200 Twine round your heart indiffoluble chains! The steel of Brutus burst the groffer bonds
Life tedious grows, an idly-bustling round,
Fill'd up with action animal and mean,
A dull gazette! Th' impatient reader fcorns
The poor hiftoric page, till kindly comes
Oblivion, and redeems a peoples' thame.
Not fo the times when, emulation stung,
Greece fhone in Genius, Science, and in Arts,
And Rome in virtues dreadful to be told!
To live was glory then and charm'd mankind,
Thro' the deep periods of devolving time. 275
Thofe, raptur'd, copy; thofe, aftonish'd, read.
True, a corrupted ate, with every vice
And every meannefs foul, this paffion damps.
Who can, unfhock'd, behold the cruel eye"?
The pale inveigling foile? the ruffian front?
The wretch abandon'd to relentless Self,
Equally vile if mifer or profufe?
Powers not of God, affiduous to corrupt?
The fell-deputed tyrant, who devours
The poor and weak, at diftance from redrefs?
Delirious Faction bellowing loud My name? 286
The falfe fair-feeming patriot's hollow boast?
A race refolv'd on bondage, fierce for chains,
My facred rights a merchandise alone
Efteeming, and to work their feeder's will 290
By deeds, a horror to mankind, prepar'd,
As were the dregs of Romulus of old?
But who unpitying? To the generous eye
Who these indeed, can undetesting fee:
Diftrefs is virtue; and, tho' felf-betray'd,
A people ftruggling with their fate must roule
The hero's throb. Nor can a land, at once
Be loft to virtue quite. How glorious, then!
Fit luxury for gods! to fave the good,
Protect the feeble, dafh bold Vice afide,
Deprefs the wicked, and restore the frail !
Pofterity, befides, the young are pure,
And fons may tinge their father's cheek with
Should then the time arrive (which Heaven
That Britons bend unnerv'd, not by the force Of arms, more generous, and more manly, quell'd, But by Corruption's foul dejecting arts, Arts impudent! and grofs! by their own gold, In part beflow'd to bribe them to give all ; With party raging, or immers'd in fluth, Should they Britannia's well fought laurels yield To flily conquering Gaul, e'en from her brow 250 Let her own naval oak be bafely torn,
" is not enough, from felf right understood Reflected, that thy rays inflame the heart; Tho' Virtue not difdains appeals to felf, Dreads not the trial, all her joys are true, Nor is there any real joy fave her's.. Far lefs the tepid, the declaiming race, Foes to corruption, to its wages friends, Or thofe whom private paffions, for a while, Beneath My ftandard lift, can they fuffice To raife and fix the glory of My reign? An active flood of univerfal love Mut fwell the breaft. First, in effufion wide, The reftlefs fpirit roves creation round, And feizes every being; ftronger then, It tends to life, whate'er the kindred fearch Of blifsallys; then, more collected still, It urges human-kind; a paffion grown, At laft, the central parent public calls Its utmost effort forth, awakes each fenfe, The comely, grand, and tender. Without this, This awful pant, fkook from fublimer powers Than thofe of Self, this heaven infus'd delight, This moral invitation, rufhing forth To prefs the public good, My fyftem foon, Traverfe, to feveral felfifh centres drawn, Will reel to ruin, while for ever fhut Stand the bright portals of defponding Fame. From fordid felf fhoot up the fhining deeds, None of thofe ancient lights that gladdens earth, Give grace to being, and aroufe the brave To just ambition, Virtue's quickening fire! 265
By fuch as tremble at the ftiffening gale,
And nervelefs fink while others fing rejoic'd; 315
Or (darker profpect fearce one gleam behind
Difclofing) fhould the broad corruptive plague
Breathe from the city to the fartheft hut,
That fits ferene within the foreft-fhade,
The fever'd people fire, inflame their wants 320
And their luxurious thirft, fo gathering rage,
That, were a buyer found, they stand prepar'd
To fell their birthright for a cooling draught;
Should fhameless pens for plain Corruption plead,
The hir'd affallins of the commonweal!
Deem the declaiming rant of Greece and Rome,
Should Public Virtue grow the public fcoff,
Till Private, falling, faggers thro' the land;
Till round the City loofe mechanic Want,
Dire-prowling nightly, makes the chearful haunts
Of men more hideous than Numidian wilds, 331
Nor from its fury fleeps the vale in peace,
And murders, horrors, perjuries abound;
Nay, till to loweft deeds the highest ftoop,
The rich, like starving wretches, thirst for gold,They roufe Ambition, they the mind exalt,
1 335 Give great ideas, lovely forms infufe,
And thofe on whom the vernal fhowers of Heaven Delight the general eye; and, dreft by them,
All-bounteous fall, and that prime lot beftow, The moral Venus glows with double charms.
A power to live to Nature and themselves,
Science, My clofe affociate, ftill attends
In fick attendance wear their anxious days,
Where'er i go. Sometimes in fimple guife
With fortune joyless, and with honours mean. 340 She walks the furrow with fome Conful-fwain,
Mean time, perhaps, profusion flows around, Whispering unletter'd wildom to the heart,
The waste of war, without the works of peace; Direct; or, fometimes, in the pompous robe
No mark of millions in the gulph abforpt
Of Fancy dreft, the charms Athenian wits,
Of uncreating Vice, none but the rage
And a whole fapient city round her burns.
Impreft, renown had left no trace behind;
In vain, to future times, the fage had thought,
The legiflator plann'd, the hero found
A beauteous death, the patriot toil'd in vain
Th' awarders they of Fame's immortal wreath:
395
Of rous'd Corruption ftill demanding more: 345 Then o'er her brow Minerva's terrors nod.
That very portion which (by faithful skill
Employ'd) night make the fmiling public rear
Her ornamented head, drill'd thro' the hands
Of mercenary tools, ferves but to nurse
A locuft band within, and in the bud
Leaves ftarv'd each work of dignity and use.
I paint the worst but fhould thefe times arrive,
If any nobler paffion yet remains,
Let all My fons all parties fling afide,
Defpife their nonfenfe, and together join!
Let Worth and Virtue, fcorning fow defpair,
Exerted full, from every quarter fhine,
Commix'd in heighten'd blaze. Light flash'd to
light,
Moral or intellectual, more intenfe
By giving glows; as on pure winter's eve,
Gradual, the ftars effulge, fainter, at first,
They ftruggling, rife; but when the radiant
In thick profufion pour'd, shine out immense,
Each cafting vivid influence on cach,
From pole to pole a glittering deluge plays,
And worlds above rejoice, and nren below.
But why to Britons this fuperfluous train?
Good-nature, honeft truth, e'en fomewhat
Of crooked bafenefs an indignaut fcora,
A zeal unyielding in their country's caufe,
And ready bounty, wont to dwell with them-
Nor only wont-Wide o'er the land diffus'd,
In many a bleft retirement ftill they dwell.
A nation be; let trade enormous rife,
Let Eaft and South their mingled treafure pour;
Till, fwell'd impetuou the corrupting flood
Burft o'er the City, and devour the land;
Yet thefe neglected, thefe recording Arts,
Wealth rots, a nuifance! and, oblivious funk,
That nation must another Carthage lie.
If not by them on monumental brafs,
With Xenophon, fometimes, in dire extremes,
She breathes deliberate foul, and makes retreat
Unequall'd glory. With the Theban fage, 410
Epaminondas, first and best of men!
Sometimes fhe bids the deep embattled hoft,
Above the vulgar reach refiftlefs form'd,
March to fure conqueft-never gain'd before!
Nor on the treacherous feas of giddy state
Unfkilful the: when the triumphant tide
Of high-fwoin Empire wears one boundlefs fmile,
And the gale tempts to new purfuits of fame,
Sometimes, with Scipio, the collects her fail,
And feeks the blissful fhore of rural eafe,
Where, but the Aonian maids, no Sirens fing:
Or fhould the deep-brew'd tempeft muttering rife,
While rocks and thoals perfidious lurk aroun
With Tully the her wide-reviving light
The fenates holds, a Catiline confounds,
And faves a while from Cæfar finking Rome.
Such the kind power whofe piercing eye diffolves
Each mental fetter, and fets reafon free;
For Me infpiring an enlighten'd zeal,
The more tenacious as the more convinc'd
How happy Freemen, and how wretched Slaves.
To Britons not unknown, to Britons full
The goddess fpreads her ftores, the fecret foul
That quickens Trade, the breath unfeen that wafts
To them the treafures of a balanc'd world 435
But finer arts (fave what the Mufe has fung
In daring flight, above all modern wing)
| Neglected droop the head, and Public Works,
Broke by Corfuption into Private. Gain,
Not ornament, difgrace; not ferve, deftroy. 440
Shall Britons, by their own joint wifdom rul'd,
Beneath one Royal head, whofe vital power
Connects, enlivens, and exerts the whole;
In finer arts, and Public Works, fhall they'
To Gallia yield? yield to a land that bends, 445
Depreft and broke, beneath the will of one?
Of one who, fhould th' unkingly thirst of gold,
Or tyrant paffions, or ambition, prompt,
Calls locuit-armies o'er the blasted land;
Drains from its thirsty bounds the fprings of
wealth,
His own infatiate refervoir to fill;
To the lone defert Patriot merit frowns,
Or into dungeons Arts, when they their chains,
On fculptur'd marble, on the deathlfs page, 390 Indignant, buriting, for their nobler works
455 Oh! fhame to think! fhall Britons, in the field Unconquer'd still, the better laurel lofe? E'en in that monarch's reign who vamly dreamt, By giddy power betray'd, and flatter'd pride, To grafp unbounded fway; while, fwarming round, 460
All other licenfe fcorn but Truth's and Mine? | Coyeft of arts, how Sculpture morthward deign'd
A look, and bade her Girardon arife;
How lavish Grandeur blaz'd the barren wafte,
Aftonish'd, faw the fudden palace Twell,
And fountains spout amid its arid fhades;
For leagues, bright viftas opening to the view,
[How forefts in majestic gardens fmil'd;
How menial Arts, by their gay fifters taught,
Wove the deep flower, the blooming foliage train'd
515
His armies dar'd all Europe to the field;
To hoftile hands, while treafure flow'd profufe,
And, that great fource of treafure fubjects' blood,
Inhuman fquander'd, ficken'd every land;
From Britain, chief, while My fuperior fons, 465
In vengeance rufhing, dash'd his idle hopes,
And bade his agonizing heart be low;
E'en then, as in the golden calm of peace!
What Public Works, at home, what Arts arose!
What various Science fhone! what Genius glow'd!
"Tis not for me to paint, diffufive fhot O'er fair extents of land, the fhining Road; The flood-compelling Arch! the long Canal, † 'Thro' mountains piercing, and uniting feas; The Dome refounding fweet with infant joy, 475 From Famine fav'd, or cruel-handed Shame, And that where Valour counts his noble fears; The land where focial pleasure loves to dwell, Of the fierce demon, Gothic Duel, freed; The Robber from his fartheft foreft chas'd; The turbid city clear'd, and, by degrees, Into fure peace the beft Police refined, Magnificence, and grace, and decent joy. Let Gallic bards record how honour'd' Arts And Science, by defpotic bounty bless'd, At diftance flourifh'd from My parent eye; Reftoring ancient tafte, how Boileau rofe; How the big Roman foul fhook, in Corneille, The trembling ftage; in elegant Racine, How the more powerful, tho' more huntble, voice 490
Of Nature-painting Greece refiftlefs breath'd
The whole awaken'd heart; how Moliere's feene,
Chaftis'd and regular, with well-judg'd wit,
Not fcatter'd wild, and native humour, grac'd,
Was life itself; to public honours rais'd
How learning in warm feminaries | Spread;
And, more for glory than the small reward,
How Emulation ftrove; how their pure tongue
Almoft obtain'd what was deny'd their arms;
From Rome, a while, how Painting, courted long,
500
With Pouffin came; ancient Design, that lifts
A fairer front, and looks another foul;
flow the kind Art § that, of unvalu'd price,
The fam'd and only picture caly gives,
Refin'd her touch, and, thro' the fhadowed plece,
505
All the liv'd fpirit of the painter pour'd;
* Leavis XIV.
The canal of Languedoc.
The bofpitals for Foundlings and Invalids.
In joyous figures o'er the filky lawn,
The palace cheer'd, illum'd the story'd wall,
And with the pencil vy'd the glowing loom.
Thefe laurels, Louis! by the droppings rais'd Of thy profufion, its difhonor fhade, 520 And green thro' future times fhall bind thy brow, While the vain honours of perfidious war Wither abhorr'd, or in oblivion lost. With what prevailing vigour had they shot, And stole a deeper root, by the full tide Of war-funk millions fed fuperior fill, How had they branch'd luxuriant to the skies, In Britain planted, by the potent juice Of Freedom fwell'd! Forc'd is the bloom of Arts, A falfe uncertain fpring, when Bounty gives, 530 Weak without Me, a tranfitory gleam. Fair fhine the flippery days, enticing skies of favour smile, and courtly breezes blow, Till Arts, betray'd, truft to the flattering air Their tender bloffom; then malignant rife The blights of Envy, of thofe infect-clouds That, blafting merit, often cover courts: Nay, fhould, perchance, fome kind Mæcenas aid The doubtful beamings of his prince's foul, His wav'ring ardour fix, and unconfin'd Diffufe his warm beneficence around; Yet death, at last, and wintry tyrants, come, Each fprig of genias killing at the root: But when with Me imperial Bounty joins, Wide o'er the Public blows eternal Spring, 545 While mingled Autumn every harvest pours Of every land; whate'er Invention, Art, Creating Toil, and Nature, can produce.
The academies of Science, of the Belles Lettres,"
"They come ! Great Goddefs! I the times be
*The tapestry of Gobelins.
"Unfailing fields of Freemen I behold!
That know, with their own proper arm, to
"guard
"Their own bleft the against a leaguing world.
"Defpairing Gaul her boiling youth restrains,
"Diffolv'd hey dream of universal fway.
"The winds and feas are Britain's wide domain,
"And not a fail, but by permiflion, spreads.
"Kings! that the narrow joyless circle feorn, "Burt the blockade of falfe defigning men, "Of treacherous fmiles, of adulation fell, "And of the blinding clouds around them thrown, "Their court rejoicing millions! worth alone, 58c "And virtue, dear to them; their best delight, "In just proportion to give general joy; "Their jealous care Thy kingdom to maintain; -"The public glory theirs: unfparing love "Their endless treasure; and their deeds their" "praife, 585
"With Thee they work. Nought can refift Your "force;
“Life feels it quickening in her dark retreats; Strong fpar'd the blooms of Genius, Science,
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"Lo! fwarming fouthward on rejoicing funs, "Gay Colonies extend, the calm retreat Of undeferv'd Diftrefs, the better home "Of thofe whom bigots chafe from foreign lands: Not buiit on rapine, fervitude, and woe, And in their turn fome petty tyrant's prey; But, bound by focial Freedom, firm they rife; "Such as, of late, an Oglethorpe has form'd, 645 "And, crouding round, the charm'd Savannah "fees.
"Horrid with want and mifery, no more
"Our streets the tender Paffenger afflict;
"Nor fhivering Age, nor fickness, without friend,
"Or home, or bed, to bear his burning load; 650
"Nor agonizing Infant, that ne'er earn'd-
"Its guiltlefs pangs; I fee the ftores profufe,
"No more the facrilegious riot fwell
"Of Cannibal devourers! Right apply'd,
"His bafhful bonds difclofing Merit breaks;
And, big with fruits of glory, Virtue blows 599
"Expanfive o'er the land. Another race
"Of Generous Youths, of Patriot Sires, I fee!
"Not thofe vain infects fluttering in the blaze
"Of court, and ball, and play; thofe venal fouls," Which British bounty has to thefe affign'd,
"Corruption's veteran unrelenting bands,
"That, to their vices flayes, caq ne'er be free.
"I fee the fountain purg'd, whence life derives"
"A clear or turbid flow; fee the young mind
"Not fed impure by Chance, by flattery fool'd,
"Or by Scholaftic Jargon bloated proud,
"But fill'd and nourish'd by the light of Truth;
"Then, beam'd thro' fancy the reviving ray,
No ftarving wretch the land of Freedom stains: If poor, employment finds; if old, demands, "If lick, if maim'd, his miferable due; "And, will, if young, repay the fondest care. "Sweet fets the fun of ftormy life, and sweet 660 "The morning fhines, in Mercy's dews array'd
Lo! how they rife! thefe families of Heaven! "That! chief, (but why-ye Bigots!-why fo "late?)
Where blooms and warbles glad a rifing age: "What fmiles of praife! and, while their fong "afcends,
"The liftening feraph lays his lure afide.
And pouring on the heart, the pallions feel "At once informing light and moving flame; "Till moral, public, graceful action, crowns 6c5 "The whole. Behold the fair contention glows, In all that mind or body can adorn, "And form to life Inftead of barren heads, "Barbarian pedants, wrangling fons of pride, « And truth-perplexing metaphyfic wits, "Men, Patriots, Chiefs, and Citizens, are form'd. "Lo! Justice, like the liberal light of Heaven," "Unpurchas'd fhines on all, and from her beam, "Appalling guilt, retire the favage crew "That prowl amid the darkness they themselves"
"Hark! the gay Mules raile a nobler ftrain, With active Nature, warm impaffiou'd truck, Engaging fable, lucid order, notes
Of various ftring, and heart-felt image, fille 679
Behold! I fce the dread delightful school 615" Of temper'd paffions, and of polifh'd life,
"Have thrown around the laws. Oppreffion
"See how her Legal Furies bite the lip,
"While Yorks and Talbots their deep
"dete,
Reftor'd, Behold! the well-diffembled scene "Calls from embellifh'd eyes the lovely tear, "Or lights up mirth in modest cheeks again. 673 fnares" Lo! vanith Monster-land! lo! driven away, "Thofe, that Apollo's facred walks profane, "And feize fwift Justice thro' the clouds they raise.[“ Their wild creation scatter'd, where a world "See! focial Labour lifts his guarded head, 620" Unknown to Nature, chaos more confus'd, "O'er the brute fcene its Quran-Outangs pours ;,
"And men not yield to government in vain.
|