The Works of the Right Honourable Sir Chas. Hanbury Williams ... From the Originals in the Possession of His Grandson The Right Hon. The Earl of Essex and Others: With Notes by Horace Walpole ... In Three Volumes, with Portraits |
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A Political Eclogue
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 | The Works of the Right Honourable Sir Chas. Hanbury Williams |  |
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A Political Eclogue
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(Written at the latter end of the year 1740, occasioned by the great contest between Mr. Lechmere and Mr. Pytts, Torys, who afterwards carried the Election; and Lord Derehurst and Mr. Lyttleton, Whigs (all four being violent opposers of the Court), who should represent the County of Worcester in the ensuing Parliament, to be chosen next Spring.)
THE meeting o'er, the compromise deny'd,
And candidates set up on either side,
The four competitors fly swift to horse,
And thro' the country as they took their course,
Two chanced to meet near Severn's rapid streams,
And Lyttleton and Lechmere were their names;
One famed for deep debate, and classic taste,
The other for his judgment in a beast;
One minds the public, one his private cares,
This shines in senates, and this shines in fairs;
One sighs at Walpole's everlasting sway,
While t' other mourns th'excessive price of hay;
They stopp'd, when Lyttleton the silence broke,
And thus the Patriot to the Grazier spoke:
LYTTLETON.And candidates set up on either side,
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And thro' the country as they took their course,
Two chanced to meet near Severn's rapid streams,
And Lyttleton and Lechmere were their names;
One famed for deep debate, and classic taste,
The other for his judgment in a beast;
One minds the public, one his private cares,
This shines in senates, and this shines in fairs;
One sighs at Walpole's everlasting sway,
While t' other mourns th'excessive price of hay;
They stopp'd, when Lyttleton the silence broke,
And thus the Patriot to the Grazier spoke:
“When to conclude a tedious war's alarms,
“Ajax and godlike Hector met in arms,
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“They paus'd, and talk'd in amicable words;
‘So let us twain, like those two generous foes,
“First parley hold, then, if we must, oppose.
LECHMERE.
“I never heard of Ajax, or of Hector;
“But you would speak to me, Sir, I conjecture:
“Then pray, Sir, let your tale be briefly told,
“For standing still may give my gelding cold.
LYTTLETON.
“Then briefly thus: in vain, why should we toil?
“All culture's fruitless in a barren soil;
“What can be hoped, when friends from friends divide,
“And weaken fatally the weaker side?
“Our party by itself is overcome,
“By Roman arms thus perished fated Rome.
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“Vict'ry's a loss, and conquest a defeat.
“No triumph shall attend the victor's care,
“No laurel-crown the conqueror shall wear;
“The sheriff shall with tears the cause decide,
“And joyless in their chairs the elected ride.
“Don't we in all things act and vote the same;
“And both on one foundation build our fame,
“Equally hating Walpole's noxious name?
“What good from such contentions can redound?
“Whene'er we strike the party feels the wound.
“Whoe'er of all us four obtain their ends,
“The party still must lose two zealous friends;
“Expenses and fatigue I can't support,
“Bad is my health, and small my place at Court.
“I for reversions with impatience wait,
“Heir to a better place, and an estate;
“Hear, then, why I should quietly be chose,
“Why you ought to assist, and not oppose.
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“I write in verse, and have my Prince's ear.
“The glorious talent to declaim is mine;
“In Council and in Parliament I shine.
“Have you not heard me? yes, you must have heard,
“When Tully's spirit in each word appear'd;
“When the still senate on each accent hung,
“And oratory dwelt upon my tongue;
“When I, great Liberty, thy standard bore,
“And Walpole pale sat trembling on the floor;
“When all th' applauding patriot band allow'd
“That I myself appear'd their leading god.
“Why wouldst thou, then, my being chose prevent,
“Why spoil me of my seat in Parliament?
“Why wouldst thou cross my warm pursuit of praise,
“Why cloud the glorious sunshine of my days?
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“Destroy my hopes of ministerial pow'r,
“And stop me in my full pursuit of glory?
LECHMERE.
“Because, Sir, you're a Whig, and I'm a Tory.
“Howe'er with us you the same schemes pursue,
“You follow those who ne'er will follow you;
“My principles to you I'll freely state,
“I love the church, and Whiggism I hate;
“And tho', with you, Sir Robert I abhor,
“His Whiggish heart is what I hate him for;
“And if a Whig the minister must be,
“Pult'ney and Walpole are alike to me.
LYTTLETON.
“To what remote, to what more friendly sky,
“Deserted Patriotism wilt thou fly?
“The Torys scorn thee and the Whigs deny.
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“Still rent by faction, and by party tore.
“Has all-accomplish'd St. John, first of men,
“That demi-god, then, vainly drawn his pen?
“Were all his learned lectures fruitless read,
“Are all his works forgot, his writings dead?
“Where fell the seeds thrown from his plastic hand,
“On what ungrateful, on what barren sand,
“That promis'd ten-fold product to the soil,
“To cheer the tiller, and reward his toil?
“And canst thou to the sacred name pretend
“Of being Liberty's and England's friend,
“Who wish that faction in this realm may thrive,
“And party's odious names be kept alive?
“Is this thy wretched plea to merit?—No!
“This proves thee Liberty's and England's foe.
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“That fatal rule, which patriots should disdain.
“When Solomon the harlot's quarrel try'd,
“Nature prevail'd, and the true mother cry'd,
“‘Oh! let me lose my child, but don't divide!’
“The minister, who well his interest knows,
“Amongst us strife, distinctions, variance sows;
“A general coalition is too wide,
“Too large a basis for that wretch's pride.
“His pow'r, his wealth, rais'd on the narrow plan
“Of a small sub-divided party clan;
“But now, thank Heaven, his basis proves too small,
“The killing frost is come, and he must fall,
“Like Lucifer, never to hope again:
“This England's enemy, this Freedom's bane,
“Shall be cut off by Patriotism's hand,
“And Liberty shall re-assume the land.
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“Well, Sir, with patience I have heard your speech,
“Tho' half you said was much above my reach;
“But does not one thing stare you in the face?
“All the whole country knows you have a place;
“And, I assure you, think it the same thing,
“Whether you have it from the Prince or King.
“Go to the farmers, fine orations speak,
“To wives talk Latin, to their husbands Greek.
“I in plain English will the country rand,
“And shake each good freeholder by the hand,
“And drink the church, as long as I can stand.
“What tho' my words are not, like your's, refin'd,
“Rough tho' they are, they always speak my mind.
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“And before all the flow'rs of eloquence,
“Prefer an honest heart, and common sense;
“Therefore, be wise, go home, and rand no more,
“But give up, as your father did before.”
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