Poems on Several Occasions With some Select Essays in Prose. In Two Volumes. By John Hughes; Adorn'd with Sculptures |
 | 1. |
|
|
|
|
| I. |
| II. |
| III. |
| IV. |
| V. |
| VI. |
|
|
|
| I. |
| II. |
| III. |
| IV. |
| V. |
| VI. |
| VII. |
|
| 2. |
|
|
| I. |
| II. |
| III. |
| IV. |
| V. |
| VI. |
| VII. |
| VIII. |
| IX. |
TO Mr. ADDISON,
|
|
 | Poems on Several Occasions |  |
TO Mr. ADDISON,
On his Tragedy of CATO.
Tho'
Cato shines in Virgil's Epick Song,
Prescribing Laws among th'Elysian Throng;
Tho' Lucan's Verse, exalted by his Name,
O'er Gods themselves has rais'd the Heroe's Fame;
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 ravish'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 Fears,
And all the Patriot in thy Scene appears.
Prescribing Laws among th'Elysian Throng;
Tho' Lucan's Verse, exalted by his Name,
O'er Gods themselves has rais'd the Heroe's Fame;
89
Drawn at full Length; a Task reserv'd for Thee.
By Thee we view the finish'd Figure rise,
And awful march before our ravish'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 Fears,
And all the Patriot in thy Scene appears.
On Tyber's Banks 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 sacred Hand,
Point out th'immortal Subject of thy Lays,
And ask this Labour, to record his Praise.
'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 sacred Hand,
Point out th'immortal Subject of thy Lays,
And ask this Labour, to record his Praise.
'Tis done—the Heroe lives, and charms our Age!
While nobler Morals grace the British Stage.
Great Shakespear's Ghost, the solemn Strain to hear,
(Methinks I see the laurell'd Shade appear!)
Will hover o'er the Scene, and wondring view
His Fav'rite Brutus rivall'd thus by You.
Such Roman Greatness in each Action shines,
Such Roman Eloquence adorns your Lines,
That sure the Sibyls Books this Year foretold;
And in some mystick Leaf was found inroll'd,
‘Rome, turn thy mournful Eyes from Africk's Shore,
‘Nor in her Sands thy Cato's Tomb explore!
‘When thrice Six hundred times the circling Sun
‘His annual Race shall thro' the Zodiack run,
‘An Isle remote his Monument shall rear,
‘And ev'ry generous Briton pay a Tear.
While nobler Morals grace the British Stage.
Great Shakespear's Ghost, the solemn Strain to hear,
(Methinks I see the laurell'd Shade appear!)
Will hover o'er the Scene, and wondring view
His Fav'rite Brutus rivall'd thus by You.
Such Roman Greatness in each Action shines,
Such Roman Eloquence adorns your Lines,
That sure the Sibyls Books this Year foretold;
And in some mystick Leaf was found inroll'd,
90
‘Nor in her Sands thy Cato's Tomb explore!
‘When thrice Six hundred times the circling Sun
‘His annual Race shall thro' the Zodiack run,
‘An Isle remote his Monument shall rear,
‘And ev'ry generous Briton pay a Tear.
| Poems on Several Occasions | |