Miscellanies in Prose and Verse By Mrs. Catherine Jemmat |
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On the Return of the Right Honourable Lord Viscount CHARLEMONT, from his Travels, to Ireland, in the Year 1755.
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 | Miscellanies in Prose and Verse |  |
On the Return of the Right Honourable Lord Viscount CHARLEMONT, from his Travels, to Ireland, in the Year 1755.
Once more, my Lord, the Muse would tune her lays,
Your country bids it, and the Muse obeys:
Your country bids, and merit claims the choice,
By Fame inspir'd, and Europe's gen'ral voice,
She sings thy wish'd return, thou noble youth,
Impell'd by gratitude, and taught by truth;
She bids thee welcome, with thy various store
Of treasur'd knowledge, to thy native shore.
Your country bids it, and the Muse obeys:
Your country bids, and merit claims the choice,
By Fame inspir'd, and Europe's gen'ral voice,
She sings thy wish'd return, thou noble youth,
Impell'd by gratitude, and taught by truth;
She bids thee welcome, with thy various store
Of treasur'd knowledge, to thy native shore.
What energy divine! what ardent guest!
By heav'n implanted in the human breast,
With thirst of fame, excites the gen'rous heart
To ransack Nature, and to drink up Art!
In copious currents, that inspiring glide,
From purest fountains, with prolific pride:
Insatiate still, with stronger thirst to glow,
And quaff the fountains, whence these currents flow.
O guiltless pride! O glorious thirst of fame!
Worthy a patriot or a prince's name;
Intrinsic gem, that in the soul must live,
Which only Wisdom sees, and Heav'n can give;
Above all pomp, all titles, and all pride,
To statesman oft, to heroes, kings, deny'd;
Charlemont, 'tis thine, th' immortal treasure's thine,
Bless'd with each gift, and born aloft to shine,
Bless'd with each art, with ev'ry virtue bless'd,
By nations honour'd, and by kings caress'd;
Illustrious youth! thy country's boast and pride,
For whom her raptur'd arms she opens wide,
For whom her throbbing bosom beats sincere,
Her long-expected bliss, her hope, her fear;
At thy approach the drooping Virtues smile,
And frowning Discord smoothes her front a while:
At thy approach the drooping Arts look gay,
The sister Arts their mutual charms display;
Painting, her pencil shapes; the Muse, her lay.
On thee shall Taste in all her forms attend,
In thee shall heav'n-born Genius find a friend:
Let Rancour hence, and hateful Envy see
One great exception, and the instance Thee
One glorious instance of deserv'd applause,
One champion, firm to Worth, to Virtue's cause!
One noble youth return'd, with honours crown'd,
By Truth applauded, and by Fame renown'd;
Who shines triumphant in the wreaths he bore,
From ev'ry hostile wave, from ev'ry shore;
Whose temper'd shield repells each deadly blow,
For Virtue finds in ev'ry land a foe,
To join with youth, at Pleasure's hasty call;
But strong Discretion stood, and vanquish'd all.
O sweet reflection! O extatic thought!
Not Philip's dreaded son so firmly fought;
Nor he, who earth subdu'd, the boast of Rome,
Brought half such virtuous wealth, such treasures home.
By heav'n implanted in the human breast,
With thirst of fame, excites the gen'rous heart
To ransack Nature, and to drink up Art!
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From purest fountains, with prolific pride:
Insatiate still, with stronger thirst to glow,
And quaff the fountains, whence these currents flow.
O guiltless pride! O glorious thirst of fame!
Worthy a patriot or a prince's name;
Intrinsic gem, that in the soul must live,
Which only Wisdom sees, and Heav'n can give;
Above all pomp, all titles, and all pride,
To statesman oft, to heroes, kings, deny'd;
Charlemont, 'tis thine, th' immortal treasure's thine,
Bless'd with each gift, and born aloft to shine,
Bless'd with each art, with ev'ry virtue bless'd,
By nations honour'd, and by kings caress'd;
Illustrious youth! thy country's boast and pride,
For whom her raptur'd arms she opens wide,
For whom her throbbing bosom beats sincere,
Her long-expected bliss, her hope, her fear;
At thy approach the drooping Virtues smile,
And frowning Discord smoothes her front a while:
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The sister Arts their mutual charms display;
Painting, her pencil shapes; the Muse, her lay.
On thee shall Taste in all her forms attend,
In thee shall heav'n-born Genius find a friend:
Let Rancour hence, and hateful Envy see
One great exception, and the instance Thee
One glorious instance of deserv'd applause,
One champion, firm to Worth, to Virtue's cause!
One noble youth return'd, with honours crown'd,
By Truth applauded, and by Fame renown'd;
Who shines triumphant in the wreaths he bore,
From ev'ry hostile wave, from ev'ry shore;
Whose temper'd shield repells each deadly blow,
For Virtue finds in ev'ry land a foe,
To join with youth, at Pleasure's hasty call;
But strong Discretion stood, and vanquish'd all.
O sweet reflection! O extatic thought!
Not Philip's dreaded son so firmly fought;
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Brought half such virtuous wealth, such treasures home.
And You, whose guiding hand, whose tender love,
First led his steps in Virtue's path to move;
Whose early precept taught his heart to know
The throb humane, rising for others woe;
Whose wise example taught, and presence fir'd,
Whose counsels form'd him, and whose deeds inspir'd;
Rejoice, exulting, banish now thy cares,
Behold the plant you rear'd, the fruit it bears!
Behold the fertile branches blooming wide,
With all the beauties of each summer's pride!
In smiling Nature's various robes array'd,
Behold your anxious toils, your cares repaid!
Accomplish'd youth, whose freighted bosom bears
The precious fruits of nine rich plenteous years,
By wisdom gather'd, with incessant toil,
To store thy mind, and bless thy native soil,
The god-like task begin, ascend thy sphere,
And make thy country's good thy lasting care;
There shine confess'd, let all thy splendors see,
And taste and mortals copy still from thee.
First led his steps in Virtue's path to move;
Whose early precept taught his heart to know
The throb humane, rising for others woe;
Whose wise example taught, and presence fir'd,
Whose counsels form'd him, and whose deeds inspir'd;
Rejoice, exulting, banish now thy cares,
Behold the plant you rear'd, the fruit it bears!
Behold the fertile branches blooming wide,
With all the beauties of each summer's pride!
In smiling Nature's various robes array'd,
Behold your anxious toils, your cares repaid!
Accomplish'd youth, whose freighted bosom bears
The precious fruits of nine rich plenteous years,
By wisdom gather'd, with incessant toil,
To store thy mind, and bless thy native soil,
The god-like task begin, ascend thy sphere,
And make thy country's good thy lasting care;
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And taste and mortals copy still from thee.
| Miscellanies in Prose and Verse | |