Posthumous Works of Dr. George Sewell :: :: University of Virginia Library

And no new Spenser touch the silent String:
No Halifax Inspire, nor Congreve Sing?
Not thus Ye promis'd, O! Ye Sons of Fame,
Pleas'd with the distant Glories of his Name,
With num'rous Monarchs in Successive Train,
And Sons of Heroes down from Reign to Reign,
Celestial Progeny!—And now ye view
In your own George that Scene of Wonders true.
Begin then, Muse, to these auspicious Days
Assert thy Right, and pay thy votive Lays.

Queen of the Ocean, fair Britannia, rise;
From leaden Bands of Sleep unseal thy Eyes.
Awake to Glory: Be as once before,
When William stretch'd thy Fame from Shore to Shore,
And taught thy Foes to fear no greater Name,
'Till in accomplish'd Time a Brunswick came.
O! True Descendant of a Royal Line,
In whom at once the Saint and Hero join;

Born to retrieve a sinking Nation's Fate,
And raise her high in Virtue, as in State;
To urge her Conquests in a Righteous Cause,
And give Eternal Sanction to her Laws.

Blest be the Guardian Angel of the Isle!
That this fair Branch transplanted from the Soil
That nurtur'd it with Care in Foreign Climes,
Free from the sickly Taint of British Crimes,
To re-translate it to the Land at length,
In fuller Honours and maturer Strength.
So (for tho' different our Sense they strike,
The Works of Providence are still alike)
When swelling Ocean above Ocean rose,
To purge the Guilty World of all her Woes,
One chosen House, by Miracles immur'd,
The Great Rewarder of their Faith secur'd;
From whom a better Race of Men should spring,
The Holy Patriarch, and the Scepter'd King.

Just Heaven! we now forgive thy vengeful Hand,
For all the Plagues that scourg'd an impious Land;
For all she felt in long Inglorious Reigns,
Oppress'd with Rebels Arms, and Tyrants Chains;
Since from their Errors we are taught to know
What Duty Subjects, and what Princes owe:
And Britain can with equal Pleasure see
Her Monarch Glorious, and her People Free.

Dear Spot of Liberty! Fair Virtue's Seat!
On this Foundation Thou art truly Great;
Thus safe at Home, thy Pow'rs increase Abroad;
The Main is Freed, the Continent is Aw'd.

See! See already how thy swelling Fame
Spreads thro' the World in this Auspicious Name;
See how the Nations gather round, and own
The Rising Terrours of thy George's Throne.
Contending Monarchs their Debates suspend,
To court his Friendship, and his Smile attend;

So early in their Praises they appear,
As they would emulate his Britains Care;
States adverse to the Name such Honours bring,
As if they wish'd at least for such a King.

How chang'd the Scene! how diff'rent is the View
From what of late our doubtful Country knew!
When, sick and wanton with successful Pride,
Ungratefully her Blessings she deny'd:
Amidst her Glories at her self repin'd,
And the dear Purchase of her Blood declin'd;
Beheld the Waste of Providence with Pain,
And flung all back upon its Hands again.

Then all her Warriours Hearts at once grew cold,
Full in the Heat of Victories controul'd;
Then, at the Momentary Point of Fate,
When Tyranny was nodding to its Date,
A sudden Sickness seiz'd the trembling Land,
Envy prevail'd, and shorten'd Marlbro's Hand.

He went, the Voluntary Exile went,
And left th' Ungrateful Island to repent;
While Factious Statesmen, careless of her Grief,
Indulg'd their Feuds, and brought her no Relief;
Till He, like some bright Star, appear'd again,
The Glorious Harbinger of George's Reign.

Forgive, Great Sir, the Muse, that dares allay
With any backward Gloom this brighter Day:
Perhaps the Work, for Marlbro's Arm too Great,
Was kept for You by a peculiar Fate:
And sure Heav'n seem'd of Old design'd to grace
With some such signal Act thy Fav'rite Race;
Which early in its own Defence it chose,
To purge its Altars, and Reform its Foes.

They soonest pierc'd the Church's darksome Gloom,
And snatch'd Religion from the Chains of Rome;
Taught Bright-ey'd Faith to soar above the Skies,
And leave her Legends, Venerable Lies;

Then Superstition, of a motley Hue,
With all her Idol-Saints and Gods withdrew;
While Hood-wink'd Ignorance her Reign resign'd,
Reason resum'd her Empire o'er the Mind.

Thus They: And still amid Thy Gen'rous Line
New Heroes flourish, and new Patriots shine.
Successive Scenes of Glory strike our Eyes,
For Greater Actions Greater Spirits rise;
'Till Providence, collecting all its Might,
Bid You go forth, and Conquer in its Right;
Snatch Hosts of Martyrs from the Threat'ning Grave,
And from the Flames a Thousand Temples save.
The Barb'rous Infidel with Rage beheld
The Cross Triumphant, and the Crescent Quell'd.

Then Just Presages Thy Germania drew
Of future Wonders to be done by You;

And soon whate'er Her boldest Hopes conceiv'd,
Thy Counsels acted, or thy Arms atchiev'd.

Behold! how Gallia, Formidable Name!
Revives Her ancient Arbitrary Claim:
That Tide, by Nassau check'd, with greater Force
Rolls back, and covers Nations in its Course:
Again his sinking Country calls his Sword;
Again She calls, and is again Restor'd.

Enough, Great Prince, is given thy Native Land;
Twice Sav'd and Rescu'd by thy Powerful Hand.
Now to the Voice of other Nations bend,
Wide as the World thy Saving Aid extend:
In Britain's Kings all Countries claim a Share,
For so before they bless'd Her William's Care:
And now His Kingdoms, and his Virtues too,
(The best Succession) are devolv'd on You.
O! may the Land, all Storms of Envy past,
Be just unto that Hero's Shade at last;

Pay ev'ry Honour to His Ashes due,
While we with Joy and Admiration view
How much He lov'd Us by His Choice of You.

Thee, Great Reformer of a Vicious Age,
Healer of Discord, and of Civil Rage,
All Tongues with emulating Pride confess,
Divided Nations own, and Factions Bless.
Monarchs long seated on a Peaceful Throne,
By Acts of Mercy and Indulgence known,
Scarce such Affection from their People gain,
As You possess, now You Begin to Reign.
Safe in our Prince's Piety we scorn
To make our Duty wait the flow Return,
Till Time and Gratitude shall bid it burn:
Their Zeal can never rise too fast, who know
They cannot Pay so much as they shall Owe.

No more, Britannia, shall thy Scepter stand
Doubtful of each succeeding Master's Hand;

No Gallic Idol raise unmanly Fears,
For lo! thy Other Hope, a Prince appears,
Sufficient Guardian to secure his own,
And to Posterity confirm his Throne;
While the Young Hero forms our Gen'rous Youth
To British Valour, and to German Truth.

Siege of Vienna.