The Shamrock or, Hibernian Cresses. A Collection of Poems, Songs, Epigrams, &c. Latin as well as English, The Original Production of Ireland. To which are subjoined thoughts on the prevailing system of school education, respecting young ladies as well as gentlemen: with practical proposals for a reformation [by Samuel Whyte] |
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ODE: on The KING's
NUPTIALS.
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 | The Shamrock |  |
352
ODE: on The KING's NUPTIALS.
A youth, the meanest of the tuneful Train,
Whom, fair Applause, and Emulation fir'd,
Amidst the Grove essay'd some 'raptur'd Strain;
The Muse her artless Votary inspir'd;
To hymeneal Themes the Lyre he strung,
And thus, in mystic Verse, the adventurous Poet sung.
Whom, fair Applause, and Emulation fir'd,
Amidst the Grove essay'd some 'raptur'd Strain;
The Muse her artless Votary inspir'd;
To hymeneal Themes the Lyre he strung,
And thus, in mystic Verse, the adventurous Poet sung.
'Twas on Phœnicia's hoarse resounding Coast,
Where fam'd Orontes rolls his silver Waves,
'Till in the angry Deep his Streams are lost,
And o'er the Sands the exulting Billow raves,
In the first Age, while yet the World was young,
That Venus, Queen of Love, from fruitful Ocean sprung.
Where fam'd Orontes rolls his silver Waves,
'Till in the angry Deep his Streams are lost,
And o'er the Sands the exulting Billow raves,
In the first Age, while yet the World was young,
That Venus, Queen of Love, from fruitful Ocean sprung.
Fair-rob'd Aurora, from the brightening East,
Began her roseate Beauties to display,
Scattering Refulgence from her radiant Breast,
And wide unbarr'd the golden Gates of Day;
The Tempests vanish on the Wings of Night,
And to the Stygian Gloom precipitate their Flight.
Began her roseate Beauties to display,
Scattering Refulgence from her radiant Breast,
And wide unbarr'd the golden Gates of Day;
The Tempests vanish on the Wings of Night,
And to the Stygian Gloom precipitate their Flight.
353
For, raging Winds long toss'd the troubled Main,
Rent the rude Rocks, and the vast Forests tore;
The World, 'till then, obey'd stern Winter's Reign,
Nor knew, fair Spring, thy renovating Power;
Wild Beasts with frightful Howlings fill'd the Groves;
Nor yet the Birds had learn'd to chant their airy Loves.
Rent the rude Rocks, and the vast Forests tore;
The World, 'till then, obey'd stern Winter's Reign,
Nor knew, fair Spring, thy renovating Power;
Wild Beasts with frightful Howlings fill'd the Groves;
Nor yet the Birds had learn'd to chant their airy Loves.
Nor yet had Mortals felt the sacred Fire,
Which Beauty lights in the Beholder's Breast;
Strangers to gentle Thoughts, and soft Desire,
They wander'd o'er a chearless World unblest;
Rapine, and Violence, their Thoughts employ,
And Wars, destructive Wars! infuse a savage Joy.
Which Beauty lights in the Beholder's Breast;
Strangers to gentle Thoughts, and soft Desire,
They wander'd o'er a chearless World unblest;
Rapine, and Violence, their Thoughts employ,
And Wars, destructive Wars! infuse a savage Joy.
This saw the awful Ruler of the Gods,
Who Man, of all his Creatures, favour'd most;
He bade green Neptune, from his deep Abodes,
Conduct the Goddess to Phœnicia's Coast,
Where far-fam'd Sydon's royal Spires arise,
Shine o'er the distant Main, and glitter in the Skies.
Who Man, of all his Creatures, favour'd most;
He bade green Neptune, from his deep Abodes,
Conduct the Goddess to Phœnicia's Coast,
Where far-fam'd Sydon's royal Spires arise,
Shine o'er the distant Main, and glitter in the Skies.
There, o'er the potent State Adonis reign'd,
(Who hath not heard of young Adonis' Name?)
The sovereign Rule, with equal Hand, maintain'd;
Mighty in Power, and great in virtuous Fame:
For, Sydon, then, for Arts, and Arms, renown'd,
As Britain, now, the Sea's undoubted Queen was crown'd
(Who hath not heard of young Adonis' Name?)
The sovereign Rule, with equal Hand, maintain'd;
Mighty in Power, and great in virtuous Fame:
For, Sydon, then, for Arts, and Arms, renown'd,
As Britain, now, the Sea's undoubted Queen was crown'd
In Ocean's dreadful Caves the Palace stands
Of Neptune, bright on Rocks of Diamond rear'd,
Where the fierce Floods receive their King's Commands,
There sits the God, by furious Tempests fear'd;
A silver Light the glittering Dome displays,
And through the mighty Gates stream forth a hundred Seas.
Of Neptune, bright on Rocks of Diamond rear'd,
Where the fierce Floods receive their King's Commands,
There sits the God, by furious Tempests fear'd;
A silver Light the glittering Dome displays,
And through the mighty Gates stream forth a hundred Seas.
354
Thence, o'er the unbounded Deep his Word he sends;
The azure Naiads to his Court repair;
Each watry Deity his Will attends,
To grace the bright Procession all prepare;
At length, advanc'd the Daughter of the Main,
The Cyprian Power, amidst her fair attending Train.
The azure Naiads to his Court repair;
Each watry Deity his Will attends,
To grace the bright Procession all prepare;
At length, advanc'd the Daughter of the Main,
The Cyprian Power, amidst her fair attending Train.
Mean-time, exalted in the purest Sky,
The Thunderer ascends his sapphire Throne;
He gives the Sign, the Clouds in sunder fly;
Confest to mortal Sight, the Immortal shone;
The Eagle at his Feet, and in his Hand
His dreadful Arms he grasp'd, the Thunder's forked Brand.
The Thunderer ascends his sapphire Throne;
He gives the Sign, the Clouds in sunder fly;
Confest to mortal Sight, the Immortal shone;
The Eagle at his Feet, and in his Hand
His dreadful Arms he grasp'd, the Thunder's forked Brand.
Sent from his Presence, swift as streaming Light,
The feather'd Son of lovely Maia springs;
Shoots from the Heaven's unmeasurable Height,
And wide through Air a Blaze of Glory flings:
‘Attend, ye Gods;’ (he cries) ‘thou Earth, receive
‘Venus, Love's gracious Power, ascending from the Wave.’
The feather'd Son of lovely Maia springs;
Shoots from the Heaven's unmeasurable Height,
And wide through Air a Blaze of Glory flings:
‘Attend, ye Gods;’ (he cries) ‘thou Earth, receive
‘Venus, Love's gracious Power, ascending from the Wave.’
Bright, on a silver Car, appear'd the Queen;
In silken Harness flew her Swans, and Doves;
The naked Graces by her Side were seen;
Behind her stood the Sports, and blushing Loves:
Heaven, as she came, a purer Blue assum'd,
The flowery Spring was born, and Nature fairer bloom'd.
In silken Harness flew her Swans, and Doves;
The naked Graces by her Side were seen;
Behind her stood the Sports, and blushing Loves:
Heaven, as she came, a purer Blue assum'd,
The flowery Spring was born, and Nature fairer bloom'd.
Even the stern God of Fury, and of War,
Mars, from the snowy Hills of savage Thrace,
Dropp'd, for a While, his formidable Spear,
And wish'd that Strife and mortal Hate might cease;
'Till then, his dreadful Arm Confusion hurl'd
Wide o'er the Nations round, and laid all waste the World.
Mars, from the snowy Hills of savage Thrace,
Dropp'd, for a While, his formidable Spear,
And wish'd that Strife and mortal Hate might cease;
'Till then, his dreadful Arm Confusion hurl'd
Wide o'er the Nations round, and laid all waste the World.
355
While, thus, the radiant Pomp illumes the Sea,
Aloft in Air, the God of Verse and Light
Appear'd; he lash'd the fiery Steeds of Day;
They foam'd, and spread their sparkling Wings for Flight.
Through breaking Clouds they fly with heavenly Force,
Swift rolls the golden Car, and kindles in the Course.
Aloft in Air, the God of Verse and Light
Appear'd; he lash'd the fiery Steeds of Day;
They foam'd, and spread their sparkling Wings for Flight.
Through breaking Clouds they fly with heavenly Force,
Swift rolls the golden Car, and kindles in the Course.
High, in the Air, that brighten'd as he flew,
He held the Lyre, and struck the vocal Strings;
From Heaven, and Earth, the God Attention drew;
And, thus, the Nuptial Ode prophetic sings;
All Nature heard the Sound; the roaring Main,
With all its Waves, were still'd by that celestial Strain.
He held the Lyre, and struck the vocal Strings;
From Heaven, and Earth, the God Attention drew;
And, thus, the Nuptial Ode prophetic sings;
All Nature heard the Sound; the roaring Main,
With all its Waves, were still'd by that celestial Strain.
‘Thrice happy Sydon! let thy Sons rejoice;
‘Oh, mighty King, the immortal Fair receive;
‘Lo! Heaven, and all its Gods, approve the Choice;
‘Behold, what Glories gild the distant Wave:
‘Let all the Earth her duteous Tribute pay;
‘Let all the hoary Deep his sovereign Queen obey.
‘Oh, mighty King, the immortal Fair receive;
‘Lo! Heaven, and all its Gods, approve the Choice;
‘Behold, what Glories gild the distant Wave:
‘Let all the Earth her duteous Tribute pay;
‘Let all the hoary Deep his sovereign Queen obey.
‘Never shall Mortal thy Renown exceed,
‘'Till in a western Isle, as yet unknown,
‘A George shall to a George's Crown succeed,
‘And place a Charlotte on his envy'd Throne;
‘With them no future Lovers shall compare;
‘He like Adonis blest, she more than Venus fair.’
‘'Till in a western Isle, as yet unknown,
‘A George shall to a George's Crown succeed,
‘And place a Charlotte on his envy'd Throne;
‘With them no future Lovers shall compare;
‘He like Adonis blest, she more than Venus fair.’
Now, on the crouded Shore the Goddess lands;
Adonis there receiv'd the beauteous Bride;
Old Ocean joins the ardent Lovers' Hands,
And their fond Hearts in Chains eternal ty'd;
Back to his Sydon's Walls he led the Fair;
Night rushes from the Deep, and shades the Earth and Air.
Adonis there receiv'd the beauteous Bride;
Old Ocean joins the ardent Lovers' Hands,
And their fond Hearts in Chains eternal ty'd;
Back to his Sydon's Walls he led the Fair;
Night rushes from the Deep, and shades the Earth and Air.
356
To bless this Union all the Gods combin'd,
And each the hymeneal Presents made:
Bacchus, the fabled Conqueror of Ind',
Low at their Feet the Spoils of Asia laid;
Imperial Power the Queen of Heaven bestow'd;
And righteous Rule conferr'd the cloud-compelling God.
And each the hymeneal Presents made:
Bacchus, the fabled Conqueror of Ind',
Low at their Feet the Spoils of Asia laid;
Imperial Power the Queen of Heaven bestow'd;
And righteous Rule conferr'd the cloud-compelling God.
Wisdom the blue-ey'd Power of Athens gave;
Hermes rich Eloquence and Commerce brought;
Neptune, the Empire of the boundless Wave;
Music, and sacred Song, Apollo taught:
Thus great, thus happy, young Adonis reign'd,
When Beauty's charming Queen, the Queen of Love he gain'd.
Hermes rich Eloquence and Commerce brought;
Neptune, the Empire of the boundless Wave;
Music, and sacred Song, Apollo taught:
Thus great, thus happy, young Adonis reign'd,
When Beauty's charming Queen, the Queen of Love he gain'd.
| The Shamrock | |