University of Virginia Library

Of English Tipple, and the potent Grain,
Which in the Conclave of Celestial Pow'rs
Bred fell Debate, Sing Nymph of heav'nly Stem
Who on the hoary Top of Pen-main-maur
MERLIN the Seer didst visit, whilst he sate
With Astrolabe prophetic, to foresee
Young Actions issuing from the Fates Divan.
Full of thy Pow'r infus'd by Nappy ALE,
Darkling He watch'd the Planetary Orbs,
In their obscure Sojourn o'er Heav'ns high Cope.
Nor ceas'd till the gray Dawn with orient Dew
Impearl'd his large Mustachoes, deep ensconc'd
Beneath his overshadowing Orb of Hat,
And ample Fence of Elephantin Nose.
Scornful of keenest Polar Winds, or Sleet,
Or Hail, sent ratling down from wintry Jove.
(Vain Efforts on his sev'n-fold Mantle, made
Of Caledonian Rug, Immortal Woof!)
Such Energy of Soul to raise the Song,
Daign, Goddess, now to Me nor then withdraw
Thy sure presiding Pow'r, but guide my Wing,
Which nobly meditates no vulgar Flight.

NOW from th'Ensanguin'd Ister's reeking Flood
Tardy with many a Corse of Boian Knight,
And Gallic deep ingulft, with Barbed Steeds
Promiscuous, Fame to high Olympus flew,
Shearing th'Expanse of Heav'n with active Plume;
Nor swifter from Plinlimon's steepy Top
The staunch Gerfaulcon thro' the Buxom Air
Stoops on the Steerage of his Wings, to Truss
The Quarry, Hern, or Mallard, newly sprung
From Creek, whence bright Sabrina Bubling forth,
Runs fast a Nais thro' the Flow'ry Meads,
To spread round Uriconium's Tow'rs, her Streams.
Her Golden Trump the Goddess sounded thrice,
Whose shrilling Clang reach'd Heav'n's extremest Sphear.
Rouz'd at the Blast, the Gods with winged speed
To learn the Tidings came, on radiant Thrones
With fair Memorials, and Impresses quaint
Emblazon'd o'er they sate, deviz'd of old
By Mulciber, nor small his Skill I ween.
There SHE relates what CHURCHILL's Arm had wrought,
On Blenheim's bloody Plain. Up Bacchus rose,
By his plump Cheek and Barrel Belly known.
The pliant Tendrils of a Juicy Vine
Around his rosie Brow in Ringlets curl'd;
And in his Hand a Bunch of Grapes he held,
The Ensigns of the God! with ardent Tone
He mov'd, that straight the Nectar Bowl shou'd flow,
Devote to CHURCHILL's Health, and o'er all Heav'n
Uncommon Orgies shou'd be kept till Eeve,
Till all were Sated with immortal Moust,
Delicious Tipple! that in heav'nly Veins
Assimilated, vig'rous ICHOR bred.
Superiour to Frontiniac, or Bourdeaux,
Or old Falern, Campania's best Increase.
Or the more Dulcet Juice the happy Isles
From Palma, or Forteventura send.

Joy flush'd on ev'ry Face, and pleasing Glee
Inward Assent discover'd, till up rose
CERES, not blithe, for Marks of Latent Woe
Dim on her Visage Lowr'd: such her Deport
When Arethusa from her Reedy Bed,
Told her how Dis young Proserpine had rap'd,
To sway his Iron Sceptre, and command
In Gloom Tartareous, Half his wide Domain.
Then sighing thus she said—Have I so long
Employ'd my various Art t'enrich the Lap
Of Earth All-bearing Mother, and my Lore
Communicated to th'unweeting Hind,
And shall not This Preeminence obtain?
Then from beneath her Tyrian Vest she took
The bearded Ears of Grain she most Admird,
Which Gods call Crithe, in Terrestrial speech
Eycleeped BARLEY. 'Tis to this, she cry'd,
The British Cohorts owe their Martial Fame
And far Redoubted Prowess, matchless Youth!
This, when returning from the foughten Field,
Or Noric, or Iberian, seam'd with Scars,
(Sad Signatures of many a dreadful Gash!)
The Veteran, Carowsing soon restores,
Puissance to his Arm, and strings his Nerves!
And as a Snake, when first the Rosie Hours
Shed Vernal Sweets o'er ev'ry Vale and Mead,
Rowls tardy from his Cell obscure, and dank,
But when by Genial Rays of Summer Sun
Purg'd of his Slough, he nimbler Thrids the Brake.
Whetting his Sting, his Crested Head he Rears
Terrific, from each Eye retort he shoots
Ensanguin'd Rays, the distant Swains admire
His various Neck, and Spires bedropt with Gold.
So at each Glass the harrast Warriour feels
Vigour renate, his horrent Arms he takes,
And Rusting Fauchion, on whose ample Hilt
Long Victory sate dormant: soon she shakes
Her drowsie Wings, and follows to the War
With speed succinct, where soon his Martial Port
She Recognizes whilst he Haughty stands
On the rough Edge of Battel, and bestows
Wide Torment on the Serried Files so us'd,
Frequent in bold Emprise, to work sad Rout,
And Havoc dire; these the bold Briton mows,
Dauntless as Deities exempt from Fate,
Ardent to deck his Brow with mural Gold,
Or Civic Wreath of Oak, the Victor's Meed.
Such is the Pow'r of ALE with Vines embowr'd,
While dangling Bunches court his thirsting Lip,
Sullen he sits, and sighing oft Extols
The Beverage they Quaff, whose happy Soil
Prolific Dovus laves, or Trenta's Urn
Adorns with waving Crithe, (joyous Scenes
Of vegetable Gold!) Secure they dwell
Nor feel th'Eternal Snows that Cloath their Cliffs:
Nor curse th'inclement Air, whose horrid Face
Scowls like that Arctic Heav'n, that drizzling sheds
Perpetual Winter on the frozen Skirts
Of Scandinavia, and the Baltic Main,
Where the young Tempests first are taught to roar.
Snug in their Straw-built Hutts, or darkling Earth'd
In Cavern'd Rock they live (small need of Art
To form spruce Architrave, or Cornice quaint
On Parian Marble with Corinthian Grace
Prepar'd) there on well-fuel'd Hearth they Chat,
Whilst black Pots walk the Round with laughing ALE
Surcharg'd; or Brew'd in Planetary Hour,
When March weigh'd Night and Day in equal Scale:
Or in October Tunn'd, and Mellow grown
With sev'n Revolving Suns, the Racy Juice
Strong with delicious Flavour, strikes the Sense!
Nor wants on vast Circumference of Board,
Of Arthur's imitative, large Surloin
Of Ox, or Virgin-Heifer, wont to Browse
The Meads of Longovicum (fatt'ning Soil!
Replete with Clover-Grass, and foodful Shrub.)
Planted with Sprigs of Rosemary it stands,
Meet Paragon (as far as Great with Small
May correspond) for some Panchæan Hill,
Imbrown'd with sult'ry Skies, Thin set with Palm,
And Olive rarely interspers'd, whose Shade
Skreens hospitably from the Tropic Crab
The Quiver'd Arabs vagrant Clan, that waits
Insidious some rich Caravan, which Fares
To Mecca, with Barbaric Gold full fraught.

Thus Britain's Hardy Sons, of Rustic Mould,
Patient of Arms, still Quash th'Aspiring Gaul,
Blest by my Boon: which when they slightly Prize,
Shou'd they with high Defence of Triple Brass
Wide-circling, live immur'd (as erst was try'd
By BACON's Charms on which the sick'ning Moon
Look'd Wan, and Cheerless Mew'd her Crescent Horns
Whilst Demogorgon hear'd his stern Behest)
Thrice the prevailing Pow'r of GALLIA's Arms
Shou'd there resistless Ravage, as of Old
Great Pharamond, the Founder of her Fame,
Was wont, when first his Marshal'd Peerage pass'd
The Subject Rhene. What, tho' Britannia Boasts
Her self a World, with Ocean Circumfus'd?
'Tis ALE that warms her Sons t'assert her Claim,
And with full Volley makes her Naval Tubes
Thunder disastrous Doom t'opponent Pow'rs!

Nor potent only to enkindle Mars,
And Fire with Knightly Prowess Recreant Souls:
It Science can Encourage, and Excite
The Mind to Ditties blithe, and charming Song.
Thou, Pallas, to my Speech just Witness bear:
How oft hast thou thy Votaries beheld
At Crambo merry met, and Hymning shrill
With Voice Harmonic each, whilst others Frisk
In Mazy Dance, or Cestrian Gambols shew,
Elate with mighty Joy, when to the Brim
Critheian Nectar Crown'd the Lordly Bowl.
(Equal to Nestor's pond'rous Cup, which ask'd
A Heroe's Arm to mount it on the Board,
E'er he th'Embattail'd Pylians led, to Quell
The Prime of Dardan Youth in Hosting dire.)
Or if, with Front unblest, came Tow'ring in
PROCTOR Armipotent, in stern Deport
Resembling Turban'd Turk, when high he wields
His Scimeter with huge Two-handed Sway.
Alarm'd with threat'ning Accent, harsher far
Than that ill-omen'd Sound the Bird of Night
With Beak uncomely bent, from Dodder'd Oak
Screams out, the sick Man's Trump of doleful Doom:
Thy jocund Sons Confront the horrid Van,
That Crowds his Gonfalon of sev'n-foot Size:
And with their Ruby'd Faces stand the Foe;
Whilst they of sober Guise contrive Retreat,
And run with Ears erect; as the tall Stag
Unharbour'd by the Wood-Man quits his Layre,
And flies the Yerning Pack which close pursue
So they not Bowsie dread th'approaching Foe:
They Run, they Fly, till flying on Obscure,
Night-founder'd in Town-Ditches stagnant Gurge,
SOPH Rowls on SOPH Promiscuous—Caps a loof
Quadrate and Circular confus'dly fly,
The Sport of fierce Norwegian Tempests, tost
By Thrascias Coadjutant, and the Roar
Of loud Euroclydon's tumultuous Gusts.

She said, the Sire of Gods and Men Supreme,
With Aspect bland Attentive Audience gave,
Then Nodded Awful: from his shaken Locks
Ambrosial Fragrance flew: the Signal giv'n
By Ganymede the Skinker soon was Ken'd;
With ALE He Heav'n's Capacious Goblet Crown'd,
To Phrygian Mood Apollo Tun'd his Lyre,
The Muses Sang alternate, all Carows'd,
But Bacchus murm'ring left th'Assembl'd Pow'rs.