[Poems by Lewis in] Early Maryland poetry the works of Ebenezer Cook, gent : Laureat of Maryland |
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To His Excellency Benedict Leonard Calvert,
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 | [Poems by Lewis in] Early Maryland poetry |  |
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To His Excellency Benedict Leonard Calvert,
Governour, and Commander in Chief, in and over the Province of Maryland.
Permit Great Sir! a Visit from the Muse,
Nor to her comic Tale your Smile refuse:
With humble Duty she persumes to lay
Before your curious View,—This First Essay
Of Latin Poetry, in English Dress,
Which MARYLAND hath publish'd from the Press.
Could I preserve that Beauty in my Lays,
Which Holdsworth's, bright Original displays;
I need not, then, the Critick's Censure fear,
Secure to please the most judicious Ear.
But all TRANSLATORS must with Grief confess,
that while they strive in English to express
Nor to her comic Tale your Smile refuse:
With humble Duty she persumes to lay
Before your curious View,—This First Essay
Of Latin Poetry, in English Dress,
Which MARYLAND hath publish'd from the Press.
Could I preserve that Beauty in my Lays,
Which Holdsworth's, bright Original displays;
I need not, then, the Critick's Censure fear,
Secure to please the most judicious Ear.
But all TRANSLATORS must with Grief confess,
that while they strive in English to express
The pleasing Charms of Latin Poësy,
They lose its genuine Life, and Energy:
Some Grace peculiar thro' each Language flows,
Which other Idioms never can disclose.
Besides, in all Good Poetry, we find
A Spirit of a most exalted kind:
To pour it off, in vain the Artist tries,
The subtile Spirit in Transfusion flies
And the insipid Version, lifeless lies.
These Hardships, on the happiest Muse, attend,
With Candor, then, my artless Verse befriend:
Nor Here, expect such “soft enchanting Strains,”
As once You heard on fair Italian Plains;
Where, the kind Climate does the Muse inspire
With Thoughts sublime, and gay poetic Fire;
Where Virgil, Ovid, Horace, struck the Lyre:
Who still demand our Wonder, and our Praise;
Nor spite, nor Time, shall ever blast their Bays.
They lose its genuine Life, and Energy:
Some Grace peculiar thro' each Language flows,
Which other Idioms never can disclose.
Besides, in all Good Poetry, we find
60
To pour it off, in vain the Artist tries,
The subtile Spirit in Transfusion flies
And the insipid Version, lifeless lies.
These Hardships, on the happiest Muse, attend,
With Candor, then, my artless Verse befriend:
Nor Here, expect such “soft enchanting Strains,”
As once You heard on fair Italian Plains;
Where, the kind Climate does the Muse inspire
With Thoughts sublime, and gay poetic Fire;
Where Virgil, Ovid, Horace, struck the Lyre:
Who still demand our Wonder, and our Praise;
Nor spite, nor Time, shall ever blast their Bays.
There
Painture breathes, There
Statuary lives,
And Music most delightful Rapture gives:
There, pompous Piles of Building pierce the Skies,
And endless Scenes of Pleasure court the Eyes.
While Here, rough Woods embrown the Hills and Plains,
Mean are the Buildings, artless are the Swains:
“To raise the Genius,” WE no Time can spare,
A bare Subsistence claims our utmost Care.
But from the Gen'rous Purpose of Your Heart,
Which, in Your Speech you graciously impart;
To give to Virtue its deserved Applause,
To punish daring Vice, by wholsom Laws;
To animate the People, now dismayed,
And add new Life to our declining Trade;
We hope to see soft Joys o'erspread the Land,
And happier Times deriv'd from Your Command.
For should Your Excellency's Plan take Place,
Soon will returning Plenty shew its Face:
The Markets for our Staple, would advance,
Nor shall we live, as now we do, by Chance.
And Music most delightful Rapture gives:
There, pompous Piles of Building pierce the Skies,
And endless Scenes of Pleasure court the Eyes.
While Here, rough Woods embrown the Hills and Plains,
Mean are the Buildings, artless are the Swains:
“To raise the Genius,” WE no Time can spare,
A bare Subsistence claims our utmost Care.
But from the Gen'rous Purpose of Your Heart,
Which, in Your Speech you graciously impart;
To give to Virtue its deserved Applause,
To punish daring Vice, by wholsom Laws;
To animate the People, now dismayed,
And add new Life to our declining Trade;
We hope to see soft Joys o'erspread the Land,
And happier Times deriv'd from Your Command.
For should Your Excellency's Plan take Place,
Soon will returning Plenty shew its Face:
The Markets for our Staple, would advance,
Nor shall we live, as now we do, by Chance.
No more, the lab'ring Planter shall complain
How vast his Trouble! but how small his Gain!
THE Mariner shall bless you, when releast
From Toil, which sunk him down from Man to Beast.
The Merchant, shall applaud your Care, to free
His freighted Vessel from the Wintry Sea.
And Husbands, Brothers, Sons, from Shipwreck save'd,
In Climes remote, with Joy shall be receiv'd;
And thankful, tell their Mothers, Sisters, Wives,
That You, next PROVIDENCE, preserv'd their Lives.
WHEN Records, which to You, their Being owe,
These Acts to late Posterity shall show;
Our Children's Children shall extol Your Name,
And Your's shall equal your great Grandsire's Fame,
Him, shall they stile the Founder of the State,
From YOU its Preservation shall they date.
Oh, may kind Heav'n regard me, while I pray,
That these great Blessings, might attend Your Sway!
May Peace harmonious, in our Councils reign,
And no Dissensions make their Meeting vain!
How vast his Trouble! but how small his Gain!
THE Mariner shall bless you, when releast
From Toil, which sunk him down from Man to Beast.
61
His freighted Vessel from the Wintry Sea.
And Husbands, Brothers, Sons, from Shipwreck save'd,
In Climes remote, with Joy shall be receiv'd;
And thankful, tell their Mothers, Sisters, Wives,
That You, next PROVIDENCE, preserv'd their Lives.
WHEN Records, which to You, their Being owe,
These Acts to late Posterity shall show;
Our Children's Children shall extol Your Name,
And Your's shall equal your great Grandsire's Fame,
Him, shall they stile the Founder of the State,
From YOU its Preservation shall they date.
Oh, may kind Heav'n regard me, while I pray,
That these great Blessings, might attend Your Sway!
May Peace harmonious, in our Councils reign,
And no Dissensions make their Meeting vain!
May the Prerogative receive no Wound,
And Privilege preserve its proper Bound!
May All our Senators, with honest Zeal,
To Private Gain prefer the Public Weal!
Then, shall Their Actions due Applause obtain,
And Arts Polite, shall shine in this Domain;
Then, shall some future Bard Their Praise rehearse;
And paint Your happy Rule in never-dying Verse.
But while thus fondly I persue my Rhyme,
And trespass on Your Excellency's Time,
Against the Public I commit a Crime.
YET—hear me!—while I beg you to excuse,
This bold Intrusion of an unknown Muse;
And if her Faults too manifest appear,
And her rude Numbers should offend your Ear,
Then, if you please with your forgiving Breath,
Which can reprieve the Wretch condemn'd, from Death,
To speak a Pardon for her Errors past,
This First Poetic Crime, shall prove her Last.
And Privilege preserve its proper Bound!
May All our Senators, with honest Zeal,
To Private Gain prefer the Public Weal!
Then, shall Their Actions due Applause obtain,
And Arts Polite, shall shine in this Domain;
Then, shall some future Bard Their Praise rehearse;
And paint Your happy Rule in never-dying Verse.
But while thus fondly I persue my Rhyme,
And trespass on Your Excellency's Time,
Against the Public I commit a Crime.
YET—hear me!—while I beg you to excuse,
This bold Intrusion of an unknown Muse;
And if her Faults too manifest appear,
And her rude Numbers should offend your Ear,
Then, if you please with your forgiving Breath,
Which can reprieve the Wretch condemn'd, from Death,
To speak a Pardon for her Errors past,
This First Poetic Crime, shall prove her Last.
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