The Works of the Late Aaron Hill ... In Four Volumes. Consisting of Letters on Various Subjects, And of Original Poems, Moral and Facetious. With An Essay on the Art of Acting |
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Prologue, for Mr. Garrick;
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 | The Works of the Late Aaron Hill |  |
Prologue, for Mr. Garrick;
[On the Duke's Return from Scotland.]
Rebellion sleeps in peace;—and light-heel'd France
Wakes, from her Highland-dream, and bagpipe dance.
Blown from Mount Grampus into Belgian Wastes,
Where moist Dutch ditches cool their cap'ring tastes.
There let'em fish their forage-guard wash'd passes,
And leer, from chin-deep march, at dry-shod lasses.
Warring, like ducks, eat frogs, instead of pullet,
And each stol'n cheese, they swim for, prove a bullet.
Oft may those thieves, most christian, shift bad quarters,
For worse,—and scour new climes, to catch new Tartars,
'Till sense of shame, invasion's cheek to flush,
Bids their pale lilly, steal our rose's blush.
Wakes, from her Highland-dream, and bagpipe dance.
Blown from Mount Grampus into Belgian Wastes,
Where moist Dutch ditches cool their cap'ring tastes.
There let'em fish their forage-guard wash'd passes,
And leer, from chin-deep march, at dry-shod lasses.
Warring, like ducks, eat frogs, instead of pullet,
And each stol'n cheese, they swim for, prove a bullet.
2
For worse,—and scour new climes, to catch new Tartars,
'Till sense of shame, invasion's cheek to flush,
Bids their pale lilly, steal our rose's blush.
Hail, to the sun-shine, that succeeds distress!
The dawn, that dimm'd us, bids the evening bless!
Happy the sorrow, that instructs, by pain;
The rebel's rage endears the monarch's reign!
'Till home-felt menace shook the land's repose,
Wealth's easy eye glanc'd scorn at absent foes:
At length, by danger rous'd, attention came,
Then war grew bus'ness, and revenge grew fame.
Trade fann'd, with grateful help, the soldier's fire,
Felt the protective warmth, and hugg'd it nigher.
Then, the brave red-coat, measuring o'er the isle,
March'd in claim'd brotherhood, from smile to smile.
Bless'd by new friends, saw antient spleens relent,
Cur'd prejudice—and conquer'd, as he went.
Kind smil'd occasion, thro' the storm begun,
'Till from the cloud, out-flam'd our morning sun,
Soul of the nations hope—the soldier's pride!
The sov'reign's safety, and the subject's guide!
Born to love all, and be, by all, belov'd,
Mild, like his father's throne, and as unmov'd!
In youth's warm prime, from all youth's passions free,
Had love, and fire, and pity, not been three.
Brave, beyond every curb, but judgment's call,
Guardian of every right—and saves 'em all.
The dawn, that dimm'd us, bids the evening bless!
Happy the sorrow, that instructs, by pain;
The rebel's rage endears the monarch's reign!
'Till home-felt menace shook the land's repose,
Wealth's easy eye glanc'd scorn at absent foes:
At length, by danger rous'd, attention came,
Then war grew bus'ness, and revenge grew fame.
Trade fann'd, with grateful help, the soldier's fire,
Felt the protective warmth, and hugg'd it nigher.
Then, the brave red-coat, measuring o'er the isle,
March'd in claim'd brotherhood, from smile to smile.
Bless'd by new friends, saw antient spleens relent,
Cur'd prejudice—and conquer'd, as he went.
Kind smil'd occasion, thro' the storm begun,
'Till from the cloud, out-flam'd our morning sun,
Soul of the nations hope—the soldier's pride!
The sov'reign's safety, and the subject's guide!
3
Mild, like his father's throne, and as unmov'd!
In youth's warm prime, from all youth's passions free,
Had love, and fire, and pity, not been three.
Brave, beyond every curb, but judgment's call,
Guardian of every right—and saves 'em all.
Such, when he comes, the muses breast should burn,
And her seats, echoing, hail his bless'd return;
Here, when long wish'd, our happy eyes behold,
Th' acknowledg'd conqueror, need his Name be told!
And her seats, echoing, hail his bless'd return;
Here, when long wish'd, our happy eyes behold,
Th' acknowledg'd conqueror, need his Name be told!
| The Works of the Late Aaron Hill | |