The Works of John Hall-Stevenson ... Corrected and Enlarged. With Several Original Poems, Now First Printed, and Explanatory Notes. In Three Volumes |
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BOOK III. ODE III. |
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| III. |
 | The Works of John Hall-Stevenson |  |
BOOK III. ODE III.
TO JOHN WILKES, ESQ.
The man religious to his word,
And a firm Christian, firm as you,
Whose principles are like his sword,
True to dame Honour, whilst she's true;
And a firm Christian, firm as you,
Whose principles are like his sword,
True to dame Honour, whilst she's true;
Like you, may laugh at tyrant peers;
Nor can the base apostate's vote,
Nor ruin, thundering in his ears,
Cram Tory nonsense down his throat.
Nor can the base apostate's vote,
Nor ruin, thundering in his ears,
Cram Tory nonsense down his throat.
Hambden and Pym by arts like these
To glorious patriots once gave law,
And now give nectar on their knees,
To both the Georges and Nassau.
To glorious patriots once gave law,
And now give nectar on their knees,
To both the Georges and Nassau.
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Nor with less art fanatic Vane
Rul'd the wild Whigs by frantic pray'r,
Like tigers patient of the rein,
When Bacchus steps into the chair.
Rul'd the wild Whigs by frantic pray'r,
Like tigers patient of the rein,
When Bacchus steps into the chair.
Cromwell, Bellona's charioteer,
Ascending to the realms of day,
With fiends and furies in his rear,
Through storms and thunder forc'd his way.
Ascending to the realms of day,
With fiends and furies in his rear,
Through storms and thunder forc'd his way.
Thus to her Sydney Freedom spoke—
“Trust thee I will, tho' oft betray'd;
“Tho' Wentworth , for lewd folly's yoke,
“Left me and the Athenian maid.
“Trust thee I will, tho' oft betray'd;
“Tho' Wentworth , for lewd folly's yoke,
“Left me and the Athenian maid.
“Remove yon foreign dame with speed,
“That wicked judge, those courtiers vile,
“Men that can neither write nor read,
“And give me back my ravish'd isle.
“That wicked judge, those courtiers vile,
“Men that can neither write nor read,
“And give me back my ravish'd isle.
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“'Tis well—I see the miscreants fly:
“No Fav'rite now, with haughty mien,
“Shall dare to rival kings, and try,
“Like Villiers, to seduce a queen.
“No Fav'rite now, with haughty mien,
“Shall dare to rival kings, and try,
“Like Villiers, to seduce a queen.
“And with prophetic eyes I view
“A monk, the last of Stuart's race,
“In exile, and his slavish crew
“Of perjur'd Tories in disgrace
“A monk, the last of Stuart's race,
“In exile, and his slavish crew
“Of perjur'd Tories in disgrace
“Treason and he to Rome are fled
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“There let him reign without restraint;
“And, when the spurious monarch's dead,
“Let him be made a Roman saint.
“There let him reign without restraint;
“And, when the spurious monarch's dead,
“Let him be made a Roman saint.
“Whilst seas divide us, let them shine,
“Let saints and martyrs for them battle;
“Whilst Stuart's tomb, like Becket's shrine,
“Is only trod by Romish cattle.
“Let saints and martyrs for them battle;
“Whilst Stuart's tomb, like Becket's shrine,
“Is only trod by Romish cattle.
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“On Magna Charta's solid base
“Britannia's Majesty shall stand;
“Confin'd alone by boundless space,
“Her sons shall conquer sea and land.
“Britannia's Majesty shall stand;
“Confin'd alone by boundless space,
“Her sons shall conquer sea and land.
“Nor showers of lead nor pointed steel
“Their native ardour shall withhold:
“Thrice happy, could they always feel
“The same innate contempt for gold.
“Their native ardour shall withhold:
“Thrice happy, could they always feel
“The same innate contempt for gold.
“O Britons! whilst your banners wave
“In every clime, on every shore,
“Deep as the center make a grave,
“And bury that pernicious ore;
“In every clime, on every shore,
“Deep as the center make a grave,
“And bury that pernicious ore;
“Lest Tyranny again should rise,
“Enrich'd and strengthen'd by your gains,
“Dazzle your delegates weak eyes,
“And bind them fast in golden chains:
“Enrich'd and strengthen'd by your gains,
“Dazzle your delegates weak eyes,
“And bind them fast in golden chains:
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“Chains which, however, soon or late,
“I'll break, as I have done before;
“Your chains are not like those of fate,
“That tie the Frenchman to his oar.
“I'll break, as I have done before;
“Your chains are not like those of fate,
“That tie the Frenchman to his oar.
“For, should the Goths again prevail,
“Should impious men again bear sway,
“Their blaze shall, like a comet's tail,
“Awe none but fools, and pass away.
“Should impious men again bear sway,
“Their blaze shall, like a comet's tail,
“Awe none but fools, and pass away.
“Ev'n if rebellion, a third time,
“Shall rise again and leave her bed,
“Freedom again shall load and prime,
“And the Third Brunswick shoot her dead.”
“Shall rise again and leave her bed,
“Freedom again shall load and prime,
“And the Third Brunswick shoot her dead.”
But hold—this is too high a flight;
I fear we both shall come to shame:
Return, my Muse, whilst we have light,
I am half blind, and you are lame.
I fear we both shall come to shame:
Return, my Muse, whilst we have light,
I am half blind, and you are lame.
| The Works of John Hall-Stevenson | |