The Works of the Right Honourable Sir Chas. Hanbury Williams ... From the Originals in the Possession of His Grandson The Right Hon. The Earl of Essex and Others: With Notes by Horace Walpole ... In Three Volumes, with Portraits |
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HOR. LIB. I. ODE XXX.—O Venus! Regina,
Cnida Paphosq. &c.
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II. |
III. |
The Works of the Right Honourable Sir Chas. Hanbury Williams | ||
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HOR. LIB. I. ODE XXX.—O Venus! Regina, Cnida Paphosq. &c.
PARAPHRASED BY SIR CHARLES HANBURY WILLIAMS, AS GENERAL CHURCHILL'S ADDRESS TO VENUS.
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(Written in December 1739: Mr. Churchill being just then made Deputy Ranger of St. James's Park, under Lord Weymouth.)
O VENUS, joy of men, and gods,
Leave for awhile thy blest abodes,
And come and visit my land:
Propitious, on thy vot'ry smile,
Quit Paphos, and the Cyprian isle,
And reign in my Duck island.
Leave for awhile thy blest abodes,
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Propitious, on thy vot'ry smile,
Quit Paphos, and the Cyprian isle,
And reign in my Duck island.
Thee, goddess, thee, my pray'rs invoke;
To thee alone my altars smoke;
O treat me not with rigor:
Thy wanton son bring with thee too,
My dying embers he'll renew,
And give me back fresh vigor.
To thee alone my altars smoke;
O treat me not with rigor:
Thy wanton son bring with thee too,
My dying embers he'll renew,
And give me back fresh vigor.
Bring too the Graces to my arms,
Girls that are prodigal of charms,
Of every favour lavish:
Melting and yielding let them be;
Consider I am sixty-three,
And that's too old to ravish.
Girls that are prodigal of charms,
Of every favour lavish:
Melting and yielding let them be;
Consider I am sixty-three,
And that's too old to ravish.
Let florid youth attend thy train;
Much wanted by thy crazy swain;
And dearest Venus prithee,
To crown my gifts, and ease my pain,
Since Ward has labour'd long in vain
Let Mercury come with thee.
Much wanted by thy crazy swain;
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To crown my gifts, and ease my pain,
Since Ward has labour'd long in vain
Let Mercury come with thee.
The Works of the Right Honourable Sir Chas. Hanbury Williams | ||