Mr. Cooke's Original Poems with Imitations and Translations of Several Select Passages of the Antients, In Four Parts: To which are added Proposals For perfecting the English Language |
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AN ESSAY ON THE Antient and Modern State of Great Britain, and on the Posture of Affairs in Europe in the Years 1734, and 1735.
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 | Mr. Cooke's Original Poems |  |
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AN ESSAY ON THE Antient and Modern State of Great Britain, and on the Posture of Affairs in Europe in the Years 1734, and 1735.
TO His Grace the Duke of Marlborough.
9
Shall
France triumphant over Europe ride,
And spread her Arms extensive as her Pride,
Shall the loud Voice of War be hear'd again,
And Britain offer Terms of Peace in vain,
And not a Patriot Muse with Marlb'rough's Name
Rouse up her Country to assert her Fame?
Attend, illustrious Youth, O! bring thine Aid,
And with thy Grandsire's Toils the Land upbraid:
E'en Half the Glorys which his Toils have won
Would rank the Leader's Name with Philip's Son;
Not Philip's Son, surnam'd the Great, can claim
The foremost Honours in the Rolls of Fame;
Marlb'rough's and his, how diff'rent their Renown!
A Tyrant one, one pull'd a Tyrant down.
And spread her Arms extensive as her Pride,
Shall the loud Voice of War be hear'd again,
And Britain offer Terms of Peace in vain,
And not a Patriot Muse with Marlb'rough's Name
Rouse up her Country to assert her Fame?
Attend, illustrious Youth, O! bring thine Aid,
And with thy Grandsire's Toils the Land upbraid:
E'en Half the Glorys which his Toils have won
Would rank the Leader's Name with Philip's Son;
Not Philip's Son, surnam'd the Great, can claim
The foremost Honours in the Rolls of Fame;
Marlb'rough's and his, how diff'rent their Renown!
A Tyrant one, one pull'd a Tyrant down.
10
Cast, noble Youth, indignant cast, thine Eye
On Europe's State, nor pass Britannia by;
Compare the present with the pass'd, and see
What once the Britons were, and what are we:
See the fam'd Land, whose gallant Sons advance
At once the Terror, and the Lords, of France:
What never-sading Honours Edward won!
And what in Cressey's Field his godlike Son!
Arm'd with paternal Vigour on he sprung,
As rouses from his Den the Lion's Young.
In Agencourt what our fifth Henry gain'd,
In Gaul who conquer'd, and in Gaul who reign'd!
These are the Monarchs which a Throne adorn;
True British Worthys these, and British born!
Harden'd in Camps, and in the Council wise,
On Honour, and on Fame, they fix'd their Eyes;
Where-e'er they summon'd they obey'd the Call,
To pitch the Battel, or to scale the Wall.
When Darkness bids the Din of War to cease,
And for a-while compells the Troops to Peace,
Back to the Camp their harrass'd Limbs they bear,
Their Strength with scanty Viands to repair:
Beneath the Night, and o'er the hostile Ground,
Behold the watchful Hero takes his Round,
Descrys the Motions of the Foe from far,
And wakeful meditates To-morrow's War:
He cheers the drooping, and the bold commends,
And Fellow-soldiers calls them all, and Friends:
Short are his Sleeps, if Sleep the Chief requires,
Who freted Roofs nor Beds of Down desires;
But cas'd in Steel, and stretch'd along the Field,
He makes a Pillow of his wounded Shield;
And vigilant in Sleep, tho void of Fear,
Close by his Side he lays his Sword and Spear:
His Slumbers soon the Trumpet's Clangor breaks;
From Dreams of Glory he to Glory wakes:
Such were our antient Heros, such our Kings;
No Shadows they of Pow'r, mere purple Things!
Heros were they who early sought Renown,
And with the Laurel Wreath adorn'd the Crown:
Nor less Eliza, bless'd heroic Maid,
Th'immortal Honours to thy Virtues pay'd;
Whose Veins were cherish'd with the richest Flood,
Where flow'd the noblest of the Tudor's Blood;
Who chose for England's Happyness to reign,
And fix'd her Wealth and Safety on the Main;
By whose Command the flying Tow'rs arose,
And wafted Terror to thy distant Foes.
When the proud Spaniard, in an evil Hour,
Boasted invincible his naval Pow'r,
Resolv'd to pull the Virgin's Glory down,
To Britain's Isle he sent his floating Town;
His floating Town the Virgin's Thunder try'd,
And gave vindictive to the Wind and Tyde:
So was the Pride of England's Flag maintain'd,
When Burleigh counsel'd, and Eliza reign'd:
Then with a lib'ral Hand the Subject gave
Whate'er the State requir'd, or Prince would have;
For well they knew the royal Maid's Desires
Were all confin'd to what the State requires;
She brought them Conquests Home, and brought them Peace,
Encrease of Empire, and the Trade's Encrease:
Beneath her Eye no blund'ring Statesman rose,
To grieve her Friends, and to elate her Foes,
To spread Oppression and Disgrace around,
To mock the injur'd, and the wife confound,
In medley Councils, when the Nations jar,
To hesitate when Glory calls to War:
No Bribes for wounded Honour could atone;
Nor skulk'd th'Oppressor then behind the Throne.
On Europe's State, nor pass Britannia by;
Compare the present with the pass'd, and see
What once the Britons were, and what are we:
See the fam'd Land, whose gallant Sons advance
At once the Terror, and the Lords, of France:
What never-sading Honours Edward won!
And what in Cressey's Field his godlike Son!
Arm'd with paternal Vigour on he sprung,
As rouses from his Den the Lion's Young.
In Agencourt what our fifth Henry gain'd,
In Gaul who conquer'd, and in Gaul who reign'd!
These are the Monarchs which a Throne adorn;
True British Worthys these, and British born!
Harden'd in Camps, and in the Council wise,
On Honour, and on Fame, they fix'd their Eyes;
Where-e'er they summon'd they obey'd the Call,
To pitch the Battel, or to scale the Wall.
When Darkness bids the Din of War to cease,
And for a-while compells the Troops to Peace,
Back to the Camp their harrass'd Limbs they bear,
Their Strength with scanty Viands to repair:
Beneath the Night, and o'er the hostile Ground,
Behold the watchful Hero takes his Round,
Descrys the Motions of the Foe from far,
And wakeful meditates To-morrow's War:
11
And Fellow-soldiers calls them all, and Friends:
Short are his Sleeps, if Sleep the Chief requires,
Who freted Roofs nor Beds of Down desires;
But cas'd in Steel, and stretch'd along the Field,
He makes a Pillow of his wounded Shield;
And vigilant in Sleep, tho void of Fear,
Close by his Side he lays his Sword and Spear:
His Slumbers soon the Trumpet's Clangor breaks;
From Dreams of Glory he to Glory wakes:
Such were our antient Heros, such our Kings;
No Shadows they of Pow'r, mere purple Things!
Heros were they who early sought Renown,
And with the Laurel Wreath adorn'd the Crown:
Nor less Eliza, bless'd heroic Maid,
Th'immortal Honours to thy Virtues pay'd;
Whose Veins were cherish'd with the richest Flood,
Where flow'd the noblest of the Tudor's Blood;
Who chose for England's Happyness to reign,
And fix'd her Wealth and Safety on the Main;
By whose Command the flying Tow'rs arose,
And wafted Terror to thy distant Foes.
When the proud Spaniard, in an evil Hour,
Boasted invincible his naval Pow'r,
Resolv'd to pull the Virgin's Glory down,
To Britain's Isle he sent his floating Town;
12
And gave vindictive to the Wind and Tyde:
So was the Pride of England's Flag maintain'd,
When Burleigh counsel'd, and Eliza reign'd:
Then with a lib'ral Hand the Subject gave
Whate'er the State requir'd, or Prince would have;
For well they knew the royal Maid's Desires
Were all confin'd to what the State requires;
She brought them Conquests Home, and brought them Peace,
Encrease of Empire, and the Trade's Encrease:
Beneath her Eye no blund'ring Statesman rose,
To grieve her Friends, and to elate her Foes,
To spread Oppression and Disgrace around,
To mock the injur'd, and the wife confound,
In medley Councils, when the Nations jar,
To hesitate when Glory calls to War:
No Bribes for wounded Honour could atone;
Nor skulk'd th'Oppressor then behind the Throne.
Treasures immense, rais'd on the People's Woe,
A peaceful Army, and a Fleet for Show,
A Nation's Debt unpay'd, a hireling Band,
The station'd Locusts of a groaning Land,
Kind Heav'n such Evils keep from England far,
Inglorious Uses of the Nerves of War!
A peaceful Army, and a Fleet for Show,
A Nation's Debt unpay'd, a hireling Band,
The station'd Locusts of a groaning Land,
Kind Heav'n such Evils keep from England far,
Inglorious Uses of the Nerves of War!
13
While arm'd, while fortify'd by Land and Wave,
Shall the proud Gaul our Arms unanswer'd brave?
Shall he the Scales of Europe's Int'rest hold,
And add his Sword, like Brennus, to his Gold,
While he sees laughing, of his Mirth the Theme,
The lighter Scale fly up, and kick the Beam?
Not so, in France when greater Lewis reign'd;
Britain oppos'd him, and his Pride restrain'd:
What was deny'd t'encrease great William's Praise
Was kep'd for Marlb'rough's Arms and Anna's Days.
Shall the proud Gaul our Arms unanswer'd brave?
Shall he the Scales of Europe's Int'rest hold,
And add his Sword, like Brennus, to his Gold,
While he sees laughing, of his Mirth the Theme,
The lighter Scale fly up, and kick the Beam?
Not so, in France when greater Lewis reign'd;
Britain oppos'd him, and his Pride restrain'd:
What was deny'd t'encrease great William's Praise
Was kep'd for Marlb'rough's Arms and Anna's Days.
Long had the Gallic Monarch broke his Bounds,
And like a Flood o'er-flow'd the neighb'ring Mounds;
Where-e'er his Armys march'd he spread Despair,
And chas'd the Austrian Eagle thro the Air;
To aim at universal Pow'r he dar'd;
And Britain's self the boastful Insult shar'd:
He bad Defyance bold with Sword and Shield,
Forgeting Agencourt and Cressey's Field.
Malb'rough steps forth to scourge the Scourge of Laws,
With Anna's Thunder arm'd in Europe's Cause:
He stops the Torrent in its rapid Course,
Repels its Fury, and restrains its Force,
Like Neptune shakes his Trident in his Ire,
Hush'd are the Billows, and the Waves retire.
And like a Flood o'er-flow'd the neighb'ring Mounds;
Where-e'er his Armys march'd he spread Despair,
And chas'd the Austrian Eagle thro the Air;
To aim at universal Pow'r he dar'd;
And Britain's self the boastful Insult shar'd:
He bad Defyance bold with Sword and Shield,
Forgeting Agencourt and Cressey's Field.
Malb'rough steps forth to scourge the Scourge of Laws,
With Anna's Thunder arm'd in Europe's Cause:
He stops the Torrent in its rapid Course,
Repels its Fury, and restrains its Force,
14
Hush'd are the Billows, and the Waves retire.
The Point of War no longer wakes the Day;
The Song of Triumph's sung, the grateful Lay;
Lewis submits, and all his Insults cease;
And Europe tastes again the Sweets of Peace.
The Song of Triumph's sung, the grateful Lay;
Lewis submits, and all his Insults cease;
And Europe tastes again the Sweets of Peace.
Soon as the Gallic Pow'r has heal'd the Scars
Of the deep Wounds receiv'd in Anna's Wars,
He sounds a Charge, and from the Cannon's Mouth
Hurls bold Defyance to the North and South:
Again the Austrian Eagle trembling flys,
And with Reluctance leaves th'Italian Skys;
To drive him thence while France and Spain combine,
He seeks a Refuge on the Banks of Rhine:
Mean-while behold the Russian Arms advance,
To fix the Pole, and blast the Hopes of France:
A Woman's Form, inspir'd with Peter's Soul,
Resolves at once to save and to controul;
See her of Europe's State the Bulwark stand,
And keep the Ballance with an equal Hand.
Of the deep Wounds receiv'd in Anna's Wars,
He sounds a Charge, and from the Cannon's Mouth
Hurls bold Defyance to the North and South:
Again the Austrian Eagle trembling flys,
And with Reluctance leaves th'Italian Skys;
To drive him thence while France and Spain combine,
He seeks a Refuge on the Banks of Rhine:
Mean-while behold the Russian Arms advance,
To fix the Pole, and blast the Hopes of France:
A Woman's Form, inspir'd with Peter's Soul,
Resolves at once to save and to controul;
See her of Europe's State the Bulwark stand,
And keep the Ballance with an equal Hand.
Blush, blush, ye Pow'rs unfaithful to your Trust,
Learn from a Woman to be brave and just;
No longer hear your injur'd Trade complain
Against Excise and Robbers on the Main;
Assert your Rights, and your loss'd Fame restore;
Remember, ------ and inglorious be no more:
While all in Arms, and in a gen'ral Cause,
The neighb'ring Nations move, no longer pause;
At them no more with stupid Wonder gaze,
Amazing others by your own Amaze:
With Wealth and Thunder arm'd by Land and Sea,
Shew that ye can, and that ye will be free.
Learn from a Woman to be brave and just;
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Against Excise and Robbers on the Main;
Assert your Rights, and your loss'd Fame restore;
Remember, ------ and inglorious be no more:
While all in Arms, and in a gen'ral Cause,
The neighb'ring Nations move, no longer pause;
At them no more with stupid Wonder gaze,
Amazing others by your own Amaze:
With Wealth and Thunder arm'd by Land and Sea,
Shew that ye can, and that ye will be free.
| Mr. Cooke's Original Poems | |