 | The whole works (1729) |  |
11
TO THE KING.
While Cam and Isis at Your Royal Feet
Offer'd, Great Sir, th'immortal Fruits of Wit;
While Rev'rend Bards proclaim'd your Sacred Fame,
And the Young Laureat Tribe invok'd your Name;
At humble Distance from th'Harmonious Throng,
To gentle Strains I tun'd some Rural Song,
Whose unambitious Airs, at best, pretend
To cheer in Solitude a pensive Friend:
Profane it seem'd in Me to join the Choir,
And with rude Hands attempt Apollo's Lyre.
Offer'd, Great Sir, th'immortal Fruits of Wit;
While Rev'rend Bards proclaim'd your Sacred Fame,
And the Young Laureat Tribe invok'd your Name;
At humble Distance from th'Harmonious Throng,
To gentle Strains I tun'd some Rural Song,
Whose unambitious Airs, at best, pretend
To cheer in Solitude a pensive Friend:
Profane it seem'd in Me to join the Choir,
And with rude Hands attempt Apollo's Lyre.
But since You hourly spread your Gracious Light,
And chase, where-e'er You Go, the Clouds of Night;
Since your auspicious Rays diffus'd on All,
Sustain the Great, and animate the Small,
The most Remote your Infl'ence shou'd confess,
All Hearts shou'd gratulate, Each Tongue shou'd bless.
After th'Applause of Nobler Poets, then
Vouchsafe t'accept the Homage of his Pen,
Whose Bosom glows with an unusual Flame,
While Loyalty inspires, and You're the Theme;
Who ravish'd sees the Joyful Times retriev'd,
When Your Blest Sire, and Mighty William liv'd.
In You Their diff'rent Virtues are Compleat;
Gentle as George, as Mighty William Great.
And chase, where-e'er You Go, the Clouds of Night;
Since your auspicious Rays diffus'd on All,
Sustain the Great, and animate the Small,
12
All Hearts shou'd gratulate, Each Tongue shou'd bless.
After th'Applause of Nobler Poets, then
Vouchsafe t'accept the Homage of his Pen,
Whose Bosom glows with an unusual Flame,
While Loyalty inspires, and You're the Theme;
Who ravish'd sees the Joyful Times retriev'd,
When Your Blest Sire, and Mighty William liv'd.
In You Their diff'rent Virtues are Compleat;
Gentle as George, as Mighty William Great.
Not Phaeton-like, by rash Ambition hurl'd,
Too Young You Drove the Chariot of the World;
But Form'd by Nature, and Improv'd by Pains,
Explor'd the Road, e'er yet You shook the Reins.
Too Young You Drove the Chariot of the World;
But Form'd by Nature, and Improv'd by Pains,
Explor'd the Road, e'er yet You shook the Reins.
For Empire Born, but Rais'd by just Degrees,
Experience taught You both to Rule and Please;
And like a skill'd Physician, wisely-sure,
You Felt the Nation's Pulse, You meant to Cure.
Experience taught You both to Rule and Please;
And like a skill'd Physician, wisely-sure,
You Felt the Nation's Pulse, You meant to Cure.
13
Believe me, Sir, (and Frown not too Severe,
That thus the Muse familiar greets your Ear)
No Method better can Secure your Throne,
Than still to Know your Subjects, and be Known.
The Gen'rous Britons, Honest, Open, Bold,
Ill bear that Courtiers shou'd Their King withhold:
With Veneration they His Presence Wait,
And think His Person truly makes His State.
Shou'd now the Faithless doubt Your Right Divine,
And, as the Jews of old, demand a Sign;
What Ampler can of God's Vice gerent be,
Than so much Mildness with such Majesty!
That thus the Muse familiar greets your Ear)
No Method better can Secure your Throne,
Than still to Know your Subjects, and be Known.
The Gen'rous Britons, Honest, Open, Bold,
Ill bear that Courtiers shou'd Their King withhold:
With Veneration they His Presence Wait,
And think His Person truly makes His State.
Shou'd now the Faithless doubt Your Right Divine,
And, as the Jews of old, demand a Sign;
What Ampler can of God's Vice gerent be,
Than so much Mildness with such Majesty!
Revolving those Unhappy Kingdoms Fate,
Where Depredations make the Sov'raign Great;
Where Impious Slaves by Adulation rise,
And Kings are Flatter'd into Deities;
At once both Prince and People we Deplore,
Nor know which God Permits to suffer more:
The Monarch's blinded by that Incense-smoke;
And the Gall'd Subject groans beneath the Yoke.
But You, Great Prince! by Law maintain your Sway,
And We by Duty and by Choice Obey.
Where Depredations make the Sov'raign Great;
Where Impious Slaves by Adulation rise,
And Kings are Flatter'd into Deities;
At once both Prince and People we Deplore,
Nor know which God Permits to suffer more:
14
And the Gall'd Subject groans beneath the Yoke.
But You, Great Prince! by Law maintain your Sway,
And We by Duty and by Choice Obey.
Sov'raign of Hearts! Whose Dread, yet lov'd, Commands
Extend o'er distant Seas and various Lands,
What Other Province fairer Tribute Yields
Of flowing Wealth, than fruitful Albion's Fields?
While You with Justice, Sir, and Mercy Reign,
You Shine not on a Barren Land in vain.
What nobler Sight can entertain your Eyes,
Than a Glad Nation's willing Sacrifice?
Which Glorying in a Monarch, Brave and Good,
For Him exhausts her Treasures and her Blood.
Her Sons to Freedom born, with Plenty fed,
Eat not in servile Fear precarious Bread:
Rich in their Father's, or their Own Increase,
To War's rough Storms prefer the Calms of Peace:
Yet Arm'd ne'er fail to Scourge their Country's Foes,
And Scorn all Chains but what Themselves impose.
Extend o'er distant Seas and various Lands,
What Other Province fairer Tribute Yields
Of flowing Wealth, than fruitful Albion's Fields?
While You with Justice, Sir, and Mercy Reign,
You Shine not on a Barren Land in vain.
What nobler Sight can entertain your Eyes,
Than a Glad Nation's willing Sacrifice?
Which Glorying in a Monarch, Brave and Good,
For Him exhausts her Treasures and her Blood.
Her Sons to Freedom born, with Plenty fed,
Eat not in servile Fear precarious Bread:
Rich in their Father's, or their Own Increase,
To War's rough Storms prefer the Calms of Peace:
15
And Scorn all Chains but what Themselves impose.
Sooth'd by your Care, and Carolina's Smile;
The Factions cease, which lately Griev'd our Isle:
And under future Ills She ne'er can Faint,
Supported by a Hero and a Saint.
But Heaven propitious seems to have Design'd
Our Bliss not only Great, but Unconfin'd:
While FRED'RICK, and a long and glorious Train
Of Royal Issue shall o'er Britain Reign;
While Princely Virgins, with collat'ral Grace,
Wear Bridal Crowns, still Destin'd to Your Race.
The Factions cease, which lately Griev'd our Isle:
And under future Ills She ne'er can Faint,
Supported by a Hero and a Saint.
But Heaven propitious seems to have Design'd
Our Bliss not only Great, but Unconfin'd:
While FRED'RICK, and a long and glorious Train
Of Royal Issue shall o'er Britain Reign;
While Princely Virgins, with collat'ral Grace,
Wear Bridal Crowns, still Destin'd to Your Race.
| The whole works (1729) | |