King Arthur An Heroick Poem. In Twelve Books. By Richard Blackmore. To which is Annexed, An Index, Explaining the Names of Countrys, Citys, and Rivers, &c |
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 | King Arthur |  |
The British King his Royal Standard reers,
See where his Host upon the Hills appears.
He shall abase thy Pride, thy slaves release,
Revenge her Wrongs and give Europa Peace.
He shall thy strong and deep Foundations raze,
And on thy Ruins build Immortal Praise.
Thy lofty Towers that with Majestic Pride
In Height and Glory with each other vy'd.
Which their aspiring Heads before did thrust
Amidst the Clouds now hide them in the Dust:
They in their broken Arms each other take,
And ghastly Friendship in Destruction make.
High Roofs of Cedar from Assyria brought,
Rare Statues all by ancient Masters wrought,
Dishes of massy Silver high embost,
And Marble Pillars from Ausonia's Coast,
Tables inlaid amazing to behold,
Mucovian Furrs, and India's purest Gold,
Sydonian Luxury, and wealth Immense
Engross'd with wondrous care, and vast expence.
These mingled by Lutetia's fall shall meet,
And spread with noble Rubbish every Street.
In after times thou'lt be with wonder show'd
Magnificent in heaps, in Ruin proud.
'Twill Learning be thy Monuments to know,
And those thought Wise who thy Remains can show.
Grave Antiquarys shall the Traveller lead
Around the Heaps, and on thy Reliques read.
They'l point, and to th'admiring Stranger cry,
See, yonder where those lofty Ruins ly,
There stood Lutetia's King's Imperial Seat,
Amazing then, now in Destruction Great.
Delicious Gardens on th'inclining Side
Of that fair Hill display'd their flowry Pride.
What Labyrinths of everlasting Green,
What lovely Walks adorn'd that Heav'nly Scene.
Fountains of wondrous Art did ever flow,
And high into the Air their Waters throw.
Statues that Skill Inimitable show'd
In beauteous order on the Terras stood:
They stood indeed but yet such Life did show,
Spectators wonder'd why they did not go.
How sweet a Shade Confederate Trees did spread,
Raising to Heav'n but one continued Head.
There a Canal, a noble Flood contain'd,
Which from reluctant Nature Art had gain'd,
Where Boats of Pleasure pass'd along the Shores
With Silken Pendants, and with gilded Oars.
Elastic Engines wrought with wondrous Skill
And mighty Cost, rais'd Waters to the Hill
Which first the Fountains fill'd, and then below
Did all collected in the Channel flow.
Now, as you see, the wild neglected Field
Do's only Thorny Shrubs and Thistles yield.
Now view the Reliques of that pompous Arch
Thro' which King Salmo did in Triumph march
Upon the Stones you may with Horror see
Th'Inscriptions, and audacious Blasphemy
With which to flatter his enormous Pride,
Court Sycophants their Monarch Deify'd.
There see the Baths and Aqueducts, and there
See where the Dome its lofty Head did reer.
See where his Host upon the Hills appears.
He shall abase thy Pride, thy slaves release,
Revenge her Wrongs and give Europa Peace.
He shall thy strong and deep Foundations raze,
And on thy Ruins build Immortal Praise.
Thy lofty Towers that with Majestic Pride
In Height and Glory with each other vy'd.
Which their aspiring Heads before did thrust
Amidst the Clouds now hide them in the Dust:
They in their broken Arms each other take,
And ghastly Friendship in Destruction make.
259
Rare Statues all by ancient Masters wrought,
Dishes of massy Silver high embost,
And Marble Pillars from Ausonia's Coast,
Tables inlaid amazing to behold,
Mucovian Furrs, and India's purest Gold,
Sydonian Luxury, and wealth Immense
Engross'd with wondrous care, and vast expence.
These mingled by Lutetia's fall shall meet,
And spread with noble Rubbish every Street.
In after times thou'lt be with wonder show'd
Magnificent in heaps, in Ruin proud.
'Twill Learning be thy Monuments to know,
And those thought Wise who thy Remains can show.
Grave Antiquarys shall the Traveller lead
Around the Heaps, and on thy Reliques read.
They'l point, and to th'admiring Stranger cry,
See, yonder where those lofty Ruins ly,
There stood Lutetia's King's Imperial Seat,
Amazing then, now in Destruction Great.
Delicious Gardens on th'inclining Side
Of that fair Hill display'd their flowry Pride.
What Labyrinths of everlasting Green,
What lovely Walks adorn'd that Heav'nly Scene.
Fountains of wondrous Art did ever flow,
And high into the Air their Waters throw.
Statues that Skill Inimitable show'd
In beauteous order on the Terras stood:
They stood indeed but yet such Life did show,
Spectators wonder'd why they did not go.
260
Raising to Heav'n but one continued Head.
There a Canal, a noble Flood contain'd,
Which from reluctant Nature Art had gain'd,
Where Boats of Pleasure pass'd along the Shores
With Silken Pendants, and with gilded Oars.
Elastic Engines wrought with wondrous Skill
And mighty Cost, rais'd Waters to the Hill
Which first the Fountains fill'd, and then below
Did all collected in the Channel flow.
Now, as you see, the wild neglected Field
Do's only Thorny Shrubs and Thistles yield.
Now view the Reliques of that pompous Arch
Thro' which King Salmo did in Triumph march
Upon the Stones you may with Horror see
Th'Inscriptions, and audacious Blasphemy
With which to flatter his enormous Pride,
Court Sycophants their Monarch Deify'd.
There see the Baths and Aqueducts, and there
See where the Dome its lofty Head did reer.
| King Arthur | |