The Description Of Bath A Poem. Humbly Inscribed To Her Royal Highness the Princess Amelia. By Mrs. Mary Chandler. The Third Edition. To which are added, Several Poems by the same Author |
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On Mr. B---'s
Garden. To Mrs. S---.
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 | The Description Of Bath |  |
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On Mr. B---'s Garden. To Mrs. S---.
Madam,
To your Commands I own Obedience due,And fain wou'd paint this fair inchanting View;
A Palace, Centre of the Garden, stands,
No common Structure rear'd by vulgar Hands;
But shews a Master's Skill, a Work complete,
And speaks the Founder's Name, and Fortune great.
The stately Front commands th'admiring View;
Grand its Design, and its Proportion true.
No costly Folly, no expensive Waste;
Strong, but not heavy; noble, but not vast;
Finish'd with Judgment, furnish'd with a Taste.
Vain my Attempt to paint the charming Scenes,
The Park, the Grove, the Terras, and the Greens;
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The grand Variety confound my Hopes:
Here Art o'er Nature shews a noble Pride,
With Beauty clothes the barren Mountain's Side.
The Planter's Skill the nodding Forests show,
Where scarce a Shrub was ever known to grow.
From Summer's Heat the Hills provide a Shade,
In Winter Shelter, when cold Winds invade.
Yet what were these but empty, all in vain
To ease an aking Heart, or Head in Pain;
Did Envy or Ambition rack the Breast,
The Day wou'd yield no Joy, the Night no Rest;
One Vice indulg'd wou'd cast a Gloom around,
Cloud all the Prospect, poison all the Ground.
But here true Happiness is understood,
The noble manly Joy of doing Good;
Here sterling Truth, calm Temperance, and Love
Lead from these pleasing Scenes to those above,
To nobler Structures built by Hands divine,
Where Suns unclouded o'er the Prospect shine;
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No Rains can rot, nor eating Worms destroy.
Within these Walls such Happiness resides;
Thus Fame reports.—What can they wish besides?
The Poor shall bless them, all the Wise shall hail,
And Heav'n approve; their Joys can never fail.
Late may they peaceful to their Graves descend,
And Heav'n to all their Offspring prove a Friend!
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