Three poems I. To the Right Honourable the Lord High-Chancellor of Great Britain; on His Lordship's being created Earl of Macclesfield. II. To the Right Honourable the Lord Parker; on his return from his travels. III. To the same, the Right Honourable the Lord Parker; on his marriage with Mrs. Mary Lane. All written by L. Eusden |
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To the Right Honourable the LORD PARKER;
ON HIS Return from His Travels. |
 | Three poems |  |
7
To the Right Honourable the LORD PARKER; ON HIS Return from His Travels.
Nectite jam lætæ candentia fila sorores.
Statius.
Statius.
The
Muse, that trac'd Thee in far distant Climes,
And sung thy Sire in proud, ambitious Rhimes,
The Table of her Vow, these Numbers brings,
And, with thy Safety pleas'd, thy Welcome sings.
If grateful to soft Babes the Mother's Breast,
To weary'd Hinds if grateful balmy Rest,
If TITAN's Beams to those beneath the Pole,
Or Sounds of Conquest to the Heroe's Soul,
Or to the loving Swain his Fair One's Smile,
Then art Thou grateful to thy native Isle.
And sung thy Sire in proud, ambitious Rhimes,
The Table of her Vow, these Numbers brings,
And, with thy Safety pleas'd, thy Welcome sings.
If grateful to soft Babes the Mother's Breast,
To weary'd Hinds if grateful balmy Rest,
If TITAN's Beams to those beneath the Pole,
Or Sounds of Conquest to the Heroe's Soul,
Or to the loving Swain his Fair One's Smile,
Then art Thou grateful to thy native Isle.
Fair Liberty, with her delightful Train
Of Arts and Plenty, Thou review'st again;
A Goddess of a sweet, attractive Mien,
Rarely, ah! rarely in thy Travels seen!
Say, to thy Eyes what Countries yet have show'd
A Court so glorious, or a King so good?
Here both the Ruler, and the Rul'd agree
To form an universal Harmony.
The People's Welfare is the Sov'raign's Will,
That Will with Pride his Ministers fulfil;
Great GEORGE inspires, and animates the whole,
They the mov'd Organs, He the moving Soul.
Thus at SEGOVIA (wond'rous to behold!)
An Engine spreads, and prints, and cuts the Gold:
The ductile Ingot, by degrees more fine,
This Part distends; that, figuring, stamps the Coin:
A Third, in rouling, pares the shining Plate,
And trims it to due Shape, and standard Weight:
The various Springs are all in Motion seen,
But 'tis one Water moves the vast Machine.
Of Arts and Plenty, Thou review'st again;
A Goddess of a sweet, attractive Mien,
Rarely, ah! rarely in thy Travels seen!
Say, to thy Eyes what Countries yet have show'd
A Court so glorious, or a King so good?
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To form an universal Harmony.
The People's Welfare is the Sov'raign's Will,
That Will with Pride his Ministers fulfil;
Great GEORGE inspires, and animates the whole,
They the mov'd Organs, He the moving Soul.
Thus at SEGOVIA (wond'rous to behold!)
An Engine spreads, and prints, and cuts the Gold:
The ductile Ingot, by degrees more fine,
This Part distends; that, figuring, stamps the Coin:
A Third, in rouling, pares the shining Plate,
And trims it to due Shape, and standard Weight:
The various Springs are all in Motion seen,
But 'tis one Water moves the vast Machine.
With diff'rent Glories diff'rent Lands are blest,
In Paint soft ITALY excels the rest:
Yet with her Paint the curious Indian vies
In feather'd Imag'ry, and genuine Dies.
There Birds, beyond the Peacock's gawdy Shew,
Spread brighter Colours, Iris, than thy Bow.
Their Coats imbibe the Sun's deep-painting Rays,
And MONTEZUMA's Palace seem'd to blaze,
While bold FERNANDO, dumb with Wonder, spy'd
Dead Southern Monarchs rang'd in plumy Pride:
The flowing Robes true Majesty maintain'd
With Purple, which a heav'nly Tincture stain'd;
Not wrought with Art, so elegantly fine,
The speaking Figures in rich Arras shine,
So justly inter-spers'd are Shades with Light,
That the nice-mingl'd Plumes deceive the Sight;
In haughty Frowns the big, black Heroes live,
Not RAPHAEL's Hand a sprightlier Warmth could give,
Nor GUIDO's Pencil nobler Airs impart,
Nor TITIAN's Strokes steal swifter on the Heart:
These downy Pictures bloom for ever young,
Than Paint more beauteous, and than Paint more strong.
In Paint soft ITALY excels the rest:
Yet with her Paint the curious Indian vies
In feather'd Imag'ry, and genuine Dies.
There Birds, beyond the Peacock's gawdy Shew,
Spread brighter Colours, Iris, than thy Bow.
Their Coats imbibe the Sun's deep-painting Rays,
And MONTEZUMA's Palace seem'd to blaze,
While bold FERNANDO, dumb with Wonder, spy'd
Dead Southern Monarchs rang'd in plumy Pride:
The flowing Robes true Majesty maintain'd
With Purple, which a heav'nly Tincture stain'd;
Not wrought with Art, so elegantly fine,
The speaking Figures in rich Arras shine,
So justly inter-spers'd are Shades with Light,
That the nice-mingl'd Plumes deceive the Sight;
In haughty Frowns the big, black Heroes live,
Not RAPHAEL's Hand a sprightlier Warmth could give,
Nor GUIDO's Pencil nobler Airs impart,
Nor TITIAN's Strokes steal swifter on the Heart:
These downy Pictures bloom for ever young,
Than Paint more beauteous, and than Paint more strong.
But let th'Italian Canvass vital glow,
And FLORIDA her woven Plumage show;
Let foreign Chissels soften Rocks to Life,
And boast, they rival Nature in the Strife;
In Arts of War BRITANNIA braves the Field,
Alike in Arts of Peace untaught to yield.
Freedom, her Product, her learn'd Sons excites
To happier Views, and more exalted Flights:
They make, by still improving what was known,
All Climes, all Ages, and all Tongues their Own.
The Greecian Muses their old Dresses scorn,
And Roman Poets seem in Albion born.
In vain for Sciences would Britons roam,
They find the World epitomiz'd at Home.
And FLORIDA her woven Plumage show;
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And boast, they rival Nature in the Strife;
In Arts of War BRITANNIA braves the Field,
Alike in Arts of Peace untaught to yield.
Freedom, her Product, her learn'd Sons excites
To happier Views, and more exalted Flights:
They make, by still improving what was known,
All Climes, all Ages, and all Tongues their Own.
The Greecian Muses their old Dresses scorn,
And Roman Poets seem in Albion born.
In vain for Sciences would Britons roam,
They find the World epitomiz'd at Home.
Thro' whate'er Regions Thee thy Travels drew,
Those Regions envious of thy Country grew.
They look'd, and look'd again, and own'd Thee Young,
And silent wonder'd, whence such Learning sprung.
If Thou for Arts distinguish'd shin'st so soon,
What Glories must adorn thy Manhood's Noon?
Such Brightness has the Copy, they begin
To think, how bright is then the Origin!
Those Regions envious of thy Country grew.
They look'd, and look'd again, and own'd Thee Young,
And silent wonder'd, whence such Learning sprung.
If Thou for Arts distinguish'd shin'st so soon,
What Glories must adorn thy Manhood's Noon?
Such Brightness has the Copy, they begin
To think, how bright is then the Origin!
Fain would I the tumultuous Joys unfold,
Which in thy glorious Father's Bosom roul'd,
When he beheld his Darling Pride again
Safe from strange Lands, and Dangers of the Main,
Beheld in Thee renew'd his youthful Frame,
The same thy Motions, and thy Looks the same;
He clasp'd Thee close, and gave a silent Kiss,
And sunk beneath the mighty Flow of Bliss:
A Torrent of Delight oppress'd his Sense;
Then first his Tongue knew Want of Eloquence.
He hop'd, he wish'd to see Thy Fame advance,
For Merit follows not Inheritance:
His Hopes, his Wishes He transcended found,
In Thee with ripen'd, in-born Virtues crown'd.
Which in thy glorious Father's Bosom roul'd,
When he beheld his Darling Pride again
Safe from strange Lands, and Dangers of the Main,
Beheld in Thee renew'd his youthful Frame,
The same thy Motions, and thy Looks the same;
He clasp'd Thee close, and gave a silent Kiss,
And sunk beneath the mighty Flow of Bliss:
A Torrent of Delight oppress'd his Sense;
Then first his Tongue knew Want of Eloquence.
He hop'd, he wish'd to see Thy Fame advance,
For Merit follows not Inheritance:
His Hopes, his Wishes He transcended found,
In Thee with ripen'd, in-born Virtues crown'd.
Illustrious Ancestors turn pale to see
A grov'ling, dark, degen'rate Progeny:
AUGUSTUS wept, and gave no Burial-Room
To both th'inglorious JULIA'S in his Tomb:
Brave AFRICANUS SCIPIO too disdain'd,
When SCIPIO lay by Cowardise enchain'd.
But Thee sublime Paternal Trains of Light
Urge on to Greatness, and provoke thy Flight;
Thy Breast burns fierce with emulating Fires,
And from new Praises to new Praise aspires.
The World expects (I prophesie afore)
Much from Thee, and Thou still wilt answer more.
A grov'ling, dark, degen'rate Progeny:
AUGUSTUS wept, and gave no Burial-Room
To both th'inglorious JULIA'S in his Tomb:
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When SCIPIO lay by Cowardise enchain'd.
But Thee sublime Paternal Trains of Light
Urge on to Greatness, and provoke thy Flight;
Thy Breast burns fierce with emulating Fires,
And from new Praises to new Praise aspires.
The World expects (I prophesie afore)
Much from Thee, and Thou still wilt answer more.
The Muse last strays, where the soft Graces sport,
Views the bright Ring, and traverses the Court.
Some foreign Climates boast a warmer Sun,
But BRITAIN never was in Nymphs out-shone.
Happy the Fair, who shall to Love encline
A Heart so gen'rous, and so true as Thine.
Thou, yet untouch'd, shalt feel th'Idalian Boy,
Know pleasing Trouble, and a painful Joy.
Thy King, thy Country earnestly demand
From Thee a Lineage by the Nuptial-Band.
Thou ow'st of PARKERS a long, num'rous Race,
Patriots, to yield at once Defence, and Grace;
Who with new Arts may future Times adorn,
And counsel British Monarchs yet un-born.
Views the bright Ring, and traverses the Court.
Some foreign Climates boast a warmer Sun,
But BRITAIN never was in Nymphs out-shone.
Happy the Fair, who shall to Love encline
A Heart so gen'rous, and so true as Thine.
Thou, yet untouch'd, shalt feel th'Idalian Boy,
Know pleasing Trouble, and a painful Joy.
Thy King, thy Country earnestly demand
From Thee a Lineage by the Nuptial-Band.
Thou ow'st of PARKERS a long, num'rous Race,
Patriots, to yield at once Defence, and Grace;
Who with new Arts may future Times adorn,
And counsel British Monarchs yet un-born.
Cambridge, August 25, 1722.
| Three poems | |