Poems on Several Occasions ... To which is added, the Plague of Wealth, Occasion'd By the Author's receiving fifty Pounds from his Excellency the Lord Carteret, for the foremention'd Ode. With several Poems not in the Dublin Edition. By Matthew Pilkington. Revised by the Reverend Dr. Swift |
 |
|
| I. |
| II. |
| III. |
| IV. |
| V. |
| VII. |
| VIII. |
| IX. |
| XXXIV. |
AN ODE, Perform'd at the Castle of DUBLIN,
|
 | Poems on Several Occasions |  |
153
AN ODE, Perform'd at the Castle of DUBLIN,
October 30.
BEING THE BIRTH-DAY Of His Sacred Majesty KING GEORGE II.
Conamur, tenues, grandia,
Laudes egregii Cæsaris—
Hic dies veré mihi festus, atras
Eximet Curas: Ego, nec tumultum,
Nec mori per vim metuam, tenente
Cæsare terras.
Hor.
Laudes egregii Cæsaris—
Hic dies veré mihi festus, atras
Eximet Curas: Ego, nec tumultum,
Nec mori per vim metuam, tenente
Cæsare terras.
Hor.
155
RECITATIVE.
Great, inexhausted Source of Day,Bright Parent of the genial Ray,
Unfold thy purest Beams of Light,
And bring with thee, enliv'ning Pow'r!
Each silver-wing'd, each blissful Hour,
Joy-creating, rob'd in white.
AIR.
Like thee Augustus reigns below,
From Him diffusive Blessings flow,
And cloath'd with Grandeur, Glory, Love,
He emulates thy Reign above.
From Him diffusive Blessings flow,
156
He emulates thy Reign above.
Da Capo.
AIR.
Wake the Soul-enchanting Lute,The warbling Lyre, the breathing Flute,
And touch the Viol into Sound:
With Joy let ev'ry Voice proclaim
A George, the fav'rite Son of Fame,
With all exalted Virtues crown'd.
AIR.
Sacred Wisdom, heav'nly Guest!And Justice, Attribute divine!
Fix their Empire in his Breast,
And bid the finish'd Hero shine:
157
And makes his People's Joy his own.
Da Capo.
RECITATIVE.
This Day be sacred o'er the Earth,The Day that gave Augustus Birth;
For he abundant Wealth supplies,
And bids neglected Merit rise.
AIR.
That Learning, Virtue, Wisdom gainDistinguish'd Honours in his Reign,
Let Cart'ret's Worth high-rais'd proclaim.
If Wisdom yet may higher soar,
If Merit be rewarded more,
Yet greater Glories shalt exalt his Name.
Da Capo.
158
AIR.
Plenty, drest in Smiles appears,And Learning, beauteous Child of Peace,
Her heav'nly Form, delighted, rears,
And Pleasure sports in ev'ry Face:
Those Blessings, which unceasing flow
From his indulgent bounteous Hand.
Let proud oppressing Tyrants know
To bless, is nobler than command.
Da Capo.
RECITATIVE.
What Muse can in a glorious Light,His early Excellence display;
When, cloath'd with Terrors, thro' the Fight
He spread Confusion and Dismay?
159
AIR.
See! fir'd with Ardor to engage,The British Ammon pours along
With an impetuous Torrent's Rage,
And pierces thro' the thickest Throng!
Slaughter wastes at his Command,
And Thousands sink beneath his Hand;
The Combat bleeds where-e'er he goes,
And wide the purple Deluge flows,
RECITATIVE.
While thro' the vanquish'd Host,By his intrepid Valour lost,
Amazement, Terror, Discord fly,
And Fear, with oft-reverted Eye.
160
AIR.
Goddess Glory, haste, prepareThe golden Wreath for George's Brow,
George, more worthy of thy Care,
Than all that Nature form'd 'till now,
Tho' Brunswick's, and a Nassau's Name,
Have fill'd the loudest Voice of Fame.
Da Capo.
AIR.
Ye ever-watchful Guardian Pow'rs,Propitious round Augustus wait,
Bid the smiling, circling Hours,
Waft new Glories to his State;
On him let ev'ry Blessing flow,
That Man can hope, or Heav'n bestow.
Da Capo.
161
RECITATIVE.
Heav'n, to grace his Throne inclin'd,Created, with exactest Care,
Caroline, surpassing fair,
And stamp'd Perfection on her Mind,
AIR.
Worthy over Hearts to reign,Beauty's Hand thy Person drest,
The Graces too, a blooming Train,
In ev'ry Feature smile confest;
Ev'ry Charm, and Gift divine
Lives in gracious Caroline.
Da Capo.
AIR.
O Fate! to crown the glorious Scene,Preserve the blooming Race with Care,
162
And all our golden Hopes are there:
Let them thro' rising Ages shine,
And bless like George and Caroline.
Da Capo.
CHORUS.
We ask no more, propitious Fate!Peculiar Blessings for our State,
That Plenty, Wealth, and Peace may smile
And pour Abundance o'er our Isle:
But hear, O! hear HIBERNIA's Pray'r,
Preserve and guard the Royal Pair;
In that kind Heav'n will give us more
Of Glory, Grandeur, Wealth, and Fame
Than e'er adorn'd Britannia's Name,
Or ever blest the World before.
| Poems on Several Occasions | |