The Duke of Marlborough's arrival A poem. Humbly Inscribed To the Right Honourable Lionel, Earl of Dorset and Middlesex, &c. [by Leonard Welsted] |
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 | The Duke of Marlborough's arrival |  |
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The DUKE of MARLBOROUGH's ARRIVAL.
Soon as Bleak Northern Winds had froze the Air,
And made the British Hero cease from War,
Holland, the Victor to detain, prepares
Imagin'd Dangers and dissembled Fears;
Levies new Force for France, presenting still
Bourbon in person at the Gates of Lille.
But when no Arts the Warriour could delay,
Repining Britain murm'ring at his Stay,
With Zealous Prayers She bless'd the parting Prince,
But curs'd the hasty Winds that bore him thence.
Her every Fear reviv'd, Her Pleasures fled,
And thus Lamenting, with Regret, She said;
And made the British Hero cease from War,
Holland, the Victor to detain, prepares
Imagin'd Dangers and dissembled Fears;
Levies new Force for France, presenting still
Bourbon in person at the Gates of Lille.
But when no Arts the Warriour could delay,
Repining Britain murm'ring at his Stay,
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But curs'd the hasty Winds that bore him thence.
Her every Fear reviv'd, Her Pleasures fled,
And thus Lamenting, with Regret, She said;
Haste Thee, Victorious, thy Compeers to greet,
And lay thy Freshest Wreaths at ANNA's feet;
Haste Thee to Chear, to Glad thy Native Isle,
To make the Courtier and the Peasant smile.
Arrive so swiftly, and Return so soon,
That the Short Interval may scarce be known.
When Flying Fame shall thy Departure tell,
How will Proud Vendosme strutt, and Boufflers swell?
Perhaps the Hot Bavarian, whom Defeat
Has rendred Famous, and Misfortunes Great,
May steal to Brussels Gates, and fondly say,
Tho' Rivers can't Retard, yet Oceans may.
Remember that on Thee my Martial Power,
(Since Auver quer que and Orange are no more)
On Thee my Honour and my Wealth depend,
The Ablest Captain, and the Worthiest Friend.
And lay thy Freshest Wreaths at ANNA's feet;
Haste Thee to Chear, to Glad thy Native Isle,
To make the Courtier and the Peasant smile.
Arrive so swiftly, and Return so soon,
That the Short Interval may scarce be known.
When Flying Fame shall thy Departure tell,
How will Proud Vendosme strutt, and Boufflers swell?
Perhaps the Hot Bavarian, whom Defeat
Has rendred Famous, and Misfortunes Great,
May steal to Brussels Gates, and fondly say,
Tho' Rivers can't Retard, yet Oceans may.
Remember that on Thee my Martial Power,
(Since Auver quer que and Orange are no more)
On Thee my Honour and my Wealth depend,
The Ablest Captain, and the Worthiest Friend.
3
She spake;. and from the Shore, with Grief, surveys
The Nimble Vessel traversing the Seas.
Mean time the Nereids left their Humid Cells,
The busie Tritons tun'd their Vocal Shells,
And sung in Various, but Eternal Strains,
Hochsted, the Danube, and Ramillia's Plains
Some did the Fate of Audenarde recite,
And mark'd with Infamy that Envious Night,
Whose Sable Shades, to cover Gallia's Shame,
Clouded the Warriour, and Eclips'd his Fame.
Some sought him yet a more Majestick Crown,
And sung the Labours of that Wealthy Town,
Whose Dubious Fate kept Europe in suspense,
And whose Reduction spoke the Fall of France.
Each Prince, each State, the great Event pursues,
With differing Interests, and with separate Views.
Revolving much, their studious Thoughts they cast
Upon the various Turns of Ages past.
Each Potentate some close Resemblance saw;
France thought of Buda, Cæsar of Landau.
Young Charles on Barcelona looks secure;
And Pensive Louis startles at Namure.
The Nimble Vessel traversing the Seas.
Mean time the Nereids left their Humid Cells,
The busie Tritons tun'd their Vocal Shells,
And sung in Various, but Eternal Strains,
Hochsted, the Danube, and Ramillia's Plains
Some did the Fate of Audenarde recite,
And mark'd with Infamy that Envious Night,
Whose Sable Shades, to cover Gallia's Shame,
Clouded the Warriour, and Eclips'd his Fame.
Some sought him yet a more Majestick Crown,
And sung the Labours of that Wealthy Town,
Whose Dubious Fate kept Europe in suspense,
And whose Reduction spoke the Fall of France.
Each Prince, each State, the great Event pursues,
With differing Interests, and with separate Views.
Revolving much, their studious Thoughts they cast
Upon the various Turns of Ages past.
Each Potentate some close Resemblance saw;
France thought of Buda, Cæsar of Landau.
4
And Pensive Louis startles at Namure.
While thus in artful Numbers they record
The flagrant Actions of Britannia's Lord;
Imperial Thetis, Sea-Nymphs by her side,
Array'd in all her Pomp and watry Pride,
Does to the Gilded Barge in Haste resort,
To see the Favourite of her Sovereign's Court.
Nicely she view'd, and cry'd, with anxious Joy,
Such was my Son, before the Walls of Troy:
His Aspect such, and such his Comely Mien,
The Decent Charms in every Action seen,
That Lofty Stature, that Majestick Brow,
Much of my Lov'd, my Lost Achilles show.
The flagrant Actions of Britannia's Lord;
Imperial Thetis, Sea-Nymphs by her side,
Array'd in all her Pomp and watry Pride,
Does to the Gilded Barge in Haste resort,
To see the Favourite of her Sovereign's Court.
Nicely she view'd, and cry'd, with anxious Joy,
Such was my Son, before the Walls of Troy:
His Aspect such, and such his Comely Mien,
The Decent Charms in every Action seen,
That Lofty Stature, that Majestick Brow,
Much of my Lov'd, my Lost Achilles show.
The Goddess spoke; and gently glides before,
To smooth his Passage to his Native Shore.
Where stood the Consort of his Nuptial Bed,
Adorn'd with Diamonds, and in Purple clad;
Prepar'd the Warriour's feeling Breast to move,
To sooth her Mars, and melt him into Love.
There too Bright Sunderland Transcendant shone,
The Morning-Star proclaim'd th'arriving Sun;
She smil'd with Blooming Sweetness in her Face;
And softned every Charm with Modest Grace.
The Valiant Trojan, as the Antients sung,
Æneas from the Stock of Beauty sprung;
But here, Revers'd, the Order chang'd its Course,
And Beauty is deriv'd from Valour's Source.
Like her Great Father, She triumphant sways,
But different Ends obtains by different Ways;
His Sword oppress'd and injur'd Nations saves;
Her Conquering Eyes make Freeborn Subjects Slaves.
The Nymphs and Tritons, with Respectful Awe,
Admir'd her Form, and vow'd they never saw,
So exquisitely Fair, so Bright a Dame,
Since from the Sea the Paphian Goddess came.
To smooth his Passage to his Native Shore.
Where stood the Consort of his Nuptial Bed,
Adorn'd with Diamonds, and in Purple clad;
Prepar'd the Warriour's feeling Breast to move,
To sooth her Mars, and melt him into Love.
5
The Morning-Star proclaim'd th'arriving Sun;
She smil'd with Blooming Sweetness in her Face;
And softned every Charm with Modest Grace.
The Valiant Trojan, as the Antients sung,
Æneas from the Stock of Beauty sprung;
But here, Revers'd, the Order chang'd its Course,
And Beauty is deriv'd from Valour's Source.
Like her Great Father, She triumphant sways,
But different Ends obtains by different Ways;
His Sword oppress'd and injur'd Nations saves;
Her Conquering Eyes make Freeborn Subjects Slaves.
The Nymphs and Tritons, with Respectful Awe,
Admir'd her Form, and vow'd they never saw,
So exquisitely Fair, so Bright a Dame,
Since from the Sea the Paphian Goddess came.
The Heroe landed, and the tuneful Train
Retreating to their Watry Beds again:
Britannia's Genius, who by Jove's Commands,
Waits on Her Councils, and Her Arms attends;
Whose Province 'tis to cover with his Shield,
Anne in the Throne, and Churchill in the Field;
At Home, to Bridle Faction is his Care,
Abroad, to turn aside the Pointed Spear.
He came; his Right Hand bore the Union-Cross,
The Northern Thistle leaguing with the Rose.
His decent Left advanc'd an Olive Bow,
Successful Omen, and design'd to show,
That Mutual Concord proves the best Increase,
And Union but a Prelude is to Peace.
He bow'd; the Conquerour lowly he address'd,
And these Prophetick Words with Joy express'd:
Retreating to their Watry Beds again:
Britannia's Genius, who by Jove's Commands,
Waits on Her Councils, and Her Arms attends;
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Anne in the Throne, and Churchill in the Field;
At Home, to Bridle Faction is his Care,
Abroad, to turn aside the Pointed Spear.
He came; his Right Hand bore the Union-Cross,
The Northern Thistle leaguing with the Rose.
His decent Left advanc'd an Olive Bow,
Successful Omen, and design'd to show,
That Mutual Concord proves the best Increase,
And Union but a Prelude is to Peace.
He bow'd; the Conquerour lowly he address'd,
And these Prophetick Words with Joy express'd:
Great Prince, for whom my Cares I hourly prove,
(Such Heaven's Appointment, and the Will of Jove)
'Tis I that drive the fiery Bolts away;
'Twas I that sav'd thee in Ramillia's Day.
Yet, yet a little, and the toilsome Cares,
The fell Disorder and Fatigue of Wars,
Through ANNA's Councils, and thy Arms shall cease,
And bless the Western World with Solid Peace.
Slaughters and Ravages shall be no more;
But Plenty spring where Fury rag'd before.
Pallas, her dreadful Ægis laid aside,
Shall o'er the happier Arts of Peace preside,
To her delightful Athens shall repair,
And plant the Civic Oak and Olive there.
And tho' bleak Envy, with her tainted Breath,
May strive to Blast the greenest noblest Wreath;
Who on Nassau himself her Venom shed,
Traduc'd his Actions, and his Fame betray'd.
Yet future Times shall call thy Merits forth,
In comely Order, and adore thy Worth;
And every Rising Bard the Man shall tell,
By whom the Tyrant and Oppressor fell.
(Such Heaven's Appointment, and the Will of Jove)
'Tis I that drive the fiery Bolts away;
'Twas I that sav'd thee in Ramillia's Day.
Yet, yet a little, and the toilsome Cares,
The fell Disorder and Fatigue of Wars,
Through ANNA's Councils, and thy Arms shall cease,
And bless the Western World with Solid Peace.
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But Plenty spring where Fury rag'd before.
Pallas, her dreadful Ægis laid aside,
Shall o'er the happier Arts of Peace preside,
To her delightful Athens shall repair,
And plant the Civic Oak and Olive there.
And tho' bleak Envy, with her tainted Breath,
May strive to Blast the greenest noblest Wreath;
Who on Nassau himself her Venom shed,
Traduc'd his Actions, and his Fame betray'd.
Yet future Times shall call thy Merits forth,
In comely Order, and adore thy Worth;
And every Rising Bard the Man shall tell,
By whom the Tyrant and Oppressor fell.
He spoke; and by his side Triumphant rode,
For every Heroe has his Guardian God.
For every Heroe has his Guardian God.
FINIS.
| The Duke of Marlborough's arrival | |