 | Poems and Translations |  |
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ON THE Birth of his Royal Highness the Prince of WALES.
By Mr. M. FOSTER.
The Night was still, the azure Heav'ns serene,
And Expectation hush'd the solemn Scene;
The Woods forgot to wave, the Winds to roar,
The dimpling Sea roll'd gently to the Shore;
The Moon attentive slop'd her silent Way,
Each anxious Star effus'd a trembling Ray;
And seem'd with Aspect mild prepar'd to shed
Selectest Influence on the genial Bed.
And Expectation hush'd the solemn Scene;
The Woods forgot to wave, the Winds to roar,
The dimpling Sea roll'd gently to the Shore;
The Moon attentive slop'd her silent Way,
Each anxious Star effus'd a trembling Ray;
And seem'd with Aspect mild prepar'd to shed
Selectest Influence on the genial Bed.
But hark, yon Burst of Joy!—ye Britons smile!
Another GEORGE is born to bless your Isle.
See gay Delight the splendid Palace grace!
See ardent Transport paint each loyal Face!
Hark, from the Tower, that emulates the Skies,
What Peals on Peals of gladsome Thunder rise!
Loud Gratulations wake the drowsy Morn,
Which by officious Gales to Heav'n are born:
The Sun with beamy Brightness leaves the Deep,
And pants rejoicing up th' ethereal Steep.
No more pale Lustre in the Orient dawns,
But golden Gladness gilds the blushing Lawns.
See Earth reviv'd, its loveliest Graces wear,
And Nature in her Birthday Robes appear.
Enchanting Music thro' the Forest reigns,
And rapt Attention drinks the jocund Strains.
The Lark on soaring Pinions hails the Day,
The Linnet warbles on the dancing Spray;
Sweet Philomela joins the choral Throng,
Forgetful of her lately ravish'd Young;
Soft Airs of Joy attune her trembling Throat,
Unskill'd before to swell the sprightly Note.
The repercussive Rocks enjoy the Sound,
The Landscape laughs, the Harvest shouts around:
Glad Thames commands his eager Tide to flow
To Father Ocean's coral Courts below,
To bid the Nereids grateful Homage bring,
And hail the Royal Babe, their future King.
While Rapture thus the radiant Ether rends,
See, from the Empyreum swift descends
Britannia's Genius, bright in burnish'd Gold,
Who glories thus the mystic Fates t'unfold.
Another GEORGE is born to bless your Isle.
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See ardent Transport paint each loyal Face!
Hark, from the Tower, that emulates the Skies,
What Peals on Peals of gladsome Thunder rise!
Loud Gratulations wake the drowsy Morn,
Which by officious Gales to Heav'n are born:
The Sun with beamy Brightness leaves the Deep,
And pants rejoicing up th' ethereal Steep.
No more pale Lustre in the Orient dawns,
But golden Gladness gilds the blushing Lawns.
See Earth reviv'd, its loveliest Graces wear,
And Nature in her Birthday Robes appear.
Enchanting Music thro' the Forest reigns,
And rapt Attention drinks the jocund Strains.
The Lark on soaring Pinions hails the Day,
The Linnet warbles on the dancing Spray;
Sweet Philomela joins the choral Throng,
Forgetful of her lately ravish'd Young;
45
Unskill'd before to swell the sprightly Note.
The repercussive Rocks enjoy the Sound,
The Landscape laughs, the Harvest shouts around:
Glad Thames commands his eager Tide to flow
To Father Ocean's coral Courts below,
To bid the Nereids grateful Homage bring,
And hail the Royal Babe, their future King.
While Rapture thus the radiant Ether rends,
See, from the Empyreum swift descends
Britannia's Genius, bright in burnish'd Gold,
Who glories thus the mystic Fates t'unfold.
“Raise, raise, ye happy Isles, your grateful Voice!
“With Ardour sing, triumphantly rejoice!
“Raise, raise your Voice! the iron Age is fled;
“No more shall Virtue hang the pensive Head;
“Nor black Rebellion baleful Curses breathe,
“And, frantic, doom the best of Kings to Death;
“But hopeless and appall'd in Torment pine,
“To see the Sire in his Descendent shine.
“And when mature in Wisdom, as in Years,
“The Youth his Virtue to each Heart endears,
“No Crouds shall to the purple Judge resort,
“No fell Debates perplex the venal Court;
“The Judge within the Mind, shall ev'ry Cause
“Impartial weigh, and cancel useless Laws;
“No more shall Commerce languish on the Tide,
“But o'er the Seas exulting Navies ride,
“Her various Treasures waft from Coast to Coast,
“'Till ev'ry Climate ev'ry Produce boast.
“Then Man a Life of Innocence shall lead,
“Then Spring perennial deck the verdant Mead;
“Then Peace and Plenty, walking Hand in Hand,
“Shall show'r their Blessings o'er the smiling Land.
“The Mountains white with Flocks, the Vallies crown'd
“With wavy Gold, shall Strains of Joy resound;
“The flow'ry Fields luxuriant Sweets exhale,
“While Health and Pleasure sport in ev'ry Gale;
“Rivers of Milk the Land with Fatness fill,
“And knotty Oaks nectareous Dews distil:
“Each Tree, surcharg'd with Wealth, wide o'er the Plain
“His Arms extending, shall implore the Swain
“To ease him of the Load of luscious Fruit,
“And give his younger Glories Room to shoot.
“No Groan of Anguish shall affright the Grove,
“Plutus no longer lance the Shafts of Love.
“The Fair-one, guiltless of delusive Art,
“Shall ever with her Hand bestow her Heart;
“The faithful Lover scorn the Lures of Gold,
“And each in each a dearer Self behold.
“Thus shall the downy Minutes sweetly fly,
“And thus commence the Age of Exstasy.
“With Ardour sing, triumphantly rejoice!
“Raise, raise your Voice! the iron Age is fled;
“No more shall Virtue hang the pensive Head;
“Nor black Rebellion baleful Curses breathe,
“And, frantic, doom the best of Kings to Death;
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“To see the Sire in his Descendent shine.
“And when mature in Wisdom, as in Years,
“The Youth his Virtue to each Heart endears,
“No Crouds shall to the purple Judge resort,
“No fell Debates perplex the venal Court;
“The Judge within the Mind, shall ev'ry Cause
“Impartial weigh, and cancel useless Laws;
“No more shall Commerce languish on the Tide,
“But o'er the Seas exulting Navies ride,
“Her various Treasures waft from Coast to Coast,
“'Till ev'ry Climate ev'ry Produce boast.
“Then Man a Life of Innocence shall lead,
“Then Spring perennial deck the verdant Mead;
“Then Peace and Plenty, walking Hand in Hand,
“Shall show'r their Blessings o'er the smiling Land.
“The Mountains white with Flocks, the Vallies crown'd
“With wavy Gold, shall Strains of Joy resound;
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“While Health and Pleasure sport in ev'ry Gale;
“Rivers of Milk the Land with Fatness fill,
“And knotty Oaks nectareous Dews distil:
“Each Tree, surcharg'd with Wealth, wide o'er the Plain
“His Arms extending, shall implore the Swain
“To ease him of the Load of luscious Fruit,
“And give his younger Glories Room to shoot.
“No Groan of Anguish shall affright the Grove,
“Plutus no longer lance the Shafts of Love.
“The Fair-one, guiltless of delusive Art,
“Shall ever with her Hand bestow her Heart;
“The faithful Lover scorn the Lures of Gold,
“And each in each a dearer Self behold.
“Thus shall the downy Minutes sweetly fly,
“And thus commence the Age of Exstasy.
“Thrice happy Father! O for ever live!
“'Tis thine, a Darling to the World to give;
“'Tis thine, to bid the Buds of Virtue rise,
“Blush into Bloom, and charm admiring Eyes.
“'Tis thine, to see his tender Years essay
“Thy forming Care with Fondness to repay:
“Before the Tongue has learnt his Love t' express,
“His joyous Aspect shall thy Presence bless:
“The longing Look thy parting Steps pursue,
“The gushing Tear recal Thee to his View.
“And when the rip'ning Hand of Time shall spread
“His silver Honours o'er thy rev'rend Head,
“Thou still in Him shalt glow with youthful Flame,
“Enjoy his Triumphs, and partake his Fame.
“'Tis thine, a Darling to the World to give;
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“Blush into Bloom, and charm admiring Eyes.
“'Tis thine, to see his tender Years essay
“Thy forming Care with Fondness to repay:
“Before the Tongue has learnt his Love t' express,
“His joyous Aspect shall thy Presence bless:
“The longing Look thy parting Steps pursue,
“The gushing Tear recal Thee to his View.
“And when the rip'ning Hand of Time shall spread
“His silver Honours o'er thy rev'rend Head,
“Thou still in Him shalt glow with youthful Flame,
“Enjoy his Triumphs, and partake his Fame.
“Thrice happy Mother of a Child so blest!
“Now, now let Rapture revel in thy Breast;
“Now all Remembrance of thy Pangs beguile;—
“Thy ev'ry Pang shall make a Nation smile.”
“Now, now let Rapture revel in thy Breast;
“Now all Remembrance of thy Pangs beguile;—
“Thy ev'ry Pang shall make a Nation smile.”
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