 | Poems on Several Occasions |  |
Lines to Lord Chief Justice Singleton.
With love of lasting Fame inspir'd,
I hung o'er Swift's immortal Page;
His matchless Energy admir'd,
And kindl'd with poetick Rage.
I hung o'er Swift's immortal Page;
His matchless Energy admir'd,
And kindl'd with poetick Rage.
Methought, in
Bewly's blissful Shade
I lay, near Boyne's smooth flowing Tide,
Where aged Elms their Arms display'd,
Close by a chrystal Fountain Side.
I lay, near Boyne's smooth flowing Tide,
Where aged Elms their Arms display'd,
Close by a chrystal Fountain Side.
There, to my ravish'd Sight arose
All Nature's Charms, all Eden's Spring;
Th'enamel'd Turf with Violets glows,
And Birds 'mid purple Fragrance sing.
All Nature's Charms, all Eden's Spring;
Th'enamel'd Turf with Violets glows,
And Birds 'mid purple Fragrance sing.
When lo! a Form divine appears,
Advancing from a Laurel Gloom,
With all the rev'rend Marks of Years,
With all the Pomp of Greece and Rome.
Advancing from a Laurel Gloom,
With all the rev'rend Marks of Years,
With all the Pomp of Greece and Rome.
His solemn Port sublime displays
Each publick Worth, each letter'd Grace;
His sacred Head was crown'd with Bays,
And Virtue triumph'd in his Face.
Each publick Worth, each letter'd Grace;
His sacred Head was crown'd with Bays,
And Virtue triumph'd in his Face.
10
A pious Fear fill'd all my Mind,
As on the godlike Seer I gaz'd;
To Ecstacy and Awe resign'd,
I lay transported and amaz'd.
As on the godlike Seer I gaz'd;
To Ecstacy and Awe resign'd,
I lay transported and amaz'd.
The Muses all around him smile,
Each Nymph sustains a golden Lyre;
The Guardian Genius of this Isle
Sedate attends the sacred Sire.
Each Nymph sustains a golden Lyre;
The Guardian Genius of this Isle
Sedate attends the sacred Sire.
The Shape etherial nearer drew,
In awful Dignity array'd,
His Country's Father soon I knew,
The Drapier's ever honour'd Shade!
In awful Dignity array'd,
His Country's Father soon I knew,
The Drapier's ever honour'd Shade!
Th'illustrious Bard approach'd serene,
Inclining gracious ere he spoke;
Propitious Smiles adorn his Mien,
And from his Lips these Accents broke.
Inclining gracious ere he spoke;
Propitious Smiles adorn his Mien,
And from his Lips these Accents broke.
“To thee, ev'n thee! my Care extends;
(He said, and reach'd his rev'rend Hand)
“To plume thy Muse, lo! Swift descends,
“To guide thy Flight, thy Fame expand.
(He said, and reach'd his rev'rend Hand)
“To plume thy Muse, lo! Swift descends,
“To guide thy Flight, thy Fame expand.
“Let Virtue's Pow'r thy Strains employ;
“Thy Country's Friends be always thine;
“Her faithful Sons still sing with Joy,
“And make the Patriot's Merit shine.
“Thy Country's Friends be always thine;
“Her faithful Sons still sing with Joy,
“And make the Patriot's Merit shine.
“High as thy native Tow'rs upraise
“'Midst yonder Clouds their Tops sublime,
“His Virtues soar who wakes thy Lays,
“Inspires thy Muse, demands thy Rhyme.
“'Midst yonder Clouds their Tops sublime,
11
“Inspires thy Muse, demands thy Rhyme.
“Not Athens' Walls more worth could boast,
“Tho' Plato there imbib'd his Lore;
“Tho' Tully thence to Latium's Coast
“Transferr'd the bright immortal Store.
“Tho' Plato there imbib'd his Lore;
“Tho' Tully thence to Latium's Coast
“Transferr'd the bright immortal Store.
“A shining Sage, see! Boyne disclose,
“Who pours abroad bright Wisdom's Beams;
“From his rich Tongue Persuasion flows;
“And Science sheds her lucid Streams.
“Who pours abroad bright Wisdom's Beams;
“From his rich Tongue Persuasion flows;
“And Science sheds her lucid Streams.
“Through distant Climes his Fame, outspread
“In wide expanding Rounds, prevails;
“He stands in lost Astrea's Stead
“To poize aloft th'unerring Scales.
“In wide expanding Rounds, prevails;
“He stands in lost Astrea's Stead
“To poize aloft th'unerring Scales.
“A Worth like his my Lyre might praise,
“Which Flatt'ry's Finger ne'er debas'd;
“Such splendid Worth inspir'd my Lays,
“When Singleton my Numbers grac'd.”
“Which Flatt'ry's Finger ne'er debas'd;
“Such splendid Worth inspir'd my Lays,
“When Singleton my Numbers grac'd.”
That honour'd Sound my Senses shook;
Sudden th'instructive Vision fled;
Repos'd on Swift's inspiring Book
I, waking, found my raptur'd Head.
Sudden th'instructive Vision fled;
Repos'd on Swift's inspiring Book
I, waking, found my raptur'd Head.
| Poems on Several Occasions | |