The Works of the Late Aaron Hill ... In Four Volumes. Consisting of Letters on Various Subjects, And of Original Poems, Moral and Facetious. With An Essay on the Art of Acting |
 |
 |
|
CAMILLUS: |
 | The Works of the Late Aaron Hill |  |
CAMILLUS:
A Poem.
Humbly inscrib'd to the Right Honourable Charles
Earl of Peterborough and Monmouth.
Writ, in the Year 1707.
When
injur'd
Heroes suffer in their fame,
Justice, unsummon'd, shou'd their wrongs proclaim:
But Phæbus' Sons shou'd raise resentment higher,
And light up vengeance, with poetic fire.
For, where injustice clouds a noble name,
The Patron's scandal is the Poet's shame.
Justice, unsummon'd, shou'd their wrongs proclaim:
202
And light up vengeance, with poetic fire.
For, where injustice clouds a noble name,
The Patron's scandal is the Poet's shame.
Permit, Great Sir, my humble muse to raise
A private monument, of public praise:
Unbend your mighty soul, and stoop to fame,
Whose voice shall sound, to heaven, your glorious name,
Minds, that are great, like yours, disdain applause,
Their inborn virtue gives their reason laws:
Above the reach of malice, blest, they live,
Proud to be envy'd, and, like heaven, forgive.
What depth of line must my rais'd fancy find,
To sound th' unfathom'd ocean of thy mind!
Or, thro' the lab'rynth of thy wonders wind!
How dares my untry'd pen attempt a verse,
Worthy thy God-like actions to rehearse?
How dares my flutt'ring muse invade that sky,
Where Virgil, eagle-wing'd, wou'd fail, to fly!
Dark, in my breast, tumultuous terrors roll,
And rising passions shake my lab'ring soul:
Encount'ring reasons, thro' my judgment, shine,
Some urge, and some forbid, the vast design:
Here, justice summons—there, my youth denies;
Duty, to this, to that, my will replies.
A private monument, of public praise:
Unbend your mighty soul, and stoop to fame,
Whose voice shall sound, to heaven, your glorious name,
Minds, that are great, like yours, disdain applause,
Their inborn virtue gives their reason laws:
Above the reach of malice, blest, they live,
Proud to be envy'd, and, like heaven, forgive.
What depth of line must my rais'd fancy find,
To sound th' unfathom'd ocean of thy mind!
Or, thro' the lab'rynth of thy wonders wind!
How dares my untry'd pen attempt a verse,
Worthy thy God-like actions to rehearse?
How dares my flutt'ring muse invade that sky,
Where Virgil, eagle-wing'd, wou'd fail, to fly!
Dark, in my breast, tumultuous terrors roll,
And rising passions shake my lab'ring soul:
Encount'ring reasons, thro' my judgment, shine,
Some urge, and some forbid, the vast design:
203
Duty, to this, to that, my will replies.
Resolv'd, at last, your safe return to greet,
I throw my worthless numbers, at your feet;
Assur'd, the generous goodness of your eye,
Will see my zeal, and pass my errors by.
I throw my worthless numbers, at your feet;
Assur'd, the generous goodness of your eye,
Will see my zeal, and pass my errors by.
But, if my feeble genius chance to fail,
Nor ardent pray'rs can, with the nine, prevail;
Think, Sir, how various your great acts appear!
There, war, and glory—wit, and honour, here:
One glitt'ring moment spreads your wond'rous fame,
Battles, and bloodshed, celebrate your name!
Now, the great hero, in a purple flood,
Plunges, thro' stormy seas of hostile blood.
Now, strides, with skilful courage, from afar,
To stop some gap, of unsuccessful war:
Another moment, smoothly, gilds his face,
With lovely sweetness, and delightful grace:
Calmly, he tunes his mind, to softer sports,
And lives the matchless Paragon of courts.
Nor ardent pray'rs can, with the nine, prevail;
Think, Sir, how various your great acts appear!
There, war, and glory—wit, and honour, here:
One glitt'ring moment spreads your wond'rous fame,
Battles, and bloodshed, celebrate your name!
Now, the great hero, in a purple flood,
Plunges, thro' stormy seas of hostile blood.
Now, strides, with skilful courage, from afar,
To stop some gap, of unsuccessful war:
Another moment, smoothly, gilds his face,
With lovely sweetness, and delightful grace:
Calmly, he tunes his mind, to softer sports,
And lives the matchless Paragon of courts.
NO wonder then, if my presumptuous eye,
Viewing thy Sun of excellence, too nigh,
Dazzled with light, is forc'd to look awry!
A traveller, who, thus, without a guide,
O'er some unmeasur'd tract, attempts to ride;
Where thousand paths, of equal breadth, appear,
And each fair course seems safe, alike, to steer,
May, spite of strictest caution, lose his way,
And, scarce, be justly said, to go astray.
Viewing thy Sun of excellence, too nigh,
Dazzled with light, is forc'd to look awry!
204
O'er some unmeasur'd tract, attempts to ride;
Where thousand paths, of equal breadth, appear,
And each fair course seems safe, alike, to steer,
May, spite of strictest caution, lose his way,
And, scarce, be justly said, to go astray.
In
peace, the fam'd Hispania, long, had slept,
And free possession of her Indies kept:
Made poor, by plenty, dull content she knew;
Her strength declining, as her riches grew:
Till, forc'd to valour, she begins too late,
And climbs, unwilling, but to pull down fate.
And free possession of her Indies kept:
Made poor, by plenty, dull content she knew;
Her strength declining, as her riches grew:
Till, forc'd to valour, she begins too late,
And climbs, unwilling, but to pull down fate.
Their
second Charles resign'd his princely breath,
And swift-wing'd fame proclaim'd th' expected death:
Sudden, the trumpet echoes, from afar,
And friendly nations rise to furious war:
The hardy veterans their arms prepare,
And waving banners fan the heated air:
The sprightly steeds, with lofty bounds, advance,
And curb'd, by skillful riders, proudly prance:
A wild confusion, o'er the globe, is hurl'd,
And warlike earthquakes shake the christian world.
The Austrian prince, heir, in affirm'd descent,
To grasp the crown, his strong endeavours bent:
Bourbon oppos'd, and, in the vacant throne,
Wou'd place a royal offspring of his own.
Doubtful the right—but pow'r, which all obey,
Appear'd, to justify the second's sway:
The arms of France allure the voice of Spain,
And Anjou seated, will his post maintain.
And swift-wing'd fame proclaim'd th' expected death:
Sudden, the trumpet echoes, from afar,
And friendly nations rise to furious war:
The hardy veterans their arms prepare,
And waving banners fan the heated air:
The sprightly steeds, with lofty bounds, advance,
And curb'd, by skillful riders, proudly prance:
A wild confusion, o'er the globe, is hurl'd,
And warlike earthquakes shake the christian world.
205
To grasp the crown, his strong endeavours bent:
Bourbon oppos'd, and, in the vacant throne,
Wou'd place a royal offspring of his own.
Doubtful the right—but pow'r, which all obey,
Appear'd, to justify the second's sway:
The arms of France allure the voice of Spain,
And Anjou seated, will his post maintain.
Sighing, the young prevented Austrian stands,
And lifts, to gracious heaven, his eyes, and hands:
Implores swift justice, to an injur'd man;
And heaven directs his prayers to heaven's vicegerent, Anne.
Thither, they fly, whom pow'rful wrongs oppress,
And find a certain shelter from distress:
By her, the proud aspirer, daily, bleeds,
And biass'd monarchs wait her dreaded deeds,
Aw'd, tho' displeas'd, to her decrees they stand,
And own the fate of Europe, in her hand.
Thither, with tow'ring hopes, and longing eyes,
The young, excluded monarch, swiftly, flies:
Whispers, in Anna's ear, his weighty grief,
And, from her pitying soul, extracts relief.
And lifts, to gracious heaven, his eyes, and hands:
Implores swift justice, to an injur'd man;
And heaven directs his prayers to heaven's vicegerent, Anne.
Thither, they fly, whom pow'rful wrongs oppress,
And find a certain shelter from distress:
By her, the proud aspirer, daily, bleeds,
And biass'd monarchs wait her dreaded deeds,
Aw'd, tho' displeas'd, to her decrees they stand,
And own the fate of Europe, in her hand.
Thither, with tow'ring hopes, and longing eyes,
The young, excluded monarch, swiftly, flies:
Whispers, in Anna's ear, his weighty grief,
And, from her pitying soul, extracts relief.
206
At
her command, th' intrepid Britons fly,
Exert their inborn worth, and proudly die:
Pleas'd with their fate, they dearly sell their breath,
And smile, amidst the raging pangs of death.
A chosen band of these, who all things dare,
For distant war, their mighty souls prepare:
Thro' every ear, their glorious cause they ring,
To curb proud France, and right an injur'd King.
Exert their inborn worth, and proudly die:
Pleas'd with their fate, they dearly sell their breath,
And smile, amidst the raging pangs of death.
A chosen band of these, who all things dare,
For distant war, their mighty souls prepare:
Thro' every ear, their glorious cause they ring,
To curb proud France, and right an injur'd King.
O'er these, a Chief, by art, and nature, grac'd,
Renown'd in war, and policy, was plac'd:
Beyond mankind, his judgement cou'd discern,
And much improve what others could not learn:
He ow'd no virtue, to a dread of shame,
No seeming honesty, to promis'd fame:
On its own base, in him, true honour stood,
Wash'd, by a generous tide of noble blood.
Him the great Anna chose—Camillus go,
Revenge my brother, on his haughty foe:
Guard him to Spain,—there, let my will be known,
And seat the monarch, in his ravish'd throne.
Renown'd in war, and policy, was plac'd:
Beyond mankind, his judgement cou'd discern,
And much improve what others could not learn:
He ow'd no virtue, to a dread of shame,
No seeming honesty, to promis'd fame:
On its own base, in him, true honour stood,
Wash'd, by a generous tide of noble blood.
Him the great Anna chose—Camillus go,
Revenge my brother, on his haughty foe:
Guard him to Spain,—there, let my will be known,
And seat the monarch, in his ravish'd throne.
The valiant chief, without ambition, brave,
Humbly receiv'd the weighty charge, she gave:
Destin'd, in spite of malice, to be great,
His daring soul contemns the tricks of state:
Swiftly, he bids his glad commanders meet,
And lead their army to the waiting fleet:
Their swelling hopes the swelling gales invite,
And heaven, and they, propitiously, unite:
In loud salutes, the deep-mouth'd cannons roar,
Answer'd, by zealous wishes, from the shore:
Whence mingled crowds their hearty prayers repeat,
'Till rising waves obscure the sailing fleet.
Humbly receiv'd the weighty charge, she gave:
207
His daring soul contemns the tricks of state:
Swiftly, he bids his glad commanders meet,
And lead their army to the waiting fleet:
Their swelling hopes the swelling gales invite,
And heaven, and they, propitiously, unite:
In loud salutes, the deep-mouth'd cannons roar,
Answer'd, by zealous wishes, from the shore:
Whence mingled crowds their hearty prayers repeat,
'Till rising waves obscure the sailing fleet.
On the extremest limits of that land,
Thro' which the Tagus, rich in golden sand,
His rapid course, in depth of waters bends,
And twice two hundred miles his stream extends;
Old Barcelona, strong by nature, stands,
And rules a vast extent of fertile lands:
With rocky mountains, half environ'd round,
The other half, by bogs, and marshy ground:
Beneath her walls, surrounding trenches lie,
Beyond those depths, rise bulwarks, vastly high:
Walls within walls, the solid place defend,
Where watchful Centinels their charge attend:
Whence trains of hollow brass, with fiery breath,
Vomit black sulph'rous messages of death;
Ram'd with destruction, burst with horrid roar,
And scatter terrors, round the trembling shore.
Thro' which the Tagus, rich in golden sand,
His rapid course, in depth of waters bends,
And twice two hundred miles his stream extends;
Old Barcelona, strong by nature, stands,
And rules a vast extent of fertile lands:
With rocky mountains, half environ'd round,
The other half, by bogs, and marshy ground:
Beneath her walls, surrounding trenches lie,
Beyond those depths, rise bulwarks, vastly high:
Walls within walls, the solid place defend,
Where watchful Centinels their charge attend:
Whence trains of hollow brass, with fiery breath,
Vomit black sulph'rous messages of death;
208
And scatter terrors, round the trembling shore.
Hither, with crowded sails, the Britons bent,
Big with the message, their great mistress sent:
Their warlike souls to emulation rise,
And breathe out pious wishes, to the skies:
And, now, those powers, which brave designs attend,
Had brought their voyage to a happy end:
From Barcelona's tow'rs, with wild affright,
The trembling foe beholds th' unwelcome sight;
A mighty fleet, approaching, by degrees,
In graceful order, plows the smiling seas;
Harmonious music spreads the joy, they bring,
And clam'rous shouts proclaim the coming king:
The sounding trumpets his intent declare,
And waving streamers flourish in the air:
Arriv'd, at length, the cannons loudly roar,
And shake, with panic fright, the wond'ring shore.
Big with the message, their great mistress sent:
Their warlike souls to emulation rise,
And breathe out pious wishes, to the skies:
And, now, those powers, which brave designs attend,
Had brought their voyage to a happy end:
From Barcelona's tow'rs, with wild affright,
The trembling foe beholds th' unwelcome sight;
A mighty fleet, approaching, by degrees,
In graceful order, plows the smiling seas;
Harmonious music spreads the joy, they bring,
And clam'rous shouts proclaim the coming king:
The sounding trumpets his intent declare,
And waving streamers flourish in the air:
Arriv'd, at length, the cannons loudly roar,
And shake, with panic fright, the wond'ring shore.
Mean while, the Spaniards all their force prepare,
And arm, confus'dly, for defensive war:
Blind, with amazement, and ignoble fear,
They double all the Britons, that appear:
All think with horror, England, now, had bent
Her utmost force, to form one grand descent.
And arm, confus'dly, for defensive war:
209
They double all the Britons, that appear:
All think with horror, England, now, had bent
Her utmost force, to form one grand descent.
But, when they saw so small a number land,
And boldly tread the surface of their sand,
The paler marks of fear forsook their face,
And wonder, far more great, supplies the place.
An equal force, within their walls, they found,
Yet, fear'd, to meet their foes, on equal ground:
They saw, with wonder at an act, so vain,
Th' undaunted Britons win the neighb'ring plain,
Where, soon, their squadrons form'd a camp, and then,
They thought, or dreaded, they were more, than men.
And boldly tread the surface of their sand,
The paler marks of fear forsook their face,
And wonder, far more great, supplies the place.
An equal force, within their walls, they found,
Yet, fear'd, to meet their foes, on equal ground:
They saw, with wonder at an act, so vain,
Th' undaunted Britons win the neighb'ring plain,
Where, soon, their squadrons form'd a camp, and then,
They thought, or dreaded, they were more, than men.
Thus had the great Camillus forc'd his way,
And, void of fear, in midst of dangers, lay:
Impatient of delays, the Austrian youth,
Deep-touch'd with sorrow, listen'd to the truth:
He saw the weakness of his daring few,
And, with concern, his foe's advantage knew:
The brazen tubes of death were mounted high,
And clouds of rolling smoke obscur'd the sky;
All this, and more, from his small camp, was seen,
And death, disguis'd with horror, stalk'd, between.
And, void of fear, in midst of dangers, lay:
Impatient of delays, the Austrian youth,
Deep-touch'd with sorrow, listen'd to the truth:
He saw the weakness of his daring few,
And, with concern, his foe's advantage knew:
210
And clouds of rolling smoke obscur'd the sky;
All this, and more, from his small camp, was seen,
And death, disguis'd with horror, stalk'd, between.
The
aged chiefs, in cautious war, grown old,
Wou'd rather be too backward, than too bold:
Therefore, advis'd the Prince to haste away,
Since 'twas scarce possible, to live, and stay.
The Prince, with melancholy thoughts opprest,
Came to Camillus, and unlock'd his breast;
Told him the pangs of sorrow, shame, and rage,
Which shook the blooming comforts of his age:
Told him the flames, in which his soul wou'd burn,
Shou'd he thus, unsuccessfully, return.
Wou'd rather be too backward, than too bold:
Therefore, advis'd the Prince to haste away,
Since 'twas scarce possible, to live, and stay.
The Prince, with melancholy thoughts opprest,
Came to Camillus, and unlock'd his breast;
Told him the pangs of sorrow, shame, and rage,
Which shook the blooming comforts of his age:
Told him the flames, in which his soul wou'd burn,
Shou'd he thus, unsuccessfully, return.
With grief, the gen'rous Briton heard him tell
The deep misfortunes, he but knew, too well:
He rolls his eyes, accuses partial fate,
And tells the Austrian, that he shou'd be great.
Resolv'd to act, the council speak, in vain,
And, by debates, protract the fall of Spain:
Camillus had a soul, whose heavenly fire
Cou'd compass all things, and to all aspire.
Himself, alone, cou'd with himself debate,
And mov'd, obscurely, like the hand of fate.
The deep misfortunes, he but knew, too well:
He rolls his eyes, accuses partial fate,
And tells the Austrian, that he shou'd be great.
Resolv'd to act, the council speak, in vain,
And, by debates, protract the fall of Spain:
211
Cou'd compass all things, and to all aspire.
Himself, alone, cou'd with himself debate,
And mov'd, obscurely, like the hand of fate.
Hard by the towers of Barcelona, stands,
High, on the rocks, o'erlooking neighb'ring lands;
A strong-built castle, whose extended sway
Obliges ev'n the city, to obey.
Five hundred men the solid ramparts keep,
On rocks, beyond imagination, steep:
Whence rolling stones invading foes can chase,
When, with an aking eye, they climb the dreadful place.
High, on the rocks, o'erlooking neighb'ring lands;
A strong-built castle, whose extended sway
Obliges ev'n the city, to obey.
Five hundred men the solid ramparts keep,
On rocks, beyond imagination, steep:
Whence rolling stones invading foes can chase,
When, with an aking eye, they climb the dreadful place.
This was the source, whence victories must flow,
Hither the British chief resolv'd to go:
Unus'd to fear, and more unus'd to boast,
With temp'rate words, he chear'd his wond'ring host;
Strove not to hide the hazard of the task,
Nor cover danger, with a gilded mask:
He bids each soldier, like himself, perform,
And, by example, wins 'em, to the storm.
Hither the British chief resolv'd to go:
Unus'd to fear, and more unus'd to boast,
With temp'rate words, he chear'd his wond'ring host;
Strove not to hide the hazard of the task,
Nor cover danger, with a gilded mask:
He bids each soldier, like himself, perform,
And, by example, wins 'em, to the storm.
212
The
rosy morning usher'd in the sun,
Which was to see a bloody business done;
His beams shone bright, to guide the battle well,
And drank their blood, in pity, as it fell:
Eight hundred Britons, on this glorious day,
O'er pathless forests, force their oblique way:
In tedious march, o'er high ascents, they past,
And won the dangerous precipice, at last.
Which was to see a bloody business done;
His beams shone bright, to guide the battle well,
And drank their blood, in pity, as it fell:
Eight hundred Britons, on this glorious day,
O'er pathless forests, force their oblique way:
In tedious march, o'er high ascents, they past,
And won the dangerous precipice, at last.
With strange surprize, the Spaniards rush to arms,
And bells rung backward, in confus'd alarms:
The summon'd soldiers hurry to their post,
And pour whole vollies on the climbing host:
Repeated charges from the cannons fly,
Like fiery meteors, blazing, thro' the Sky:
The shatter'd limbs of men, who nobly dare
Are borne on bullets, thro' the flaming air:
The dismal prospect shocks the bravest hearts,
And adds new motion, to disjointed parts;
The brave Camillus, with a fierce delight,
Drives on the head-long fury of the fight:
Urges his bleeding troops, still higher, and higher,
And scatters death for death, and fire for fire.
And bells rung backward, in confus'd alarms:
The summon'd soldiers hurry to their post,
And pour whole vollies on the climbing host:
Repeated charges from the cannons fly,
Like fiery meteors, blazing, thro' the Sky:
The shatter'd limbs of men, who nobly dare
Are borne on bullets, thro' the flaming air:
The dismal prospect shocks the bravest hearts,
And adds new motion, to disjointed parts;
The brave Camillus, with a fierce delight,
Drives on the head-long fury of the fight:
Urges his bleeding troops, still higher, and higher,
And scatters death for death, and fire for fire.
213
Thus, when, of old, the mighty giants strove,
To check the boundless power of angry Jove;
With force, like this, but, in a cause, less good,
The huge Briareus, their great leader! stood;
The solid centre shakes, beneath his weight,
Who, all-unknowing, or, unfearing fate,
Kicks at the thunder, which, with horror, flies,
And, while swift light'ning flashes, in his eyes,
Tears up a hundred rocks, and hurls 'em at the Skies.
To check the boundless power of angry Jove;
With force, like this, but, in a cause, less good,
The huge Briareus, their great leader! stood;
The solid centre shakes, beneath his weight,
Who, all-unknowing, or, unfearing fate,
Kicks at the thunder, which, with horror, flies,
And, while swift light'ning flashes, in his eyes,
Tears up a hundred rocks, and hurls 'em at the Skies.
But now, aloft, the mingled war grows high,
On heaps, promiscuous numbers fall and die;
Rivers of blood, from the mix'd battle, flow,
Till death, scarce, sees, to guide a destin'd blow.
On heaps, promiscuous numbers fall and die;
Rivers of blood, from the mix'd battle, flow,
Till death, scarce, sees, to guide a destin'd blow.
The
walls are won, the Spaniards lose the day,
And crowding Britons win the cover'd way:
While some, on high, the conquer'd pass defend,
Others, below, by mutual help, ascend:
No more, the driven foes their fortune try,
But quit their bloody battlements, and fly:
Despair, and horror, fill the dismal place,
And terror sits, enthron'd, on every face.
Destructive fate grows cruel, to excess,
And rages, blindly, in her blackest dress:
Matrons, and virgins, weep, with bitter cries,
And noisy sorrows pierce the distant Skies.
And crowding Britons win the cover'd way:
While some, on high, the conquer'd pass defend,
Others, below, by mutual help, ascend:
No more, the driven foes their fortune try,
But quit their bloody battlements, and fly:
214
And terror sits, enthron'd, on every face.
Destructive fate grows cruel, to excess,
And rages, blindly, in her blackest dress:
Matrons, and virgins, weep, with bitter cries,
And noisy sorrows pierce the distant Skies.
But cease, mistaken wretches! cease your moan.
Proud of your conqu'ror, your conquest own;
Your friends, victorious, might tyrannic be,
Your foes but conquer you, to set you free.
No base design distains a Britons cause,
But pity guides the sword, which justice draws.
Proud of your conqu'ror, your conquest own;
Your friends, victorious, might tyrannic be,
Your foes but conquer you, to set you free.
No base design distains a Britons cause,
But pity guides the sword, which justice draws.
With
such success, was that great day begun,
Which not the army, but their general, won:
While he, impatient his great task, to end,
Which heaven appear'd, so early, to befriend,
Chears his glad soldiers, with divided gain,
And leads 'em down, undreading, to the plain:
Ranges 'em, widely, near the city's bound,
Resolv'd to force a place, they scarce surround.
Which not the army, but their general, won:
While he, impatient his great task, to end,
Which heaven appear'd, so early, to befriend,
Chears his glad soldiers, with divided gain,
And leads 'em down, undreading, to the plain:
Ranges 'em, widely, near the city's bound,
Resolv'd to force a place, they scarce surround.
Thus, moves he, brightly, like some wand'ring star,
And scorns the heavy arts of common war:
In their own fire, his matchless actions blaze;
He needs no council, and he seeks no praise:
While other generals tedious projects form,
He thinks, and acts, and wins applause, by storm:
With furious courage stands, and tempts his fate,
But heaven, still, spares the man, to bless the state.
And scorns the heavy arts of common war:
215
He needs no council, and he seeks no praise:
While other generals tedious projects form,
He thinks, and acts, and wins applause, by storm:
With furious courage stands, and tempts his fate,
But heaven, still, spares the man, to bless the state.
With threat'ning look each ready Briton stands,
And sharp-edg'd weapons grace their warlike hands:
Obsequious silence waits the General's nod,
As antient Grecians watch'd the Delphian God.
And sharp-edg'd weapons grace their warlike hands:
Obsequious silence waits the General's nod,
As antient Grecians watch'd the Delphian God.
Mean while, each trembling tow'r, with horrid dread,
Loosen'd its walls, and shook its batter'd head:
The lofty works, which shou'd the town defend,
The shocks of hostile thunder, widely, rend:
Amidst these crowds of terrors and despair,
The Britons, for a sharp assault, prepare:
The Spaniards see, and shun the lou'ring Fates,
And, widely, open their submissive gates.
Loosen'd its walls, and shook its batter'd head:
The lofty works, which shou'd the town defend,
The shocks of hostile thunder, widely, rend:
Amidst these crowds of terrors and despair,
The Britons, for a sharp assault, prepare:
The Spaniards see, and shun the lou'ring Fates,
And, widely, open their submissive gates.
And, now, the mighty deed is greatly done;
A king reliev'd, and kingdoms, bravely, won.
The warlike Chief, with glory, fir'd his breast,
Forgot his pleasures, and forsook his rest:
The Austrian fix'd—He, bravely, onward bent,
And conquer'd rebel countries, as he went:
The stubborn Catalans, unus'd to bow,
Gladly, submit, to firm subjection, now:
With joyful shouts, their happy monarch greet,
And leave their mountains, for the regal seat;
That strong-built fort, whose state the rest excell'd,
And thrice ten thousand Gallic foes repell'd,
Afraid to strive, her iron gates unlock'd,
And gladly open'd, when Camillus knock'd.
To his successful arms, whole nations yield,
And, freely, give him up an untry'd field.
At his bless'd feet, the rich Tortosa lay,
And matchless conduct gain'd him Lerida.
Valencia's kingdom, gloriously, he won,
And triumph'd, o'er the prostrate Arragon.
A king reliev'd, and kingdoms, bravely, won.
216
Forgot his pleasures, and forsook his rest:
The Austrian fix'd—He, bravely, onward bent,
And conquer'd rebel countries, as he went:
The stubborn Catalans, unus'd to bow,
Gladly, submit, to firm subjection, now:
With joyful shouts, their happy monarch greet,
And leave their mountains, for the regal seat;
That strong-built fort, whose state the rest excell'd,
And thrice ten thousand Gallic foes repell'd,
Afraid to strive, her iron gates unlock'd,
And gladly open'd, when Camillus knock'd.
To his successful arms, whole nations yield,
And, freely, give him up an untry'd field.
At his bless'd feet, the rich Tortosa lay,
And matchless conduct gain'd him Lerida.
Valencia's kingdom, gloriously, he won,
And triumph'd, o'er the prostrate Arragon.
But hold, unwary Muse! no higher soar;
He, who did this, alas! must do no more!
Oh! that thy numbers cou'd but reach my aim,
How wou'd I celebrate his glorious name!
How wou'd I paint the battles, he has won,
And all the noble actions, he has done!
How wou'd I paint him, spilling gen'rous blood,
And tempting death, for his dear country's good!
How wou'd I draw his two illustrious Sons,
Proud of their mangled flesh, and shatter'd bones!
How wou'd I tune my elevated song,
And shame the men, who do Camillus wrong!
He, who did this, alas! must do no more!
Oh! that thy numbers cou'd but reach my aim,
How wou'd I celebrate his glorious name!
How wou'd I paint the battles, he has won,
And all the noble actions, he has done!
217
And tempting death, for his dear country's good!
How wou'd I draw his two illustrious Sons,
Proud of their mangled flesh, and shatter'd bones!
How wou'd I tune my elevated song,
And shame the men, who do Camillus wrong!
But, since his works, thro' clouds, are forc'd to shine,
How cou'd I hope success, from such, as mine?
Let virtue be rewarded, if it can,
When gratitude forgets so great a man.
How cou'd I hope success, from such, as mine?
Let virtue be rewarded, if it can,
When gratitude forgets so great a man.
| The Works of the Late Aaron Hill | |