 | A collection of original poems and translations |  |
233
To the Queen of Hungary 1741.
By the same.
'Tis not thy Fault that Europe is undone,
Retire, and calm enjoy thy setting Sun,
While yet thy conscious Dignity remains,
Nor base Compliance wears the Gallic Chains.
Assume the Glories of the fallen Brave,
Nor think that lost, which Virtue cou'd not save.
Know there's a Triumph in well-earn'd Distress,
'Tis thine:—let others quake at their Success.
E'en leave the Field, and blast them with the rest,
The princely Dupes of half thy Realms possest,
Leave them, O! leave them to the curst Event,
To reign and sigh, to conquer and repent.
See Fleury with one Hand presents the Crown;
T'other conceals the Scourge within his Gown.
Retire, and calm enjoy thy setting Sun,
While yet thy conscious Dignity remains,
Nor base Compliance wears the Gallic Chains.
Assume the Glories of the fallen Brave,
Nor think that lost, which Virtue cou'd not save.
Know there's a Triumph in well-earn'd Distress,
'Tis thine:—let others quake at their Success.
E'en leave the Field, and blast them with the rest,
The princely Dupes of half thy Realms possest,
Leave them, O! leave them to the curst Event,
To reign and sigh, to conquer and repent.
See Fleury with one Hand presents the Crown;
T'other conceals the Scourge within his Gown.
Thus France rewards her gay confed'rate Slaves;
The Prussian Boy shall have the Rod he craves:
And Poland on his Sons, if he prevail,
Descending Crowns and Servitude entail.
Who would not trust such venerable Things,
As hoary Prelates, and Most Christian King?
A violated Faith unheard and new is,
In Successors of Mazarine and Lewis!
The Prussian Boy shall have the Rod he craves:
234
Descending Crowns and Servitude entail.
Who would not trust such venerable Things,
As hoary Prelates, and Most Christian King?
A violated Faith unheard and new is,
In Successors of Mazarine and Lewis!
But see the Eagle to Bavaria flown:
Happy the Man who mounts the Roman Throne:
Happy to flutter in Imperial Plumes,
With length of Titles, and with Sound of Drums;
Eas'd of all Pow'r; which Gallia will supply
For her good Cousin, Brother, and Ally.—
Happy the Man who mounts the Roman Throne:
Happy to flutter in Imperial Plumes,
With length of Titles, and with Sound of Drums;
Eas'd of all Pow'r; which Gallia will supply
For her good Cousin, Brother, and Ally.—
From thy Allies what mighty Aids ensue,
(To Thee not faithless, to Themselves if true)
All that let sober History declare,
To make each future Generation stare.
Retire thou peaceful to Etruria's Seat,
In Soul, superior to all Sceptres, great.
Here shall kind Neptune fence thy watry Bound,
There Nature stretch her Guardian Hills around;
No more thy Towns be storm'd, thy Armies bleed,
But nobler Arts to Diadems succeed,
Think there thy Joys begin, thy Labour ends,
Secure from Foes, Relations, Turks, and Friends.
(To Thee not faithless, to Themselves if true)
All that let sober History declare,
To make each future Generation stare.
235
In Soul, superior to all Sceptres, great.
Here shall kind Neptune fence thy watry Bound,
There Nature stretch her Guardian Hills around;
No more thy Towns be storm'd, thy Armies bleed,
But nobler Arts to Diadems succeed,
Think there thy Joys begin, thy Labour ends,
Secure from Foes, Relations, Turks, and Friends.
| A collection of original poems and translations | |