Poems, chiefly pastoral By John Cunningham. The second edition. With the Addition of several pastorals and other pieces |
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A PASTORAL HYMN To JANUS.
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 | Poems, chiefly pastoral |  |
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A PASTORAL HYMN To JANUS.
On the Birth of the Queen.
Te primum pia thura rogent—te vota salutent,
------ te colat omnis honos.
Mart. ad Janum.
------ te colat omnis honos.
Mart. ad Janum.
I
To Janus, gentle shepherds! raise a shrine:His honours be divine!
And as to mighty Pan with homage bow:
To him, the virgin troop shall tribute bring;
Let him be hail'd like the green-liveried spring,
Spite of the wint'ry storms that stain his brow.
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II
The pride, the glowing pageantry of May,Glides wantonly away:
But January, in his rough-spun vest,
Boasts the full blessings that can never fade,
He that gave birth to the illustrious maid,
Whose beauties make the British Monarch blest!
III
Could the soft Spring with all her sunny showers,The frolic nurse of flowers!
Or flaunting Summer, flush'd in ripen'd pride,
Could they produce a finish'd sweet so rare:
Or from his golden stores, a gift so fair,
Say, has the fertile Autumn e'er supply'd?
IV
Henceforward let the hoary month be gayAs the white-hawthorn'd May!
The laughing goddess of the Spring disown'd,
Her rosy wreath shall on His brows appear,
Old Janus as he leads, shall fill the year,
And the less fruitful Autumn be dethron'd.
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V
Above the other months supremely blest,Glad Janus stands confest!
He can behold with retrospective face
The mighty blessings of the year gone by:
Where, to connect a Monarch's nuptial tie,
Assembled ev'ry glory, ev'ry grace!
VI
When he looks forward on the flatt'ring year,The golden hours appear:
As in the sacred reign of Saturn, fair:
Britain shall prove from this propitious date,
Her honours perfect, victories complete,
And boast the brightest hopes, a British Heir.
| Poems, chiefly pastoral | |