Are thofe dear proofs of heaven's indulgence vain, Is it in vain thou all the goods doft know, Auspicious stars on mortals fhed below, While all thy ftreams with milk, thy lands with honey flow? No more, fond ifle! no more thyself engage In civil fury, and intestine rage: No rebel zeal thy duteous land moleft, But a finooth calm foothe every peaceful breaft. The best of poets, of the best of kings. J. ADAMS. To Mr. DRYDEN, on his RELIGIO LAICI. THOSE Gods the pious ancients did adore, Thinking it rude to use the common way You generously have refcued from abuse. your lov'd Mufe does in fweet numbers fing, She vindicates her God, and godlike king. Atheist, and rebel too, she does oppose (God and the king have always the fame foes). A conquering champion for the Deity And what the hot-brain'd Arian first began, Who ftill affociates to keep God a man. But 'tis the prince of poets' task alone T'affert the rights of God's and Charles's throne. By chaunting Chloris' or fair Phyllis' name; Whofe reputation shall last as long, As fops and ladies fing the amorous fong. A nobler fubject wifely they refufe, The mighty weight would crush their feeble Mufe. Could draw a minor-god with wondrous art: } To To Mr. DRYDEN, upon his Tranflation of the Third Book of VIRGIL'S GEORGICKS. A PINDARIC ODE. By Mr. JOHN DENNIS. WHILE mounting with expanded wings The Mantuan fwan unbounded heaven explores, While with feraphic founds he towering fings, Mankind ftands wondering at his flight, Thou, Dryden, canft his notes recite II. Sometimes of humble rural things, To heaven fublimely wings. But first takes time with majesty to rise, Com Commands, which judgment gives, fhe ftill obeys, Thus Mercury from heaven defcends, III. But when thy Goddess takes her flight, With fo much majefty, to fuch a height, As can alone fuffice to prove, That the defcends from mighty Jove : Gods! how thy thoughts then rife, and foar, and fhine! Immortal spirit animates each line; Each with bright flame that fires our fouls is crown'd, Each has magnificence of found, And harmony divine. Thus the first orbs, in their high rounds, And to their own coeleftial founds Majestically dance. On, with eternal fymphony, they roll, Each turn'd in its harmonious course, And each inform'd by the prodigious force CON |