IX.

Let red Metaurus, ftain'd with Punic blood,
Let mighty Afdrubal fubdued, confefs
How much of empire and of fame is ow'd
By thee, O Rome, to the Neronian race.
X.

Of this be witnefs that aufpicious day,

Which, after a long, black, tempeftuous night,, First fimil'd on Latium with a milder ray,

And chear'd our drooping hearts with dawning light. XI.

Since the dire African with wafteful ire

Rode.o'er the ravag`d towns of Italy;

As through the pine-trees flies. the raging fire,
Or Eurus o'er the vext Sicilian fea.

XII.

From this bright æra, from this profperous field,
The Roman glory dates her rifing power;

From hence 'twas given her conquering fword to wield,
Raife her fall'n gods, and ruin'd fhrines reftore.
XIII.

Thus Hannibal at length despairing spoke:
"Like ftags to ravenous wolves an easy prey,
"Our feeble arms a valiant foe provoke,
"Whom to elude and 'fcape were victory;
XIV.

"A dauntless nation, that from Trojan fires,
"Hoftile Aufonia, to thy deftin'd fhore

"Her gods, her infant fons, and aged fires,

III.

Then, darting with impetuous fury down,
The flocks he flaughter'd, an unpractis'd foe ;;
Now his ripe valour to perfection grown.
The fcaly fnake and crefted dragon know:

IV..

Or, as a lion's youthful progeny,

Wean'd from his favage dam and milky food, The grazing kid beholds with fearful eye,

Doom'd first to stain his tender fangs in blood:

V.

Such Drufus, young in arms, his foes beheld,
The Alpine Rhæti, long unmatch'd in fight :
So were their hearts with abject terror quell'd;,
So funk their haughty spirit at the fight..

VI.

Tam'd by a boy, the fierce Barbarians find

How guardian Prudence guides the youthful flame,, And how great Cæfar's fond paternal mind Each generous Nero forms to early fame;

VII..

A valiant fon fprings from a valiant fire:
Their race by mettle sprightly courfers
Nor can the warlike eagle's active fire
Degenerate to form the timorous dove..
VIII.

But education can the genius raise,
And wife inftructions native virtue aid;
Nobility without them is disgrace,

prove ;;

1

And Honour is by vice to shame betray'd.'

IX. Let

IX.

Let red Metaurus, ftain'd with Punic blood,
Let mighty Afdrubal fubdued, confefs
How much of empire and of fame is ow'd
By thee, O Rome, to the Neronian race.
X.

Of this be witnefs that aufpicious day,

Which, after a long, black, tempeftuous night,, First fmil'd on Latium with a milder ray,

And chear'd our drooping hearts with dawning light. XI.

Since the dire African with wafteful ire

Rode.o'er the ravag`d towns of Italy;

As through the pine-trees flies. the raging fire,
Or Eurus o'er the vext Sicilian fea.

XII.

From this bright æra, from this profperous field,
The Roman glory dates her rifing power;

From hence 'twas given her conquering fword to wield,
Raife her fall'n gods, and ruin'd fhrines reftore.

XIII.

Thus Hannibal at length despairing spoke :
"Like ftags to ravenous wolves an easy prey,

"Our feeble arms a valiant foe provoke,
"Whom to elude and 'fcape were victory;
XIV.

"A dauntless nation, that from Trojan fires,
"Hoftile Aufonia, to thy deftin'd shore

Her gods, her infant fons, and aged fires,

.66

Throwgh angry feas and adverfe tempefts bore:

XV. "As

"Whose heart nor envy knows, nor spite, "Whofe duty is her fole delight;

On my life,

"Nor rul'd by whim, nor flave to fashion,
"Her parents' joy, her husband's paffion."
Fame fmil'd, and and answer'd,
"This is fome country parfon's wife,
Who never faw the court nor town,
"Whofe face is homely as her gown;
"Who banquets upon eggs and bacon-”

No, madam, no-you're much mistaken

"I beg you'll let me fet you right-
'Tis one with every beauty bright;
Adorn'd with every polish'd art
"That rank or fortune can impart;
""Tis the moft celebrated toast
"That Britain's fpacious ifle can boast;
'Tis princely Petworth's noble dame;
'Tis Egrement-Go, tell it, Fame."

ADDITION, EXTEMPORE,
BY EARL HARDWICKE.

FAME heard with pleasure-ftrait replied,

"First on my roll stands Wyndham's bride; "My trumpet oft I've rais'd, to found "Her modeft praise the world around! "But notes were wanting-Canft thou find A Mufe to fing her face, her mind? Believe me, I can name but one, "A friend of yours-'tis Lyttelton.".

LET

LETTER

TO

EARL HARDWICKE:

OCCASIONED BY

THE FOREGOING VERSES.

MY LORD,

A Thousand thanks to your Lordship for your ad

dition to my verses. If you can write fuch extempore, it is well for other poets, that you chofe to be Lord Chancellor, rather than a Laureat. They explain to me a vifion I had the night before.

Methought I faw before my feet,
With countenance ferene and sweet,
The Mufe, who, in my youthful days,
Had oft infpir'd my careless lays.

She finil'd, and faid, "Once more I fee

My fugitive returns to me;

Long had I loft you from my bower,
"You fcorn'd to own my gentle power;
"With me no more your genius sported,
"The grave hiftoric Muse you courted;
"Or, rais'd from earth, with straining eyes;
"Purfued Urania through the skies;