No 619.

Friday, November 12.

-Dura

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Exerce imperia, et ramos compefce fluentes.

Virg. Georg. 2. v. 369..

Exèrt a rigorous fway,

And lop the too luxuriant boughs away.

HAVE often thought, that if the feveral letters, which are written to me under the character of Spectator, and which I have not made ufe of, were published in a volume, they would not be an unentertaining collection. The variety of the fubjects, ftiles, fentiments, and informations, which are tranfmitted to me, would lead a very curious, or very idle reader, infenfibly along, through a great many pages. I know fome authors, who would pick up a fecret history out of fuch materials, and make a bookfeller an alderman by the copy. I fhall therefore carefully preferve the original papers in a room fet apart for that pur pofe, to the end that they may be of fervice to pofterity; but shall at prefent content myself with owning the receipt of feveral letters, lately come to my hands, the authors whereof are impatient for an answer.

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CLARISSA, whofe letter is dated from Cornhill, defires to be eafed in fome fcruples relating to the skill of 2ftrologers. Referred to the dumb man for an answer.

7. C. who propofes a love-cafe, as he calls it, to the love-cafuift, is hereby defired to speak of it to the minifter of the parish; it being a cafe of confcience.

THE poor young lady, whofe letter is dated October 26, who complains of a harsh guardian, and an unkind brother, can only have my good wishes, unless she pleases to be more particular.

THE petition of a certain gentleman, whofe name I have forgot, famous for renewing the curls of decayed periwigs, is referred to the cenfor of fmall wares.

THE remonftrance of T. C. against the profanation of the Sabbath by barbers, fhoe-cleaners, &c. had better be offered to the fociety of reformers.

A LEARNED and laborious treatise upon the art of fencing, returned to the author.

To the gentleman of Oxford, who defires me to infert a copy of Latin verses, which were denied a place in the univerfity-books. Anfwer, Nonumque prematur in an

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To my learned correfpondent who writes against mafters gowns, and poke-fleeves, with a word in defence of large fcarves. Anfwer, I refolve not to raise animofities amongst the clergy.

To the lady, who writes with rage against one of her own fex, upon the account of party-warmth. Answer, Is not the lady fhe writes against reckoned handsome?

I DESIRE Tom Truelove (who fends me a fonnet upon his miftrefs, with a defire to print it immediately) to confider that it is long fince I was in love.

I SHALL anfwer a very profound letter from my old friend the upholsterer, who is ftill inquifitive whether the king of Sweden be living or dead, by whispering him in the ear, That I believe he is alive.

LET Mr Dapperwit confider, What is that long story of the cuckoldom to me ?

Ar the earnest defire of Monimia's lover, who declares himself very penitent, he is recorded in my paper by the name of The faithful Caftalio.

THE petition of Charles Cockfure, which the petitioner ftiles very reafonable.

Rejected.

The memorial of Philander, which he defires may be · difpatched out of hand.Poftponed.

I DESIRE S. R. not to repeat the expreffion under the fun fo often in his next letter.

THE letter of P. S. who defires either to have it printed entire, or committed to the flames.- -Not to be printed entire.

NO

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No.620.

Monday, November 15.

Hic vir, hic eft, tibi quem promitti fæpius audis.
Virg. Æn. 6. v. 791.

Behold the prince oft promis'd you before!

H

AVING lately prefented my reader with a copy of verfes full of the falfe fublime, I fhall here communicate to him an excellent fpecimen of the true: though it hath not been yet published, the judicious reader will readily difcern it to be the work of a mafter: and if he hath read that noble poem on The profpect of the peace, he will not be at a lofs to guess at the author.

THE ROYAL PROGRESS.

WHEN Brunfwick first appear'd, each honeft heart,
Intent on verfe, difdain'd the rules of art;

For him the fong fters, in unmeafur'd odes,
Debas'd Alcides, and dethron'd the gods,
In golden chains the kings of India led,

Or rent the turbant from the Sultan's head.
One, in old fables, and the Pagan ftrain,

With Nymphs and Tritons, wafts him o'er the main ;
Another draws fierce Lucifer in arms,
And fills th' infernal region with alarms;
A third awakes fome Druid, to foretel
Each future triumph from his dreary cell.
Exploded fancies! that in vain deceive,
While the mind naufeates what she can't believe.
My Mufe th' expected hero shall pursue
From clime to clime, and keep him ftill in view:
His fining march defcribe in faithful lays,
Content to paint him, not prefume to praife;

Their charms, if charms they have, the truth fupplies,
And from the theme unlabour'd beauties rife.

By longing nations for the throne defign'd, And call'd to guard the rights of human kind; T 3

With fecret grief his god-like foul repines,
And Britain's crown with joyless luftre fhines,
While prayers and tears his deftin'd progrefs ftay,
And crouds of mourners choke their fou'reign's way.
Not fo he march'd, when hoftile fquadrons stood
In fcenes of death, and fir'd his generous blood;
When his hot courfer paw'd th' Hungarian plain,
And adverfe legions ftood the fhock in vain.
His frontiers paft, the Belgian bounds he views,
And cross the level fields his march pursues.
Here pleas'd the land of freedom to furvey,
He greatly fcorns the thirft of boundless fway,
O'er the thin foil, with filent joy he pies
Transplanted woods, and borrow'd verdure rife;
Where ev'ry meadow, won with toil and blood,
From haughty tyrants, and the raging flood,
With fruits and flow'rs the careful hind fupplies,
And clothes the marshes in a rich disguise.

Such wealth for frugal hands doth heav'n decree,
And fuch thy gifts, celeftial liberty!

Through fately towns, and many a fertile plain,
The pomp advances to the neighbouring main.
Whole nations croud around with joyful cries,
And view the hero with infatiate eyes.

In Haga's tow'rs he waits, till eaftern gales
Propitious rife to fwell the British fails.
Hither the fame of England's monarch brings
The vows and friendships of the neighb'ring kings ;
Mature in wisdom, his extenfive mind
Takes in the blended int'refts of mankind;

The world's great patriot. Calm thy anxious breaft,
Secure in him, O Europe, take thy reft;

Henceforth thy kingdoms fhall remain confin'd

By rocks or ftreams, the mounds which heav'n defign'd;
The Alps their new-made monarchs fhall reftrain,
Nor fhall thy hills, Pyrene, rife in vain.

But fee! to Britain's ifle the fquadrons ftand,
And leave the finking towers, and leffening land.
The royal bark bounds o'er the floating plain,
Breaks through the billows, and divides the main,

O'er

O'er the vaft deep, great monarch, dart thine eyes,
A watry profpect bounded by the skies:

Ten thousand vessels, from ten thousand fhores,,
Bring gums and gold, and either India's flores :
Behold the tributes haft'ning to thy throne,
And fee the wide horizon all thy own.

Still is it thine; though now the chearful crew
Hail Albion's cliffs, juft whitening to the view.
Before the wind with fwelling fails they ride,
Till Thames receives them in his opening tide.
The monarch hears the thundering peals around,
From trembling woods and echoing hills rebound,
Nor miles yet, amid the deafening train,
The roarings of the hoarfe refounding main.

As in the flood he fails, from either fide
He views his kingdom in its rural pride;
A various fcene the wide spread landskip yields,
O'er rich inclosures and luxuriant fields:
A lowing herd each fertile pafture fills,
And diftant flocks ftray o'er a thousand hills.
Fair Greenwich hid in woods with new delight,
(Shade above fhade) now rifes to the fight:
His woods ordain'd to vifit ev'ry Shore,

And guard the island which they grac'd before.

The fun now rolling down the western way,
A blaze of fires renews the fading day;
Unnumber'd barks the regal barge infold,
Brightening the twilight with its beamy gold;
Lefs thick the finny fhoals, a countless fry,
Before the whale or kingly dolphin fly.
In one vaft hout he feeks the crouded ftrand,
And in a peal of thunder gains the land.

Welcome, great firanger, to our longing eyes,
Oh! king defir'd, adopted Albion cries.
For thee the eaft breath'd out a profp'rous breeze,
Bright were the funs, and gently fwell'd the feas
Thy prefence did each doubtful heart compofe,
And factions wonder'd that they once were foes;

That