OF THE THEATRE ROYAL. WHILE to your charms unequal verse I raise, Aw'd, I admire, and tremble as I praise : 5 10 Here Art and Genius new refinement need, Thus Cleopatra in your charms refines; 15 20 Fair, and more fair, you every grace tranfmit; 25 30 35 Say, fweet inspirer! were each annal known, What living greatness shines there not your own! If the griev'd Mufe by fome lov'd empress rofe, New strength, new grace, it to your influence owes ! If power by war diftinguish'd height reveals, Your nobler pride the wounds of fortune heals! Then could an empire's caufe demand your care, The foul, that juftly thinks, would greatly dare. Long has feign'd Venus mock'd the Mufe's praise, You dart, divine Ophelia ! genuine rays! 40 Warm through thofe eyes enlivening raptures roll! 45 Sweet through each striking feature ftreams your foul! The foul's bright meanings heighten beauty's fires: Your looks, your thoughts, your deeds, each grace infpires! 50 Know, then, if rank'd with monarchs, here you stand, What Fate declines, you from the Mufe demand! Each grace that fhone of old in each fam'd fair, in modern dames refinement wear; Or may Whate'er Whateler juff, emulative thoughts pursue, 55 V E R S E S OCCASIONED BY READING MR. AARON HILL's POEM, L called GIDEON. The lines marked thus are taken from GIDEON. I. ET other poets poorly fing Their flatteries to the vulgar great! Her airy flight let wandering fancy wing, And rival nature's most luxuriant store, To fwell fome monfter's pride, who fhames a state, 5 Redeems the use of captive poetry,' fhine! 10 Which firft was form'd to speak thy glorious praise ! 11. Mofes, II. Mofes, with an enchanting tongue, And, by the Great Almighty's tuneful aid, 15% 201 25% Flows mix'd, and sweetly strikes th' Almighty's ear!' III. Rebels should blush when they his Gideon fee! O that fuch heroes in each age might rise, Brightening through vapours like the morning-ftar,, 309 Generous to triumph, and in council wife! Gentle in peace, but terrible in war! IV. When Gideon, Oreb, Hyram, Shimron fhine Fierce in the blaze of war as they engage! Great bard! what energy, but thine, Could reach the vast description of their rage ? Or when, to cruel foes betray'd, Sareph and Hamar call for aid,. 35 Loft, 40 Loft, and bewilder'd in despair, How piercing are the hapless lover's cries! What tender ftrokes in melting accents rife ! Oh, what a master-piece of pity's there? Nor goodly Joafh fhows thy fweetness lefs, When, like kind heaven, he frees then from diftrefs! 45 ས . Hail thou, whofe verfe, a living image, shines, We in that image bright Hillarius view! Let the low crowd, who love unwholesome fare, 50 And they, like spectres, fhun the ftreams of light. 55 • And fhew thee glittering in abstracted day.' TO THE RIGHT HONOURABLE BESSY, COUNTESS OF ROCHFORD, DAUGHTER OF THE LATE EARL RIVERS, WHEN WITH CHILD. AS when the fun walks forth in flaming gold, Mean plants may fmile, and humble flowers un- The low-laid lark the diftant æther wings, So, |