Intent on honour, dar'd in thickest death
To snatch the glorious deed. Nor Trebia quell'd,
Nor Thrafymene, nor Canna's bloody field,
Their dauntless courage; ftorming Hannibal
In vain the thunder of the battle roll'd,
The thunder of the battle they return'd
Back on his Punic fhores; 'till Carthage fell,
And danger fled afar. The city gleam'd
With precious fpoils: alas profperity!

Ah baneful state! yet ebb'd not all their strength
In foft luxurious pleasures; proud defire
Of boundless sway, and fev'rifh thirst of gold,
Rous'd them again to battle. Beauteous Greece,
Torn from her joys, in vain with languid arm
Half rais'd her rufty fhield; nor could avail
The sword of Dacia, nor the Parthian dart;
Nor yet the car of that fam'd British chief,
Which seven brave years beneath the doubtful wing
Of vict'ry, dreadful roll'd its griding wheels
Over the bloody war: the Roman arms

Triumph'd, 'till Fame was filent of their foes.

And now the world unrivall'd they enjoy'd

In proud fecurity: the crefted helm,

I

The

The plated greave and corflet hung unbrac'd;
Nor clank'd their arms, the fpear and founding fhield,
But on the glitt'ring trophy to the wind.

Diffolv'd in eafe and foft delights they lie,

"Till every

fun annoys, and every wind

Has chilling force, and every rain offends :
For now the frame no more is girt with strength
Masculine, nor in luftinefs of heart

Laughs at the winter storm, and fummer beam,
Superior to their rage: enfeebling vice

Withers each nerve, and opens every pore
To painful feeling: flow'ry bow'rs they seek
(As æther prompts, as the fick sense approves) •
Or cool Nymphean grots; or tepid baths
(Taught by the foft Ionians) they, along
The lawny vale, of every beauteous stone,
Pile in the rofeat air with fond expence :
Through filver channels glide the vagrant waves,
And fall on filver beds crystalline down,

Melodious murmuring; while luxury

Over their naked limbs, with wanton hand,

Sheds rofes, odours, fheds unheeded bane.

Swift is the flight of wealth; unnumber'd wants, Brood of volupt❜oufnefs, cry out aloud

Neceffity, and feek the fplendid bribe.

The citron board, the bowl emboss'd with gems,
And tender foliage wildly wreath'd around
Of feeming ivy, by that artful hand,
Corinthian Thericles; whate'er is known
Of rarest acquifition; Tyrian garbs,
Neptunian Albion's high teftaceous food,
And flavour'd Chian wines with incenfe fum'd
To flake Patrician thirft: for these, their rights
In the vile streets they prostitute to fale;

Their ancient rights, their dignities, their laws,
Their native glorious freedom. Is there none,
Is there no villain, that will bind the neck
Stretch'd to the yoke? they come; the market throngs.
But who has most by fraud or force amafs'd?
Who most can charm corruption with his doles ?
He be the monarch of the ftate; and lo!
Didius, vile us'rer, through the crowd he mounts
Beneath his feet the Roman eagle cow'rs,

And the red arrows fill his grafp uncouth.

O Britons, O my countrymen, beware,

Gird, gird your hearts; the Romans once were free, Were brave, were virtuous.-Tyranny howe'er

• Didius Julianus, who bought the empire.]

Deign'd

Deign'd to walk forth awhile in pageant state,
And with licentious pleasures fed the rout,
The thoughtless many: to the wanton found
Of fifes and drums they danc'd, or in the fhade
Sung Cæfar, great and terrible in war,

Immortal Cæfar! lo, a God, a God,

He cleaves the yielding skies! Cæfar mean while
Gathers the ocean pebbles; or the gnat
Enrag'd pursues; or at his lonely meal

Starves a wide province; taftes, diflikes, and flings
To dogs and fycophants: a God, a God!

The flow'ry shades and shrines obscene return.
But fee along the north the tempest swell
O'er the rough Alps, and darken all their fnows!
Sudden the Goth and Vandal, dreaded names,
Rush as the breach of waters, whelming all
Their domes, their villa's; down the festive piles,
Down fall their Parian porches, gilded baths,

And roll before the storm in clouds of duft.

Vain end of human strength, of human skill,

Conqueft, and triumph, and domain, and pomp,
And ease and luxury! O luxury,

Bane of elated life, of affluent states,

What dreary change, what ruin is not thine?

How doth thy bowl intoxicate the mind!
To the foft entrance of thy rofy cave
How doft thou lure the fortunate and great!
Dreadful attraction! while behind thee gapes
Th' unfathomable gulph where Afhur lies
O'erwhelm'd, forgotten; and high-boasting Cham;
And Elam's haughty pomp ; and beauteous Greece;
And the great queen of earth, imperial ROME.

THE