A N APOLOGY TO BRILLANTE, FOR HAVING LONG OMITTED WRITING IN VERSE. In Imitation of a certain Mimic of Anacreon. CAN AN Imatchlefs charms recite ? Paint the pangs thofe eyes infpire ! Then I'd thy perfection fing. Myftic world!-Thou fomething more! Nature's depths we oft descry, Wonder of th' Almighty's store! Oft they're pierc'd by Learning's eye; Charms unequal'd we pursue ! Charms in fhining throngs we view! 20 Number'd then could nature's be, Nature's felf were poor to thee. AN E PI AN S T LE то MR S. OLD FIELD, OF THE THEATRE ROYAL. WHILE to your charms unequal verse I raise, Aw'd, I admire, and tremble as I praise : Here Art and Genius new refinement need, And cherubs weep in gold o'er fainted shrines! 5 10 15 20 Fair, and more fair, you every grace transmit; 25 30 35 Say, sweet inspirer! were each annal known, What living greatnefs fhines there not your own! If the griev'd Mufe by fome lov'd empress rose, 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 streams your foul ! The foul's bright meanings heighten beauty's fires: Your looks, your thoughts, your deeds, each grace infpires! 59 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, Or may in modern dames refinement wear; Whate'er Whate'er juft, emulative thoughts purfue, If godlike bofoms pant for power to blefs, 535 V ER SES OCCASIONED BY READING MR. AARON HILL'S POEM, called GIDEON. The lines marked thus are taken from GIDEON. L' 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 ftore, To fwell fome monfter's pride, who fhame's a ftate, 5 That with Hillarius' worth my verfe may fhine! 10 Redeems the ufe of captive poetry,' Which first was form'd to speak thy glorious praise ! 11. Mofes, II. Mofes, with an enchanting tongue, Pharaoh's just overthrow fublimely fung! When Saul and Jonathan in death were laid, And, by the Great Almighty's tuneful aid, • Wafted in charming mufic through the air! 15 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 rife, Brightening through vapours like the morning-ftar, Generous to triumph, and in council wife! Gentle in peace, but terrible in war! IV. 20% 2.5 30 When Gideon, Oreb, Hyram, Shimron fhine Fierce in the blaze of war as they engage! 35 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, Loft |