Here lurks and if thy breast of blameless thoughts
Approve thee, not unwelcome fhalt thou tread
My quiet manfion: chiefly, if thy name

Wife Pallas and the immortal Mufes own.

II.

For a Statue of CHAUCER at WOODSTOCK.

UCH was old Chaucer. fuch the placid mien

SUCH

Of him who firft with harmony inform'd The language of our fathers. Here he dwelt For many a cheerful day. thefe ancient walls Have often heard him, while his legends blithe He fang; of love, or knighthood, or the wiles. Of homely life through each estate and age, The fashions and the follies of the world With cunning hand portraying.. Though perchance From Blenheim's towers, O ftranger, thou art come Glowing with Churchill's trophies; yet in vain Doft thou applaud them, if thy breast be cold To him, this other heroe; who, in times Dark and untaught, began with charming verse To tame the rudeness of his native land.

W

III.

HOE'ER thou art whofe path in fummer lies Through yonder village, turn thee where the Of branching oaks a rural palace old [grove Imbofoms. there dwells Albert, generous lord Of all the harvest round. and onward thence A low plain chapel fronts the morning light Fast by a filent riv'let. Humbly walk, O ftranger, o'er the confecrated ground; And on that verdant hilloc, which thou see'st Beset with ofiers, let thy pious hand Sprinkle fresh water from the brook and ftrew Sweet-fmelling flow'rs. for there doth Edmund rest, The learned shepherd; for each rural art Fam'd, and for fongs harmonious, and the woes Of ill-requited love. The faithlefs pride

Of fair Matilda fank him to the grave

In manhood's prime. But foon did righteous heaven With tears, with fharp remorfe, and pining care,

Avenge her falfhood.

nor could all the gold

And nuptial pomp, which lur'd her plighted faith

From Edmund to a loftier husband's home,
Relieve her breaking heart, or turn aside
The ftrokes of death. Go, traveller; relate
The mournful ftory. haply fome fair maid
May hold it in remembrance, and be taught
That riches cannot pay for truth or love.

IV.

YOUTHS and virgins: O declining eld: O pale misfortune's flaves: O ye who dwell Unknown with humble quiet; ye who wait In courts, or fill the golden feat of kings: O fons of sport and pleasure: O thou wretch That weep'ft for jealous love, or the fore wounds Of conscious guilt, or death's rapacious hand Which left thee void of hope: O ye who roam In exile; ye who through the embattled field Seek bright renown; or who for nobler palms Contend, the leaders of a public cause; Approach: behold this marble. Know ye not

The

The features? Hath not oft his faithful tongue the fashion of your own eftate,

Told

you

The fecrets of your bofom? Here then, round
His monument with reverence while ye ftand,
Say to each other: "This was Shakespear's form;
"Who walk'd in every path of human life,
"Felt every paffion; and to all mankind
"Doth now, will ever that experience yield
"Which his own genius only could acquire."

V.

GULIELMUS III. FORTIS, PIUS, LIBERATOR, CUM INEUNTE AETATE PATRIAE LABENTI ADFUISSET SALUS IPSE UNICA; CUM MOX ITIDEM REIPUBLICAE BRITANNICAE VINDEX RENUNCIATUS ESSET ATQUE STATOR; TUM DENIQUE AD ID SE NATUM RECOGNOVIT ET REGEM FACTUM, UT CURARET NE DOMINO IMPOTENTI CEDERENT PAX, FIDES, FORTUNA, GENERIS HUMANI.

AUCTORI PUBLICAE FELICITATIS P. G. A. M. A.

VI. For

HOU, who the verdant plain doft traverse here,

While Thames among his willows from thy view Retires; O ftranger, stay thee, and the scene Around contemplate well. This is the place. Where England's ancient barons, clad in arms And stern with conqueft, from their tyrant king (Then render'd tame) did challenge and fecure The charter of thy freedom. Pass not on 'Till thou have blefs'd their memory, and paid Thofe thanks which God appointed the reward Of public virtue. And if chance thy home Salute thee with a father's honour'd name, Go, call thy fons: inftruct them what a debt They owe their ancestors; and make them fwear

To

pay

it, by tranfmitting down intire

Thofe facred rights to which themselves were born.

ODE.