Progreffive ages carol'd forth his fame;
Sires, to his praise, attun'd their children's tongue; The hoary druid fed the generous flame,
While in fuch strains the reverend vizard fung.
"Go forth, my fons !-for what is vital breath,
Your gods expell'd, your liberty refign'd?
Go forth, my fons! for what is inftant death
To fouls fecure perennial joys to find ?
For fcenes there are, unknown to war or pain,
Where drops the balm that heals a tyrant's wound;
Where patriots, bleft with boundless freedom, reign,
With miletoe's mysterious garlands crown'd.
Such are the names that grace your myftic fongs;
Your folemn woods refound their martial fire;
To you, my fons, the ritual meed belongs,
If in the caufe you vanquish or expire.
Hark! from the facred oak that crowns the groves,
What aweful voice my raptur'd bofom warms;
This is the favour'd moment heaven approves,
Sound the fhrill trump; this inftant, found to
Theirs was the fcience of a martial race,
To fhape the lance, or decorate the shield;
Ev'n the fair virgin ftain'd her native grace,
To give new horrors to the tented field.
Now, for fome cheek where guilty blushes glow,
For fome falfe Florimel's impure difguife,
The lifted youth, nor war's loud fignal know,
Nor virtue's call, nor fame's imperial prize.
Then if foft concord lull'd their fears to fleep,
Inert and filent slept the manly car;
But rush'd horrific o'er the fearful steep,
If freedom's awful clarion breath'd to war.
Now the fleek courtier, indolent, and vain,
Thron'd in the fplendid carriage glides fupine
To taint his virtue with a foreign stain,
Or at a favourite's board his faith refign.
Leave them, O luxury! this happy foil!
Chafe her, Britannia, to fome hostile shore !
Or fleece the baneful peft with annual spoil,
And let thy virtuous offspring weep no more ▸
fepulture were fo frequently violated.
AY, gentle fleep, that lov'ft the gloom of night, Parent of dreams! thou great magician, say, Whence my late vifion thus indures the light; Thus haunts my fancy through the glare of day. The filent moon had fcal'd the vaulted skies, And anxious care refign'd my limbs to reft; A fudden luftre ftruck my wondering eyes, And Silvia ftood before my couch confeft. Ah! not the nymph fo blooming and fo gay, That led the dance beneath the feftive fhade!
But the that, in the morning of her day, Intomb'd beneath the grafs-green fod was laid. * Alludes to a tax upon luxury.
No more her eyes their wonted radiance caft ;
No more her breast inspir'd the lover's flame,
No more her cheek the Pæftan rofe furpast;
Yet feem'd her lip's etherial fmile the fame.
Nor fuch her hair as deck'd her living face;
Nor fuch her voice as charm'd the listening crowd Nor fuch her drefs as heighten'd every grace;
Alas! all vanifh'd for the mournful shroud!
Yet feem'd her lip's etherial charm the fame;
That dear diftinction every doubt remov'd
Perish the lover, whofe imperfect flame
Forgets one feature of the nymph he lov'd.
❝ Damon, she said, mine hour allotted flies;
Oh! do not wafte it with a fruitlefs tear!
Though griev'd to fee thy Silvia's pale difguife,
Sufpend thy forrow, and attentive hear.
So may thy Mufe with virtuous fame be bleft!
So be thy love with mutual love repaid!
So may thy bones in facred filence reft,
Faft by the reliques of fome happier maid!
Thou know'st, how lingering on a distant shore
Disease invidious nipt my flowery prime;
And oh! what pangs my tender bosom tore,
To think I ne'er muft view my native clime ↓
No friend was near to raise my drooping head;
No dear companion wept to see me die ;
Lodge me within my native foil, I faid;
There my fond parents honour'd reliques lie.
Though now debarr'd of each domestic tear;
Unknown, forgot, I meet the fatal blow; There many a friend shall grace my woeful bier,
And many a figh fhall rife, and tear fhall flow. I fpoke, nor fate forbore his trembling spoil; Some vernal mourner lent his careless aid; And foon they bore me to my native foil,
Where my fond parents dear remains were laid.
'Twas then the youths, from every plain and grove,
Adorn'd with mournful verfe thy Silvia's bier;
'Twas then the nymphs their votive garlands wove,
And strew'd the fragrance of the youthful year.
But why, alas! the tender fcene display?
Could Damon's foot the pious path decline?
Ah no! 'twas Damon first attun'd his lay,
And fure no fonnet was fo dear as thine.
Thus was I bofom'd in the peaceful grave;
My placid ghost no longer wept its doom;
When favage robbers every fanction brave,
And with outrageous guilt defraud the tomb!
Shall my poor corfe, from hoftile realms convey'd,
Lofe the cheap portion of my native fands ?
Or, in my kindred's dear embraces laid,
Mourn the vile ravage of barbarian hands ?
Say, would thy breaft no death-like torture feel,
To fee my limbs the felon's gripe obey?
To fee them gafh'd beneath the daring steel?
To crowds a spectre, and to dogs a pray?
If Paan's fons these horrid rites require,
If health's fair fcience be by these refin'd,
Let guilty convicts, for their use, expire;
And let their breathless corfe avail mankind.
Yet hard it seems, when guilt's last fine is paid,
To see the victim's corfe deny'd repose!
Now, more fevere! the poor offenceless maid
Dreads the dire outrage of inhuman foes.
Where is the faith of ancient pagans fled ?
Where the fond care the wandering manes claim ?
Nature, inftin&tive, cries, Protect the dead,
And facred be their afhes, and their fame :
Arife, dear youth! ev'n now the danger calls
Ev'n now the villain fnuffs his wonted prey;
See! fee! I lead thee to yon' facred walls-
Oh! fly to chafe these human wolves away.”
Reflections fuggested by his fituation.
BORN near the fcene for Kenelm's fate renown'd
Į take my plaintive reed, and range the grove,
And raise my lay, and bid the rocks refound
The favage force of empire, and of love.
Faft by the centre of yon' various wild,
Where spreading oaks embower a Gothic fane;
́Kendrida's arts a brother's youth beguil❜d;
There nature urg'd her tendereft pleas in vain.
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