FREDERICK PRINCE OF WALES.
F refervoirs, and their ufe; of draining fens,
and building bridges, cutting canals, repairing har
bours, and ftopping inundations, making rivers na-
vigable, building light-houses; of agriculture, gar
dening, and planting for the noblest uses; of com-
merce; of public roads; of public buildings, viz.
fquares, ftreets, manfions, palaces, courts of justice,
fenate-houses, theatres, hofpitals, churches, colleges,
the variety of worthies produced by the latter; of
colonies. The flave trade cenfured, &c.
GREAT Hope of Britain !—Here the Muse essays
A theme, which, to attempt alone, is praise.
Be Her's a zeal of Public Spirit known!
A princely zeal!-a fpirit all your own!
Where never science beam'd a friendly ray,
Where one vaft blank neglected Nature lay;
From Public Spirit there, by arts employ'd,
Creation, varying, glads the cheerless void.
Hail arts, where safety, treasure and delight,
On land, on wave, in wond'rous works unite!
Those wond'rous works, O Muse, fucceffive raise,
And point their worth, their dignity and praise !
What tho' no streams, magnificently play'd,
Rife a proud column, fall a grand cascade ;
Thro' nether pipes, which nobler use renowns,
Lo! ductile riv❜lets vifit distant towns!
Now vanish fens, whence vapours rise no more,
Whofe agueish influence tainted heav'n before.
The folid ifthmus finks a watʼry space,
And wonders, in new state, at naval grace.
Where the flood, deep'ning, rolls, or wide extends,
From road to road, yon arch, connective, bends.
Where ports were choak'd where mounds, in vain,
arofe;
There harbours open, and there breaches close ;
To keels, obedient, spreads each liquid plain,
And bulwark moles repel the bost'rous main.
When the funk fun no homeward fail befriends,
On the rock's brow the light-houfe kind afcends,
And from the fhoaly, o'er the gulfy way,
Points to the pilot's eye the warning ray.
Count ftill, my Mufe (to count what Mufe can ceafe?)
The works of Public Spirit, freedom, peace!
By the mfhall plants, in forests, reach the skies;
Then lofe their leafy pride, and navies rife :
(Navies, which to invafive foes explain,
Heav'n throws not round us rocks and feas in vain,)
The fail of commerce in each fky afpires,
And property affures what toil acquires.
Who digs the mine or quarry, digs with glee;
No flave!-His option and his gain are free:
Him the fame laws the fame protection yield,
Who plows the furrow, as who owns the field.
Unlike, where tyranny the rod maintains
O'er turflefs, leafless, and uncultur'd plains,
Here herbs of food and phyfic plenty show'rs,
Gives fruits to blufh, and colours various flow'rs.
Where fands or stony wilds once starv'd the year,
Laughs the green lawn, and nods the golden ear.
White shine the fleecy race, which fate fhall doom
The feast of life, the treasure of the loom.
On plains now bare fhall gardens wave their groves,
While fettling fongsters woo their feather'd loves.
Where pathlefs woods no grateful openings knew,
Walks tempt the step, and vistas court the view.
See the parterre confess expanfive day;
The grot, elufive of the noon-tide ray.
Up yon green flope a length of terrace lies,
Whence gradual landscapes fade in distant skies.
Now the blue lake reflected heav'n displays;
Now darkens, regularly-wild, the maze.
Urns, obelisks, fanes, ftatues intervene ;
Now center, now commence or end the scene.
Lo, proud alcoves! lo, soft sequester'd bow'rs!
Retreats of focial, or of ftudious hours!
Rank above rank here shapely greens afcend;
There others natively-grotefque depend.
The rude, the delicate, immingled tell
How Art wou'd Nature, Nature, Art excell;
And how, while these their rival charms impart,
Art brightens Nature, Nature brightens Art;
Thus in the various, yet harmonious space,
Blend order, fymmetry, and force, and grace.
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