ample, to the great improvement of the English Ode. There is certainly a pleasure in beholding any thing that has art and difficulty in the contrivance; efpecially, if it appears fo carefully executed, that the difficulty does not fhew itself, till it is fought for; and that the seeming eafinefs of the work, first sets us upon the enquiry. Nothing can be called beautiful without proportion. When fymmetry and harmony are wanting, neither the eye nor the ear can be pleafed. Therefore certainly poetry, which includes painting and mufic, fhould not be deftitute of them; and of all poetry, especially the Ode, whose end and effence is harmony.

Mr. Cowley, in his Preface to his Pindaric Odes, fpeaking of the mufic of numbers, fays, "which fome"times (especially in Songs and Odes) almost without any thing elfe makes an excellent poet."

66

Having mentioned Mr. Cowley, it may very well be expected, that fomething fhould be faid of him, at a time when the imitation of Pindar is the theme of our difcourfe. But there is that great deference due to the memory, great parts, and learning of that gentleman, that I think nothing should be objected to the latitude he has taken in his Pindaric Odes. The beauty of his verfes, are an atonement for the irregularity of his stanzas; and though he did not imitate Pindar in the ftrictness of his numbers, he has very often happily copied him in the force of his figures, and fublimity of his file and fentiments.

Yet I muft beg leave to add, that I believe thofe irregular Odes of Mr. Cowley may have been the princi

pal,

pal, though innocent occafion, of fo many deformed poems fince, which, inftead of being true pictures of Pindar, have (to use the Italian painters term) been only caricatures of him, resemblances that for the most part have been either horrid or ridiculous.

For my own part, I frankly own my error, in having heretofore mifcalled a few irregular stanzas a Pindaric Ode; and poffibly, if others, who have been under the fame mistake, would ingenuoufly confefs the truth, they might own, that, never having confulted Pindar himself, they took all his irregularity upon trust; and finding. their account in the great ease with which they could produce Odes without being obliged either to measure or defign, remained fatisfied; and it may be, were not altogether unwilling to neglect being undeceived.

Though there be little (if any thing) left of Orpheus but his name, yet if Paufanias was well informed, we may be affured, that brevity was a beauty which he moft induftriously laboured to preferve in his Hymns, notwithstanding, as the fame author reports, that they were but few in number.

The shortness of the following Ode will, I hope, atone for the length of the Preface, and in fome meafure for the defects which may be found in it. It confifts of the fame number of ftanzas with that beautiful Ode of Pindar, which is the first of his Pythics; and though I was unable to imitate him in beauty, I refolved to endeavour to copy his brevity, and take the advantage of a remark he has made in the

any

other

laft

laft Strophé of the fame Ode; which take in the para-~ phrafe of Sudorius.

"Qui multa paucis ftringere commode
"Novere, morfus hi facile invidos
"Spernunt, & auris menfque pura
"Omne fupervacuum rejectat."

DAUGHTER of Memory, immortal Mufe,

Calliope; what poet wilt thou chufe,
Of Anna's name to fing?

To whom wilt thou thy fire impart,
Thy lyre, thy voice, and tuneful art ;

Whom raife fublime on thy ætherial wing,
And confecrate with dews of thy Caftalian spring?

II.

Without thy aid, the most aspiring mind

Muft flag beneath, to narrow flights confin'd,

Striving to rife in vain :

Nor e'er can hope with equal lays

To celebrate bright Virtue's praise.

Thy aid obtain'd, ev'n I, the humbleft swain, May climb Pierian heights, and quit the lowly plain.

III.

High in the ftarry orb is hung,

And next Alcides' guardian arm,

That harp to which thy Orpheus fung,

Who woods, and rocks, and winds, could charm;

That

That harp which on Cyllene's fhady hill,
When first the vocal fhell was found,
With more than mortal skill
Inventer Hermes taught to found:
Hermes on bright Latona's fon,
By sweet perfuafion won,

The wondrous work bestow'd;
Latona's fon, to thine

Indulgent, gave the gift divine :
A god the gift, a god th' invention show'd.

I.

To that high-founding lyre I tune my strains;
A lower note his lofty fong difdains
Who fings of Anna's name.

The lyre is ftruck! the founds I hear!
O Mufe, propitious to my prayer!

O well-known founds! O Melody, the fame

That kindled Mantuan fire, and rais'd Meonian flame!

11.

Nor are thefe founds to British bards unknown,

Or fparingly reveal'd to one alone : Witness sweet Spenser's lays : And witness that immortal fong, As Spenser sweet, as Milton strong, Which humble Boyne o'er Tiber's flood could raise, And mighty William fing, with well-proportion'd praife.

111.

Rife, fair Augufta, lift thy head,

With golden towers thy front adorn ;
Come forth, as comes from Tithon's bed

With chearful ray the ruddy morn.

Thy

Thy lovely form, and fresh-reviving state,
In crystal flood of Thames survey;
Then, bless thy better fate,

Blefs Anna's moft aufpicious fway.

While diftant realms and neghbouring lands,

Arm'd troops and hoftile bands

On every fide moleft,

Thy happier clime is free,

Fair Capital of Liberty!

And plenty knows, and days of halcyon reft.

1.

As Britain's ifle, when old vex'd Ocean roars,
Unfhaken fees against her filver fhoars
His foaming billows beat;

So Britain's Queen, amidst the jars

And tumults of a world in wars,

Fix'd on the bafe of her well-founded ftate,

Serene and fafe looks down, nor feels the fhocks of fate.

II.

But greatest fouls, though bleft with fweet repofe, Are fooneft touch'd with fenfe of others woes.

Thus Anna's mighty mind,

Το mercy and foft pity prone,

And mov'd with forrows not her own, Has all her peace and downy rest resign'd, To wake for common good, and fuccour human-kind.