Are join'd; on every fide, wide-gaping engines wait, Teeming with fire, and big with certain fate; Ready to hurl destruction from above,

In dreadful roar, mocking the wrath of Jove. Thus fearful does the face of adverse power appear; But British forces are unus'd to fear:

Though thus oppos'd, they might, if William where not

there.

VI.

But hark, the voice of war! behold the storm begin! The trumpet's clangor speaks in loud alarms, Mingling fhrill notes, with dreadful din

Of cannons burft, and rattling clash of arms. Clamours from earth to heaven, from heaven to earth re

bound,

Distinction in promifcuous noife is drown'd,
And Echo loft in one continued found.

Torrents of fire from brazen mouths are fent,
Follow'd by peals, as if each pole were rent;
Such flames the gulf of Tartarus difgorge,
So vaulted Ætna roars from Vulcan's forge;
Such were the peals from thence, fuch the vaft blaze that
broke,

Reddening with horid gloom the dusky fmoke, When the huge Cyclops did with moulding thunder fweat, And maffive bolts on repercuffive anvils beat.

VII.

Amidft this rage, behold, where William ftands,

Undaunted, undifmay'd!

With face ferene, difpenfing dread commands;

Which, heard with awe, are with delight obey'd.
A thousand fiery deaths around him fly;
And burning balls hifs harmless by:

For ev'ry fire his facred head must spare,
Nor dares the lightning touch the laurels there.
VIII.

Now many a wounded Briton feels the rage
Of miffive fires that fefter in each limb,
Which dire revenge alone has power t' affuage;
Revenge makes danger dreadless feem..

And now, with defperate force, and fresh attack,
Through obvious deaths, refiftlefs way they make;
Raifing high piles of earth, and heap on heap they lay,
And then ascend; resembling thus (as far
As race of men inferior may)

The fam'd gigantic war.

When thofe tall fons of earth did heaven aspire;
(A brave, but impious fire!)

Uprooting hills, with moft ftupendous hale,
To form the high and dreadful scale.

The gods, with horror and amaze, look'd down,
Beholding rocks from their firm basis rent?

Mountain on mountain thrown,

With threatening hurl, that shook th' ætherial firmament, Th' attempt did fear in heaven create;

Even Jove defponding fate,

Till Mars, with all his force collected, stood. And pour'd whole war on the rebellious brood; Who, tumbling headlong from th' empyreal fkies, O'erwhelm'd thofe hills, by which they thought to rife.

Mars on the gods did then his aid bestow,

And now in godlike William storms with equal force be

low.

IX.

Still they proceed, with firm unshaken pace,
And hardy breasts oppos'd to Danger's face,
With daring feet, on springing mines they tread
Of secret fulphur, in dire ambush laid.

Still they proceed; though all beneath, the labouring earth
Trembles to give the dread irruptions birth.
Through this, through more, through all they gø,
Mounting at last amidst the vanquish'd foe.

See, how they climb, and scale the steepy walls!
See, how the Britons rife! fee the retiring Gauls!
Now from the fort, behold the yielding flag is fpread,
And William's banner on the breach display'd,

X.

Hark, the triumphant fhouts from every voice!

The skies with acclamations ring!

Hark, how around, the hills rejoice, And rocks reflected Ios fing!

Hautboys and fifes and trumpets join'd,

Heroic harmony prepare,

And charm to filence every wind,

And glad the late-tormented air.

Far is the found of martial music spread,
Echoing through all the Gallic host,

Whofe numerous troops the dreadful storm furvey'd :
But they, with wonder or with awe dismay'd,

Unmov'd beheld the fortref loft.

William,

William, their numerous troops with terror fill'd,
Such wondrous charms can godlike valour show !
Not the wing'd Perfeus, with petrific shield

Of Gorgon's head, to more amazement charm'd his foe.
Nor, when on foaring horfe he flew, to aid

And fave from monster's rage the beauteous maid;
Or more heroic was the deed;
Or fhe to furer chains decreed,

Than was Namur, till now by William freed.
XI.

Defcend, my Mufe, from thy too-daring height,
Defcend to earth, and ease thy wide-stretch'd wing
For weary art thou grown of this unwonted flight,
And doft with pain of triumphs fing.

More fit for thee, resume thy rural reeds;

For war let more harmonious harps be ftrung:
Sing thou of love, and leave great William's deeds
To him who fung the Boyne or him to whom he fung.

1

THE

THE BIRTH OF THE MUSE.

To the Right Honourable

CHARLES LORD HALIFAX.

"Dignum laude virum Mufa vetat mori."

HOR.

DE

ESCEND, celeftial Mufe! thy fon infpire
Of thee to fing; infufe thy holy fire.
Belov'd of gods and men, thyfelf difclofe;
Say, from what fource thy heavenly power arose,
Which, from unnumber'd years delivering down
The deeds of heroes deathlefs in renown,
Extends their life and fame to ages yet unknown.
Time and the Mufe fet forth with equal pace;
At once the rival started to the race:

And both at once the deftin'd courfe fhall end,
Or both to all eternity contend.

One to preserve what t' other cannot fave,
And refcue virtue rifing from the grave.

}

To thee, O Montague, these strains are fung,
For thee my voice is tun'd, and speaking lyre is ftrung;
For every grace of every Muse is thine
In thee their various fires united fhine,
Darling of Phoebus and the tuneful Nine!
To thee alone I dare my fong commend,
Whose nature can forgive, and power defend,
And fhew by turns the patron and the friend.

Begin,