When WALLER, kindling with coeleftial rage, View'd the bright HARLEY of that wond'ring age, His pleafing pain he taught the lute to breathe ; The GRACES fung, and wove his myrtle wreath. In youth, of patrimonial wealth possest,
The praise of science faintly warm'd his breaft:
But, fir'd to fame by SIDNEY's rofy smile,
Swift o'er the laureat realm he urg'd his toil.
His MUSE, by nature form'd to please the Fair,
Or fing of Heroes with majestic air,
To melting ftrains attun'd her voice, and ftrove
To waken all the tender Pow'rs of love :
More fweetly foft her awful beauty fhone,
Than JUNO grac'd with CYTHEREA's zone.
As Angels love, congenial fouls unite
Their radiance, and refine each other's light:
The florid, and fublime, the grave, and gay,
From WALLER's beams imbibe a purer ray:
Illumin'd thence in equal Lays to bound
Their copious fense, and harmonise the found;
With varied Notes the curious ear to please,
And turn a nervous thought with artful ease.
Maker, and model, of melodious verse!
Accept these votive honors at thy herfe.
While I with filial awe attempt thy praise,
Infufe thy Genius, and my fanfy raife!
So, warbling o'er his urn, the woodland choirs
TO ORPHEUS pay the fong his Shade infpires.
In WALLER's fame, O faireft HARLEY! view What verdant palms fhall owe their birth to You. To You what deathless charms are thence decreed, In SACHARISSA's fate vouchfafe to read. Secure beneath the wing of with'ring TIME, Her beauties flourish in Ambrofial prime: Still kindling rapture, fee! fhe moves in state; Gods, Nymphs, and Heroes, on her triumph wait. Nor think the lover's praife of love's delight In pureft minds may ftain the virgin-white: How bright, and chafte, the Poet and his Theme So CYNTHIA fhines on ARETHUSA's ftream. A fainted VIRTUE to the fpheres may fing Those strains, that ravish'd here the Martyr-King. Plenteous of native wit, in letter'd ease Politely form'd, to profit and to please, TO FAME whate'er was due he gave to FAME; And, what he could not praife, forgot to name: Thus EDEN's rose without a thorn display'd Her bloom, and in a fragrant blush decay'd.
Such foul-attracting airs were fung of old, When blissful years in golden circles roll'd: Pure from deceit, devoid of fear and ftrife, While love was all the penfive care of life,
The swains in green retreats, with flourets crown'd,
Taught the young groves their paffion to refound:
Fancy perfu'd the paths where beauty led,
To please the living, or deplore the dead.
While to their warbled woe the rocks reply'd,
The rills remurmur'd, and the Zephyrs figh'd;
From death redeem'd by verfe, the vanish'd Fair
Breath'd in a flow'r, or fparkled in a star.
Bright as the stars, and fragrant as the flow'rs.
Where SPRING refides in foft ELYSIAN bow'rs
While these the bow'rs adorn, and they the sphere,
Will SACHARISSA's charms in fong appear.
Yet, in the present age, her radiant name
Muft take a dimmer interval of fame;
When You to full meridian luftre rise,
With MORTON's fhape, and GLORIANA's eyes;
With CARLISLE's wit, her gefture, and her mein;
And, like feraphic RICH, with zeal ferene:
In sweet affemblage all their graces join'd
To language, mode, and manners more refin'd!
That Angel-frame, with chaste attraction gay,
Mild as the dove-ey'd MORN awakes the MAY,
Of nobleft youths will reign the public care,
Their joy, their wish, their wonder, and despair.
Far-beaming thence what bright ideas flow!
The fifter-arts with fudden rapture glow:
Her TITIAN tints the PAINTER-Nymph refumes;
The canvas warm with roseate beauty blooms:
Infpir'd with life by SCULPTURE's happy toil,
The marble breathes, and foftens with your smile:
Proud to receive the form, by fate defign'd
The fairest model of the fairer kind,
But hear, O hear the MUSE's heav'nly voice!
The waving woods, and echoing vales rejoice :
Attend, ye gales! to MARGARETA's praise ;
And all ye list'ning Lov ES record the Lays!
So, PHILOMELA charms th' IDALIAN grove,
When VENUS, in the glowing Orb of love,
O'er ocean, earth, and air, extends her reign;
The firft, the brightest, of the starry train.
What fav'rite Youth affign the Fates to rife,
In bridal pomp to lead the blooming prize?
Whether his father's Garter'd fhield fuftains
Trophies, atchiev'd on GALLIA's viny plains:
Or, fmiling PEACE a mingled wreath displays,
The Patriot's olive, and the Poet's bays:
Adorn, ye Fates! the fav'rite Youth affign'd,
With each ennobling grace of form, and mind:
In merit make him great, as great in blood;
Great without pride, and amiably good :
His breast the guardian Ark of heav'n-born law,
To ftrike a faithlefs age with conscious awe.
In choice of friends by manly reason fway'd;
Not fear'd, but honor'd; and with love obey'd
In courts, and camps, in council, and retreat,
Wife, brave, and ftudious to fupport the State.
With candor firm; without ambition, bold;
No deed difcolor❜d with the guilt of gold.
That Heav'n may judge the choiceft bleffings due;
And give the various Good compriz'd in You.
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