Ev’n mine, a bashful Muse, whose'rude essays
Scarce hope for pardon, not aspire to praise,
Cherishid by you in time may grow to fame,
And mine furvive with Bristol's glorious name.

Fir'd with the views this glitt'ring feene displays,
And smit with passion for my country's praise, 451
My artless reed attempts this lofty theme,
Where sacred Ifis rolls her ancient stream ;
In cloister'd domes the great Philippa's pride, [fide,
Where learning bloonis while fame and worth pre-
Where the fifth Henry arts and arms was taught, 456
And Edward form’d his Crefly yet unfought,
Wherelaurell’dbardshavestruck the warblingstrings, .
The seat of fages and the nurse of kings.
Here thy commands, O Lancaiter! inflame
My cager breast to raise the British name,
Urge on my soul with no ignoble pride
To won the Muse whom Addison enjoy'd,
See that bold swan to heav'n sublimely soar,
Pursue at distance, and his steps adore. 465

460

THE ROYAL PROGRESS.

When

llen Brunswick first appear'd each honest heart
Intent on verfe dildain'd the rules of art;
For him the fongsters in unmeasur'd odes.
Debas'd Alcides and dethron'd the gods,

IO

In golden chains the kings of India led,

5 Or rent the turban from the Sultan's head. One in old fables and the Pagan strain With nymphs and Tritons wafts him o'er the main; Another draws fierce Lucifer in arms, And fills th' infernal region with alarms; A third awakes fome Druid to foretel Each future triumph from his dreary cell. Exploded fancies! that in vain deceive, While the Mind nauseates what she cann't believe.. Ny Muse th' expected hero shall pursue 15 From clime to clime, and keep him still in view; His shining march describe in faithful lays, Content to paint him, nor presume to praise: Their charms, if charms they have, the truth supplies, And from the theme unlabour'd beauties rise.

By longing nations for the throne design'd, And call'd to guard the rights of humankind, With fecret grief his godlike soul repines, And Britain's crown with joyless luftre shines, While pray’rs and tears his destin'd progress nay, 25 And crowds of mourners choke their sov’reign's way. Not so be march'd when hostile squadrons stood In scenes of dcath and fir'd his gen'rous blood; When his hot courser paw'd th’ Hungarian plain, And adverse legions stood the shock in vain, 30 His frontiers past the Belgian bounds he views, And cross the level fields his march pursues :

20

Here pleaz'd the land of Freedom to survey,
He greatly fcorns the thirst of boundless sway:
O'er the thin foil with filent-joy he spies

35
Transplanted woods and borrow'd verdure rise,
Where ev'ry meadow won with toil and blood
From haughty tyrants and the raging flood,
With fruit and flow's the careful hind supplies,
And clothes the marshes in a rich disgaile;
Such wealth for frugal hands doth Heav'n decree,
And fuch thy gifts, celeftial Liberty!

Thro' stately towns and many a fertile plain
The pomp advances to the neighb'ring main,
Whole nation's crowd around with joyful cries, 45'
And view the hero with insatiate eyes.

: "In Haga's tow'rs he waits till eastern gales
Propitious rise to fwell the British sails;
Hither the fame of England's monarch brings
The vows and friendships of the neighb'ring kings.
Mature in wisdom, his extersive mind

SE
Takes in the blended int'rells of mankind.
The world's great patriot! calm thy anxious breast;
Secure in him, o Europe! take thy reft:
Henceforth thy kingdoms shall remain confin'd' 55
Byrocksor streams the moundswhich Heav'ndefign'd;
The Alps their new made monarch Mall restrain,
Nor shall thy hills, Pirene! rise in vain.

But see! to Briton's ille the fquadrons stand, And leave the finking to'rs and lesi’ning land; '60

The royal bark bounds o'er the floating plain,
Breaks thro' the billows and divides the main. .
O'er the vast deep, great Monarch! dart thine eyes,
A wat'ty prospect bounded by the skies ;
Ten thousand vessels from ten thousand shores 63
Bring gums and gold, and either India's stores;
Behold the tributes haft'ning to thy throne,
And see the wide horizon all thy own!

Still is it thine. Tho' now the cheerful crew
Hail Albion's cliffs just whitening to the view, 70
Before the wind with swelling fails they rider
Till Thames receives them in his op'ning tide.
The monarch hears the thund'ring peals around
From trembling woods and echoing hills rebound,
Nor misses yet amid the deafʼning train

75 The roarings of the hoarse resounding main.

As in the flood he fails from either side He views his kingdom in its rural pride; A various scene the wide spread landscape yields O'er rich enclosures and luxuriant fields; 80 A lowing herd each fertile pasture fills, And distant focks stray o'er a thousand hills: Fair Greenwich hid in woods with new delight Shade above shade now rises to the light, His woods ordain'd to visit ev'ry shore,

85 And guard the island which they grac'd before.

The fun now rolling down the western way Ablaze of fires renews the fading day;

Unnumber'd barks the regal barge infold,
Brightning the twilight with its beamy gold;

90
Less thick the finny shoals, a countless fry!
Before the whale or kingly dolphin fly.
In one vast shout he seeks the crowded strand,
And in a peal of thunder gains the land.

Welcome, great Stranger! to our longing eyes; 95
Oh king desir'd! adopted Albion cries,
For thee the East breath'd out a prosp'rous breeze,
Bright were the suns and gently swell’d the seas;
Thy presence did each doubtful heart compose,
And factions wonder'd that they once were foes; 100
That joysul day they loft each hostile name,
The same their aspect and their voice the same.

So two fair twins, whofe features were design'd
At one soft moment in the mother's mind,
Show each the other with reflected grace, 105
And the same beauties bloom in either face,
The puzzled strangers which is which inquire,
Delusion grateful to the smiling fire.

From that fair hill * where hoary sages boast
To name the stars and count the heav'nly host, 110
By the next dawn doth great Augusta rise,
Proud Town! the noblest scene beneath the skies!
O’er Thames her thousand spires their lustre fhed,
And a vast navy hides his ample bed,
A floating forest! from the distant strand

115 A line of golden cars ftrikes o'er the land;

* Mr. Flamitead's house.