120

Britannia's peers in pomp and rich array
Before their king triumphant lead the way :
Far as the eye can reach the gaudy train
A bright proceffion fines along the plain..

So haply thro' the heav'n's wide'pathless ways
A comet draws a long extended blaze,
From east to west burns thro’th' ethereal frame,
And half heav'n's convex glitters with the flame.

Now to e regal tow'rs securely brought 125
He plaas Britannia's glories in his thought,
Rolumes the delegated pow'r he gave,
Rewards the faithful and restores the brave.
Whom shall the Muse from out the shining throng
Select to heighten and adorn her song?

130 Thee, Halifax! to thy capacious mind, O Man approv'd! is Britain's wealth confign’d: Her coin while Nastaur fought debas'd and rude, By thee in beauty and in truth renew'd, An arduous work! again thy charge we fee, 135 And thy own care once more returns to thee. O! form’d in ev'ry Scene to awe and please, Alix wit with pomp and dignity with ease, Tho' call’d to shine aloft, thou wilt not fcorn To smile on arts thyself did once adorn: 140 For this thy name fucceeding times thall praise,

less thy garter than thy bays. The Mufe, if fir'd with thy enliv’ning beams, Perhaps shall ain: at more exalted themes,

And eavy

Record our monarch in a nobler strain,

145
And sing the op'ning wonders of his reign;
Bright Carolina’s heav'nly beauties trace,
Her valiant confort and his blooming race.
A train of kings their fruitful love supplies,
A glorious scene to Albion's ravish'd eyes,

150 Who sees by Brunswick's hand her fceptre fway'd, And thro' his line from age to age convey'd. 152

Animum pictura pascit inani
“ Multa gemens, largoque humectat flumine vultum."

VIRG.

Can this be he! could Charles, the good, the great,
Be sunk by Heav'n to such a dismal ftate!
How meagre, pale, neglected, worn with care!
What steady sadness and august despair!
In those sunk eyes the grief of years I trace, 5
And sorrow seems acquainted with that face.
Tears which his heart disdain'd from me o'erflow
Thus to survey God's substitute below
Io solemn anguish and majestick wo!

D

65

Dear as the faith thy loyal heart hath (worn
Transmit this piece to ages yet

unborn :
This fight shall damp the raging ruffian's breaft,
The poison spill, and half drawn sword arrest,
To soft compassion stubborn traitors bend,
And one destroy'da thousand kings defend.

70

A FRAGMENT

OF A POEM ON HUNTING.

Dona cano divum, latas venantibus artes,
Aufpicio, Diana, tuo

GRATIUS,

Let me,

Horses and hounds, their care, their various race,
The num'rous beasts that range the rural chase,
The huntsman's chosen scenes, his friendly stars,
The laws and glory of the Lylvan wars,
I first in British ver se presume to raise,

5 A vent'rous rival of the Roman praise.

chafte queen of Woods! thy aid obtain, Bring here thy lightfoot nymphs and sprightly train. If oft'o'er lawns thy care prevents the day To rouse the foe and press the bounding prey, Woo thine own Phæbus in the task to join, And grant me genius for the bold design. In this soft shade O footh the warriour's fire, And fit his bowstring to the trembling lyre,

IO

And teach while thus their arts and arms we sing 15 The groves to echo and the vales to ring !

Thy care be first the various gifts to trace, The minds and genius, of the latrant race. In pow'rs distinct the diff'rent clans excel, In fight, or swiftness, or fagacious smell. By wiles ungen'rous some surprise the prey, And fome by courage win the doubtful day. Seeft thou the gazehound how with glance severe From the close herd he marks the destin'd deer;.. How ev'ry nerve the greyhound's stretch displays, 25 The hare preventing in her airy maze; The luckless prey how treach'rous tumblers gain, And dauntless wolfdogs shake the lion's mane: O’er all the bloodhound boasts superiour skill Toscent, to view, to turn, and boldly kill, His fellows' yain alarms rejects with scorn, True to the master's voice and learned horn: His nostrils oft', if ancient fame fing true, Trace the fly felon thro' the tainted dew; Once snuff d he follows with unalter'd aim, 35 Nor odours lure him from the chosen game; Deepmouth'd he thunders, and inflam'd he views, Springs on relentless, and to death pursues.

Some hounds of manners vile, (nor less we find Of fops in hounds than in the reas'ning kind)

40

45

Puff'd with conceit run gadding o'er the plain,
And from the scent divert the wiser train,
For the foe's footsteps fondly snuff their own,
And mar the mufick with their senseless tone,
Start at the starting prey or rustling wind,
And hot at first inglorious lag behind;
A faunt'ring tribe! may such my foes disgrace!
Give me, ye Gods! to breed the nobler race;
Nor grieve thou to attend while truths unknown
I sing, and make Athenian arts our own. 50

Dost thou in hounds aspire to deathless fame!
Learn well their lineage and their ancient stem.
Each tribe with joy old rustick heralds trace,
And sing the chosen worthies of their sace;
How his fire's features in the son were spy'd 55
When Di was made the vig'rous Ringwood's bride.
Less fure thick lips the fate of Austria doom,
Or eagle noses ruld almighty Rome.

Good shape to various kinds old bards confine; Some praise the Greek and fome the Roman line: 60 And dogs to beauty make as diff’ring claires As Albion's nymphs and India's jetty dames. Immense to name their lands, to mark their bounds, And paint the thousand families of hounds! First count the sands, thedrops where oceans flow, Or Gauls by Marlb'rough sent to shades below. 66 The task be mine to teach Britannia's swains, My much lov'd country and my nativeplains.