Nor crowns nor globes, the pageantry of state, 335
Upon our humble eafy flumbers wait,
Nor aught that is Ambition's lofty theme
Disturbs our fleep and gilds the gaudy dream.
Touch'd by no ills which vex th' unhappy great
We only read the changes in the flate,
Triumphant Marlb'rough's arms at distance hear,
And learn from Fame the rough events of war,
With pointed rhymes the Gallick tyrant pierce,
And make the cannon thunder in our verse.
See how the matchlefs youth their hours improve, And in the glorious way to knowledge move! Eager for fame prevent the rifing fun,
And watch the midnight labours of the moon.
Not tender years their bold attempts restrain
Who leave dull I ime and haften into man,
Pure to the foul and pleafing to the eyes,
Like angels youthful and like angels wife.
Some learn the mighty deeds of ages gone, And by the lives of heroes form their own; Now view the Granique chok'd with heaps of flain, And warring worids on the Pharfalian plain; 356 Now hear the trumpets' clangour from afar, And all the dreadful harmony of war;
Now trace thofe fecret tricks that loft a state,
And fearch the fine-fpun arts that made it great; 360 Correct thofe errours that its ruin bred,
And bid fome long loft empire rear its ancient head.
Others, to whom persuasive arts belong,
(Words in their looks and mufick on their tongue) Inftructed by the wit of Greece and Rome
Learn richly to adorn their native home,
Whilft lift'ning crowds confefs the sweet surprise
With pleasure in their breafts andwonder in their eyes.
Here curious minds the latent feeds difclofe,
And Nature's darkest labyrinths expose,
Whilst greater fouls the diftant worlds defcry,
Pierce to the outstretch'd borders of the sky, [eye.
Enlarge the searching mind and broad expand the
O you whose rifing years fo great began,
In whofe bright youth I read the fhining man,
O Lonsdale! know what nobleft minds approve,
The thoughts they cherish and the arts they love;
Let thefe examples your young bofom fire,
And bid your foul to boundless height afpire.
Methinks I fee you in our fhades retir'd,
Alike admiring and by all admir'd:
Your eloquence now charms my ravish'd ear,
Which future fenates fhall tranfported hear;
Now mournful verfe infpires a pleasing wo,
And now your cheeks with warlike fury glow; 385
Whilft on the paper fancy'd fields appear
And profpects of imaginary war,
Your martial foul fees Hockstet's fatal plain,
Or fights the fam'd Ramillia o'er again.
But I in vain these lofty names rehearse,
Above the faint attempts of humble verse,
Which Garth should in immortal firains defign,
Or Addison exalt with warmth divine:
A meaner fong my tender voice requires,
And fainter lays confefs the fainter fires,
By Nature fitted for an humble theme,
A painted profpect or a murm'ring ftream,
To tune a vulgar note in Echo's praise,
Whilft Echo's felf refounds the flatt'ring lays,
Or whilst I tell how Myra's charms surprise
Paint roses on her cheeks and funs within her eyes.
O! did proportion'd height to me belong
Great Anna's name should grace th' ambitious fong,
Illuftrious dames fhould round their queen refort,
And Lonsdale's mother crown the fplendid court; 405
Her noble fon fhould boast no vulgar place,
But share the ancient honours of his race,
Whilft each fair daughter's face and conq'ring eyes
To Venus only should submit the prize.
O matchlefs Beauties, more than heav'nly fair, 410
Your looks refiftless and divine your air!
Let your bright eyes their bounteous beams diffuse,
And no fond bard shall ask an useless Muse;
Their kindling rays excite a noble fire,
Give beauty to the fong and mufick to the lyre. 415
This charming theme I ever could pursue,
And think the inspiration ever new,
Did not the god my wand'ring pen restrain,
And bring me to his Oxford back again.
Oxford! the goddess Muse's native home,
Infpir'd like Athens and adorn'd like Rome,
Hadft thou of old been Learning's fam'd retreat,
And Pagan Mufes chose thy lovely feat,
O how unbounded had their fiction been!
What fancy'd vifions had adorn'd the scene!
Upon each hill a sylvan Pan had stood,
And ev'ry thicket boafted of a god,
Satyrs had frisk'd in each poetick grove,
And not a stream without its Nymphs could move ;
Each fummit had the train of Mufes fhow'd,
And Hippocrene in ev'ry fountain flow'd:
The tales adorn'd with each poetick grace
Had look'd almoft as charming as the place.
Ev'n now we hear the world with tranfports own Thofe fictions by more wondrous truths outdone. 435 Here pure Eufebia keeps her holy feat,
And Themis fmiles from heav'n on this retreat;
Our chafter Graces own refin'd defires,
And all our Mufes burn with Veftal fires;
Whilst guardian angels our Apollos stand,
Scatting rich favours with a bounteous hand
To blefs the happy air and fanctify the land.
O pleafing Shades! O ever green Retreats!
Ye learned Grottoes and ye facred Seats!
Never may you politer arts refuse,
But entertain in peace the bashful Muse!
So may you be kind Heav'n's distinguish'd care,
And may your fame be lasting as it is fair!
Let greater bards on fam'd Parnaffus dream,
Or taite th' infpiring Heliconian stream,
Yet whilft our Oxford is the blefs'd abode
Of ev'ry Mufe and ev'ry tuneful god
Parnaffus owns its honours far outdone,
And Ifis boafts more bards than Helicon.
A thoufand bleffings I to Oxford owe,
But you my Lord th' infpiring Mufe beflow:
Grac'd with your name th' unpolish'd poem shines ;
You guard its faults and confecrate the lines:
O! might you here meet my defiring eyes
My drooping fong to nobler heights wou'd rife; 460
Or might I come to breathe your northern air
Yet fhould I find an equal pleasure there;
Your prefence would the harsher climate footh,
Hush ev'ry wind and ev'ry mountain smooth,
Would bid the groves in springing pomp arife,
And open charming vistas to the eyes,
Would make my trifling verse be heard around,
And sportive Echo play the empty found:
With you I fhould a better Phœbus find,
And own in you alone the charms of Oxford join'd. 470
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