Shall wish this friend had been their open foe,
And feel a sad increase of shame and woe.
As they, at last, this just conclusion make,
Lewis turn'd hypocrite for Lewis's sake,
And stood by the succession to the throne,
Not for his grandson's interest, but his own.
Paris.
The souls of princes are of moulds divine,
And from superior orbs enlighten'd shine;
No scanty beings that confinement bear,
But are enlarg'd as elemental air,
That knows no limit, but what nature bounds,
And fleets about the globe in endless rounds.
Ambition fires 'em, and dominion warms,
And shoots them forth in search of glory's charms,
As fame and greatness claims their sole regard,
And conquest offers-crowns as their reward.
Such thoughts as these thy monarch's breast inspir'd,
And made him nobly seek what he desir'd;
Forc'd him rough seas and tempests to explore,
And try the dangers of thy faithless shore,
Else had he still, contented with his state,
Forborne to do the glorious work of fate,
And sat at home, that burghers might propose
Business for him, that was to scepters chose ;
And those illustrious chiefs *, who swell his veins
With princely blood, that servitude disdains,
Never had shaken off the Spaniard's chains.
This godlike ardor made 'em grasp the shield,
And run to vict'ry, as they took the field,
While they let these † that were their masters see,
They durst revolt, be conquerors, and be free.
If acts, like these, are worthy of applause,
Why should not praise attend my sovereign's cause,
If lust of empire boils within his soul,
And he slights half the universe for the whole?
In them such daring thoughts have gain'd esteem,
And ought likewise to be admir'd in him.
Such are the thoughts that fill thy prince's breast,
And turbulently keep him from his rest:
Theft, murder, violence, fraud, and perj'ry join,
To push him forward to some mean design,
And prompt him to perform what's scorn'd by mine.
• The Prince of Orange's ancestors, who delivered Holland from the tyranny of
'Tis not ambition wings him forth for fame,
But a base niggard soul that covets shame,
That still subjects his reason to his will,
And would be talk'd of, tho' for doing ill;
Desirous to be known in after-days,
And to employ our tongues, if not our praise.
When, if you search my careful Monarch's mind,
You'll see the noble passions all refin'd,
All of a piece, just, regular, and true,
And fitting for a prince to have in view;
Well temper'd thoughts, not over hot, nor cool,
Ready to act, but acting still by rule;
Wisdom his pilot, and content his guide,
A known experience, and a judgment try'd;
Boundless in wishes for his people's good,
And prodigal of industry and blood;
For their sakes, covetous of being known,
But wholly unambitious for his own.
With grief I speak it, and confess with pain,
Could but my Lewis like thy William reign,
Contract his wishes, and withdraw his claim
To universal empire, and to fame,
No prince more envied could adorn a crown,
Or have more fair pretensions to renown.
How would my sons within these walls appear,
And gladness be successive to their fear;
If trade could once return into the Seine,
Or Thames his riches be exchang'd for mine?
Please not thyself with vain delusive schemes,
Nor feed my willing hopes with empty dreams;
Who can expect such welcome joys to share,
When monarchs fatten on the spoils of war?
When in thy courts no treaties are of force,
And solemn leagues are render'd void of course;
When trade's deny'd us that's to others free,
And we must lose th' advantage of the sea;
As edicts break through the most sacred ties,
And oaths are trivial things in royal eyes :
As perjury's an act of special grace,
And James the Third has James the Second's place®,
For England's king, within thy borders own'd,
Though England has another prince inthron'd,
As soon as King James the Second died at St. Germains, Lewis, the King of France, ordered James's pretended son to be proclaimed King of Great-Britain, by the title of James the Third.
Whose lawful title France would ne'er oppose,
Did she regard the peace, beyond my foes.
What has my prince against his treaties done?
He kept the father, and maintains the son.
Nor arms, nor force, nor treasure does he lend,
Just only to the word he gave his friend *,
Whose dying breath bequeath'd him to his care,
He seeks no kingdoms, though he's own'd their heir.
Titles are empty sounds, and cannot break
Treaties, unless he arms for titles sake;
Asserts his right, and vindicates his claim,
Beyond a specious compliment of name.
That's all he gives him, and that gift's no more,
Than what the father was allow'd before;
And since that recognition broke no vow,
Why is it styl'd the cause of rupture now?
As for your commerce, and decrease of trade,
Ev'n thank your Senate + for the laws they've made;
Their votes occasion what my prince enjoins ;
We tax your products, 'cause you tax our wines;
Else had your merchants traffick'd on my coast,
And both our nations gain'd what both have lost;
Yet may we still those mutual joys restore,
And plenty spread its wings on either shore,
Would but your sons e'en now with mine agree,
And what I'd suffer them they suffer me.
Think not of peace, nor, with expecting eyes,
Hope for the Goddess that my courtship flies.
Long she can ne'er within thy walls abide,
While men for private ends the publick guide;
While modern whigs are in my courts receiv'd,
And those are trusted who the nation griev'd;
While Od still enjoys his master's smiles,
Like beast of prey escap'd from hunter's toils;
While serious S, sprung from a saint-like race,
Advises war with a religious grace,
To hide the irreligion of his place;
And H puff'd up with pride, and praise,
For making use of other's means and ways,
Looks big and pow'rful at the council-board,
Rais'd from a party-poet to a lord.
War is their theme, though peace is their delight;
Would peace with-hold their crimes from publick sight,
And suffer wrong to take the place of right.
He promised this to James the Second, upon his death-bed. ↑ Parliament,
Thus pilf'rers pass with undistinguish'd names,
And fish for others goods amidst the flames,
While the poor sufferers their engines turn
To quench the fire that in their houses burn.
All hands are busied to direct its course,
And houses are blown up to stop its force,
When, at the last, impoverish'd by their stealth,
They save their dwellings, but they lose their wealth.
I see too plainly that your thoughts are true, And our old enmities break out-anew;
Like wounds skinn'd o'er, a-fresh they rage and bleed,
And the most skilful artists councils need,
Who timely can the patients lives insure,
And by incision make a perfect cure.
Since war's the gen'ral cry, let war be chose,
My sons were never us'd to fly their foes;
Fearless in fight, they cannot fights refuse,
And us'd to gain, they know not how to lose;
Witness when Europe all contending strove,
Like giants in a league to conquer Jove.
Troops join'd with troops, and states with states combin'd,
To bring down Lewis his exalted mind;
When ev'ry nation found it to its cost,
That in ten years he ne'er one battle lost.
The same success will still his arms attend,
And fortune must of course be now his friend,
Since kingdoms, when divided, needs must fall,
And he must conquer part that conquer'd all.
Go let your prince recal his subjects hence,
And Mshew manners like his sense,
Let Pousin be return'd us back again,
With all the marks of hate, and cold disdain,
The times may come, you may this action rue,
And wish for peace with me, as I with you,
Since wounds and death are still the gains of war,
And you can be at last but what you are.
To be but what he is, is all the claim,
My prince does make from empire and from fame;
Grief swells his breast to think of subjects wounds,
But France must be withheld within its bounds,
And her false king, who thinks no crimes amiss,
Be made what he is not from what he is.
Look on thy sons, so daring and so brave,
And see th* Italians climb once more their grave:
Thro' rocks of stone the German passage makes,
Levels the mountains, and dries up the lakes;
From hill to hill the pond'rous cannon flings,
And climb's imperious cliffs with eagle's wings.
As Eugene acts the + Carthagin'an's part,
Shewing much more of industry and art,
And cuts out roads, where nature did intend
Nothing, almost, like human should ascend;
While adverse troops, astonish'd at the sight,
Leave floods unguarded to avoid the fight.
These are the champions which thy cause maintain,
And vindicate a base inglor'ous reign,
That plead prescription from their father's pride,
To lord it over all the world beside.'
Nothing like this is by my prince design'd,
'Just are his thoughts, and right'ous is his mind ;'
He fears no danger, and he seeks no war,
Tho' it appears to gather from a-far:
Fleets he provides, and armies he prepares,
To calm our troubles, and remove our fears.
'Grant, that he ne'er increase his large demains,'
And by his conquest no new kingdoms gains,'
That Mexico, tho' sav'd from Gallick hands,
Be none of his, nor rich Peruvʼan lands,
Ease and content would fill the monarch's breast,
Were not his rival § of their wealth possess❜d:
So the fierce bull that has in battle strove
For the reward of empire and of love,
Weary'd with fight, his head declining lays,
Joyful to see the prize at distance graze,
While his tir'd foe alike contented lies,
And views, what he can't seize, with longing eyes,
Paid fully for the dangers he has run,
Since neither does possess what neither won.
• As before at the battle of Pavia, where Francis the First was taken prisoner.
Hannibal, that melted the Alps with vinegar, according to Livy's account.
The King of Great Britain.
France and Spain,
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