With confidence unbounded, fearless love Elate, her fervent peopl waited gay, Chearful demanded the long-threatened Fleet, And dath'd the pride of Spain around their ifle. Nor ceas'd the British thunder here to rage: The deep, reclaim'd, obey'd its awful call; In fire and fmoak Iberian ports involv'd, The trembling foe e'en to the centre shook Of their new conquer'd world, and fculking tole By vecring winds, their Indian treasure home. Mean time, peace, plenty, justice, fcience, arts, With fofter laure's crown'd her happy reign 946 As yet uncircumfcrib'd the regal power, Aud wild and vague Prerogative remain'd, A wide voracious gulf, where fwallow'd oft' The helpiefs fubject lay. This to reduce To the just limit was My great effort.
By means that evil feems to narrow man, Superior beings work their mystic will: Fom form and trouble thus a fettled calm At last, effulgent, o'er Britannia fimil'd.
The gathering tempeft, Heaven-commiffion'd
Came in the Prince who, drunk with flattery,
His vain pacific counfels rul'd the world; Tho' fcoru'd abroad, bewilder'd in a maze Of fruitlefs treaties, while at home enflav'd, 960 And by a worthlefs crew infatiate, drain'd, He loft his peoples' confidence and love: Irreparable lofs whence crowns become An anxious burden. Years inglorious prefs'd; Triumphant Spain he vengeful draught enjoy'd; Abandon'd Frederick pin'd, and Raleigh bled: But nothing that to thefe internal broils.
bat rancour, he began that lawless Sway He, with his flavish Doctors try'd to rear, On meatphyfic, en enchanted ground, And all the many quibbles of the schools! As if for one, and fometimes for the worft, Heaven had mankind in vengeance only made. Vain the preterce! not fo the dire effe&t, The fierce, the foolish, difcord thence deriv'd, That tears the country ftill, by party-rage And minifterial clamour kept alive. In adion weak, and for the wordy war Bel fitted, faint this prince purfu'd his claim: Content to teach the fubject-herd how great, How facred he! how despicable they!
But his unyielding fon thefe doctrines drank With all a bigot's rage, (who never damps By reafoning his fire,) and what they taught, Warm and tenacious, into practice pufh'd. Senates, in vain, their kind restraint apply'd: The more they struggled to fupport the laws, His juftice-dreading ministers the more Drove him beyond their bound. Tir'd with the check
Of faithful Love, and with the flattery pleas'd Of falfe defigning Guilt, the fountain he Of public Wildon and of Juftice fhut. Wkkie mourn'd the land. Straight to the voted
Free, cordial, large, of never failing fource,
Th' illegal impofition follow'd harsh, With execration given, or ruthless (queez'd From an infulted people, by a band Of the worst ruffians, those of tyrant power. Oppreffion walk'd at large, and pour d abroad Her unrelenting train, informers, fpies, Bloodhounds, that turdy Freedom to the grove Commerce to load for unprotected feas, Purfue; projectors of aggrieving fchemes, To fell the ftarving many to the few, E'en from that place whence healing peace fhould And drain a thousand ways th' exhausted land. flow,
And gospel truth, inhuman bigots shed Their poifon round; and on the venai bench, Instead of Juftice, Party held the fcale, And Violence the fword. Afflicted years, 1010 Too patient, felt at last their vengeance full.
Mid the low murmurs of fubmiffive fear And mingled rage, My Hampden rais'd his voice,
And to the laws appeal'd; the laws no more In judgment fate behov'd fome other ear; 1015 By long oppreffion, by religion rous'd, When inftant from the keen refentive North, The guardian army came. Beneath its wing Was call'd, tho' meant to furnish hoftile aid, The more than Roman fenate. There à flame
Broke out, that clear'd, confum'd, renew'd the
In deep emotion hurl'd, nor Greece, nor Rone, Indignant bursting from a tyrant's chain, Strung every nerve, and flani'd in every eye, 1025 While, full of Me, each agitated foul Had e'er beheld fuch light and heat combin'd! Such heads and hearts! fuch dreadful zeal, led on By calm majestic ifdom, taught its course What nuifance to devour; fuch wifdom fir'd With unabating zeal, and aim'd fincere To clear the weedy ftate, restore the laws, And for the future to fecure their fway.
This, then, the purpose of My mildest fons: But man is blind. A nation once inflam'd (Chicf fhould the breath of factions Fury blow, With the wild rage of mad enthufiaft fwell'd) Not ealy cools again. From breast to breast, From eye eye, the k udling paffions mix In heighten'd blaze, and, ever wife and just, High Heaven to gracious ends directs the form, Thus in one conflagration Britain wrapt, 1041 And by Confufion's lawlefs fons defpoil'd, Kings, Lords, and Commons, thundering to the ground,
Succeffive, ruth'd-Lo! from their ashes rofe, Gay-beaming radient youth, the Phenix-ftate.
Of private life, ay by thofe flames diffolv'd; The grievous yoke of vaffalage, the yoke 1046 And from the wafteful, the luxurious king, Was purchas'd that which taught the young to bend.
And built on that eternal rock their power. 105 £ Stronger reflor'd, the Commons tax'd the whole, The crown, of its hereditary wealth Defpoil d, on Senates more dependant grew.
And they more frequent, more affur'd. Yet liv'd, And in full vigour ipread that better root, 1055 The paffive doctrines, by their patrons first Oppos'd ferocious, when they touch themfelves.
This wild delusive cant, the rash cabal Of hungry courtiers, ravenous for prey, The bigot, reftiefs in a double chain To bind a-new the land, the conftant need Of finding faithlefs means, of shifting forms, And flattering fenates to firpply his waste; Thefe tore fome moments from the carelefs Prince, And in his breaft awak'd the kindred plan. 1065 By dangerous fostness long he min'd his way; By fubtle arts, diffimulation deep; By fharing what Corruption fhower'd profufe; By breathing wide the gay licentious plague, And pleafing manners, fitted to deceive.
At last fubfided the delirious joy, On whofe high billow, from the faintly reign, The nation drove too far. A penfion'd king, Against his country brib'd by Gallic gold, The port pernicious fold, the Scylla fince, And fell Charybdis, of the British feas; Freedom attack'd abroad, with furer blow To cut it off at home; the Saviour League Of Europe broke; the progrefs e'en advanc'd Of univerfal Sway, which to reduce Such feas of blood and treasure Britain coft; The millions by a generous people given, Or fquander'd vile, or to corrupt, difgrace, And awe the land with forces not their own, Employ'd; the darling Church herself betray'd; All thefe, broad glaring, op'd the general eye, And wak'd My fpirit, the refitting foul.
Mild was, at firit, and half-afham'd, the check, Of fenates, fhook from the fantaflic dream Of abfolute fubmiflion, tencts vile! 1099 Which flaves would bluth to own, and which reduc'd
To practice, always honeft Nature shock. Not e'en the mask remov'd, and the fierce front Of Tyranny difclos'd, nor trampled laws, Nor feiz d each badge of Freedom thro' the land, Nor Sidney bleeding for th' unpublish'd page, Nor on the bench avow'd Corruption plac'd, 1097 And murderous Rage itfelf, in Jefferies' form, Nor endless að or abitrary power, Cruel and falfe, could raife the public arm. 1100 Ditrustful, fcatter'd, of combining chiefs Devoid, and dreading blind rapacious War, The patient Public turns not, till impeli'd To the near verge of ruin. Hence i rous'd The bigot king, and hurry'd fated on His mcafures immature. But chief his zeal, Our flaming Rome herfelf, portentous fear'd The troubled nation: Mary's horrid days To fancy bleeding rofe, and the dire glare Of Smithfield lighten'd in its eyes anew. Yet filence reign'd. Each on anothers fcowl'd Rueful amazement, prefling down his rage; As, muftering vengeance, the deep thunder frowns,
Awfully fill, waiting the high command
To fpring. Straight from his country, Europe fav'd,
To fave Britannia, lo my darling fon, Than hero more! the patriot of mankind! Immortal Naffau came. I hush'd the deep, By demons rous'd, and bade the lifted winds, Still fhifting as behov'd, with various breath, 1120 Waft the Deliverer to the longing fhore See! wide alive, the foaming channel bright With fwelling fails, and all the pride of War, Delightful view! when Juftice draws the fword: And mark! diffufing ardent foul around, 1125 And fweep contempt of death, My streaming flag, E'en adverse navies blefs'd the binding gale, Kept down the glad acclaim, and flent joy'd. Arriv'd, the pomp, and not the wafte of arms. His progrefs mark'd. The faint oppofing hoft For once in yielding their best victory found, 1131 And by defertion prov'd exalted faith; White his, the bloodless conqueft of the heart, Shouts without groan, and triumph without war.
Deltructive power, a wife heroic prince E'en lent his aid.-Thrice happy! did they know Their happiness, Britannia's bounded kings. 146 What tho' not theirs the boaft, in dungeon glooms To plunge bold Freedom? or to chearlefs wilds To drive him from the cordial face of friends? Or fierce to ftrike him at the midnight hour, By mandate blind, not Juice, that delights To dare the keeneft eye of open day? What the no glory to controul the laws, And make injurious will their only rule, They deem it? what tho', tools of wanton power, Peftiferous armies fwarm not at their cal!? 1156 what tho' they give not a relentless crew Of Civil Furies proud Oppreffion's fangs? To tear at pleasure the dejected land, With tarving Labour pampering idle Wate? To clothe the naked, feed the hungry, wipe The guiltless tear from lone Afliction's eye! To raise hid Merit, fet the alluring light Of Virtue high to view; to nourish arta, Direct the thunder of an i jur'd flate, Make a whole glorious people fing for joy,
Blefs human kind, and thr the downward depth Of future times to fpread that better fun Which lights up Britifh fouls: for deeds like these The dazzling fair career unbounded lies - While (till fuperior bifs!) the dark abrupt Is kindly barr'd, the precipice of ill. Oh luxury divine! Oh! poor to this, Ye giddy glories of defpatic 1hrones! By this, by this indeed, is imag'd Heaven, 1175 By boundless good, without the power of ill.
And now, behold! exalted as the cope That fwells immenfe o'er many-peopled earth,
And like it free, My fabric ftands complete, The Palace of the Laws to the four heavens, 1180 Four gates impartial thrown, unceasing crowds, With kings themselves the hearty pealant mix'd, Pour urgent in; and the to different ranks Refponfive place belongs, yet equal spreads The fhelt'ring roof o'er all; while Plenty flows, And glad Contentment echoes round the whole. Ye Floods! defcend; ye winds! confirming, blow; Nor outward tempeft, nor corrofive time, Nought but the felon undermining hand
Of dark Corruption, can-its frame diffolve, 1190. Aad lay the toil of ages into dust.
THE Author addresses the Goddess of Liberty; marking the happines and grandeur of Great Britain, as arifing from her influence, to ver. 88. She refumes her difcourfe, and points out the chief virtues which are neceffary to maintain her eftablishment there, to ver. 374. Recommends, as its laft ornament and finifhing, Sciences, fine Arts, and public Works. The encouragement of thefe urg'd from the example of France, though under a defpotic government, to ver. 549. The whole concludes with a profpect of future times, given by the Goddess of Liberty; this defcribed by the Author, as it paffes in Vifion before him.
HERE interpofing, as the goddefs paus d,
"Oh! blea Britannia! in thy prefence bleft. Thou guardian of mankind! whence 1pring, alone,
All human grandeur, happinefs, and fame: "For Toil, by the protected, feels no pain; "The poor man's lot with milk and honey flows; And, gilded with thy rays, e'en death looks gay. "Let other lands the potent bleflings boat "Of more exalting funs: let Afia's woods, Untended, yield the vegetable fleece; And let the little infect artif form, "On higher life intent, its filken tomb : "Let wondering rocks, in radiant birth, difclofe "The various tinctur'd children of the Sun "From the prone beam let more delicious fruits
A flavour drink, that in one piercing taste 15 "Bids cach combine; let Gallic vineyards burit "With floods of joy; with mild Falfamic juice "The Tutcan olive; let Arabia breathe "Her fpicy gales, her vitalpums ditil:
Turbid with gold, let fouthern rivers flow, And orient foods draw lolt o'er pearls, their
"Let Afric vaunt her treafures: let Peru
"Autumnal feas of pleafing plenty round. "Thefe her delights; and by no baneful herb, "No darting tiger, no grim liens glare,
No fierce-delcending wolf, no ferpent, roll'd In fpires immenfe progreffive o'er the land, 46 "Diflurb'd. Enlivening thefe, add cities full "Of wealth, of trade, of chearful toiling crowds; "Add thriving towns; add villages and farms, Innumerous fow'd along the lively vale, "Where bold unrivall'd peasants happy dwell: 50 "Add ancient feats, with venerable oaks "I mbofom'd high, while kindred floods below "Wind thro' the mead; and thofe of modern hand "More pompous, add, that fplendid fhine afar. "Need her limpid lakes, her rivers, name, 56 "Where fwarm'd the finny race? Thee, chief, O Thames!
"On whofe each tide, glad with returning fails, Flows in the mingled harveft of mankind? "And thee, thou Severn! whole prodigious fwell, 60.
Forming of life art-civiliz'd the bend; "And that the Tytian merchant fought of old, "Not dreaming then of Britain's brighter fame. "She rears to Freedom an undaunted race: Compatriot zealous, hofpitable, kind, "Her's the warm Cambrian: her's the lofty Scot, "To hardship tam'd, active in arts and arms, "Fir'd with a reflefs an impatient Bame, "That leads him raptur'd where Ambition calls: 75 And English Merit her's, where meet, com- bir'd,
"Whate'er high fancy, found judicious thought, "An ample generous heart, un rooping foul, "And firm tenacious valeur, can bettow.
er Great nurfe of fruits, of flocks, of commerce, | Philofophy, companion ever new.
fhe! "Great nurse of men! By Thee, O Goddess!
"Her old renown Itrace, disclose her fource Of wealth, of grandeur, and to Britons fing A ftrain the Mufes never touch'd before." "But how shall this thy mighty Kingdom ftand?
"On what unyielding base? how finish'd fhine?" At this her eye, collecting all its fire, Beam'd more then human; and her awful voice Majestic thus he rais'd -" To Britons bear go "This clofing ftrain, and with intenfer note
Loud let it found in their awaken'd ear." On Virtue can alone My Kingdom Rand, On Public Virtue, every Virtue join'd; For loft this fociai cement of mankind, The greatell empires, by fearce felt degrees, Will moulder foft away, till, tottering loose, They prone at laft to total ruin ruth. Unbleft by Virtue, Government a league Becomes, a circling junto of the great, To rob by law; Religion mild a yoke To tame the flooping foul, a trick of state To mark their rapine, and to fhare the prey. What are without it Senates, fave a face Of confultation deep and reafon free, While the determin'd voice and heart are fold? What boasted Freedom, fave a founding name? And what Election, huta market vile
Of flaves felf-barter'd? Virtue! without thee There is no ruling eye, no nerve, in states; War has no vigour, and no fafety peace: F'en justice warps to party, laws opprefs, Wide thro' the land their weak-protection fails; First broke the balance, and then fcorn'd the fword. Thus nations fink, focięty diffolves; Rapine, and Guile, and Violence, break loofe, 115 Everting life, and turping love to ga!!; Man hates the face of man, and Indian woods And Libya's hiffing fands to him are tame.
By thofe three virtucs be the frame fuftain'd Of British Freedom; Independent Life; Integrity in Office; and, o'er all
Supreme, A Paffion for the Common-weal. Hail, independence! hail! Heaven's next beft gift,
To that of life and an immortal foul! The life of life! that to the banquet high And fober meal gives tafte; to the bow'd roof Fair-dream'd repofe, and to the cottage charms. Of public Freedom, hail, thou fecret Source! Whofe ftreams, from every quarter confluent
My better Nile, that nurfes human life.. By rills from thee deduc'd, irriguous fed, The private field looks gay, with Nature's wealth Abundant flows, and bloom with each delight That Nature craves. The only Freeman, walks his pleasing round, Its happy mafter there, Sweet-featur'd Peace attending; fearless Truth, Firm Refolution; Goodnefs, blefling all That can rejoice; Contentment, fureft friend; And, ftill fresh stores from Nature's book deriv'd,
These cheer his rural, and fuftain or fire, When into action call'd, his busy hours. Mean time true judging moderate defires, Economy and tafte, combin'd, direct His clear affairs, and from debauching fiends Whom Fortune heaps, without these Virtues, Secure his little kingdom. Nor can thofe That truce with pain, that animated ease, reach That felf-enjoyment fpringing from within, 150 Which makes the foundest blifs of man below; That Independence, active or retir'd, But, loft beneath the rubbish of their means, And drain'd by wants to Nature all unknown, A wandering, taftclefs, gaily-wretched train; 155 Tho' rich, are beggars, and tho' noble, flaves.
Lo damn'd to wealth, at what a grofs expence They purchase disappointment, pain, and shame! Inftead of hearty hofpitable cheer,
See how the hall with brutal riot flows! While in the foaming flood, fermenting, steep'd, The country maddens into party-rage. Mark thofe difgraceful piles of wood and ftone, Thofe parks and gardens, where, his haunts be- trimm'd,
And Nature by prefumptuous Art opprefs'd, 165 The woodland Genius mourns. That fteams difguit, and bowls that give no joy; See the full board No Truth invited there to feed the mind, Nor Wit the wine rejoicing reafon quaffs. Hark how the dome with infolence refounds, 170 With those retain'd by Vanity to scare Repofe and friends. To tyrant Fashion mark The coftly worship paid, to the broad gaze Led an eternal round of lying hope, Of fools. From fill delufive day to day, See, felf-abandon'd, how they roam adrift, Dafh'd o'er the town, a miferable wreck! Then to adore fome warbling eunuch turn'd, With Midas' ears they crowd; or to the buzz Of Masquerade unblushing; or, to show Their fcorn of Nature, at the Tragic fcene 1hey mirthful fit, or prove the Comic true. But, chief, behold! around the rattling board, The tender Fair! each sweetness laid afide, 185 The civil robbers rang'd; and e'en the fair, As fierce for plunder as all-licens'd troops In fome fack'd city. Thus diffolv'd their wealth, Without one generous luxury dissolv'd, At the throng'd levee bends the venal tribe; 190 Or quarter'd on it many a needlefs want. Each smooth as thofe that mutually deceive, With fair but faithlefs fmiles each varnish'd o'er, And for their falfehood each defpifing cach, Till hook their patron by the wintry winds, Wide flies the wither'd fhower, and leaves hin bare.
O far fuperior Afric's fable fons,
By merchant pilfer'd, to thefe willing flaves! And rich as uniqeez'd favourite to them, Is he who can his Virtue boaft alone!
Britons! be firm, nor let Corruption fly 200 The iteel of Brutus buzit the groiler bonds Twine round your heart indiffoluble chains I
Life tedious grows, an idly-busting round, Fill'd up with action animal and mean, A dull gazette! Th' impatient reader scorns The poor hiftoric page, till kindly comes Oblivion, and redeenis a peoples' fhame. Not fo the times when, emulation ftung, Greece fhone in Genius, Science, and in Arts, And Rome in virtues dreadful to be told! To live was glory then! and charm'd mankind, Thro' the deep periods of devolving time 275 Thofe, raptur'd, copy; thofe, afstonish'd, read. True, a corrupted state, with every vice And every meannefs foul, this paffion damps. Who can, unfhock'd, behold the cruel cye? The pale inveigling fimile? the ruffian front? The wretch abanden'd to relentless Self, Equally vile if mifer or profufe? Powers not of God, afliduous to corrupt? The fell-deputed tyrant. who devours
The poor and weak, at diftance from redrefs? Delirious Faction bellowing loud My name? 286 The falfe fair-feeming patriot's hollow boaft? A race refolv'd on bondage, fierce for chains, My facred rights a merchandife alone Efteeming, and to work their feeder's will 290 By deeds, a horror to mankind, prepar'd, As were the dregs of Romulus of old? But who unpitying? To the generous eye Who thefe indeed, can undetefting fee: Diftrefs is virtue; and, tho' felf-betray'd, 295 A people struggling with their fate must roufe The hero's throb. Nor can a land, at once Bs lost to virtue quite. How glorious, then! Fit luxury for gods to fave the good, Protect the feeble, dah bold Vice afide, Deprefs the wicked, and restore the frail ! Pofterity, befides, the young are pure,
And fons may tinge their father's cheek with
Should then the time arrive (which Heaven
That Britons bend unnerv'd, not by the force Of arms, more generous, and more manly, quell'd, But by Corruption's foul dejecting arts, Arts impudent and grofs! by their own gold, In part beftow'd to bribe them to give ail; With party raging, or immers'd in fluth, Should they Britannia's well fought laurels yield To flily conquering Gaul, e'en from her brow 250 Let her own naval oak be bafely torn,
is not enough, from seif right understood Reflected, that thy rays inflame the heart; Tho' Virtue not difdains appeals to felf, Dreads not the trial, all her joys are true, Nor is there any real joy fave her's Far lefs the tepid, the declaiming race, Foes to corruption, to its wages friends, Or those whom private paffions, for a while, Beneath My ftandard lift, can they fuffice To raise and fix the glory of My reign: An active flood of univerfal love Muft fwell the breast. First, in effufion wide, The restless spirit roves creation round, And feizes every being; ftronger then, It tends to life, whate'er the kindred fearch Of blif allys; then, more collected still, It urges human-kind; a paffion grown, At lait, the central parent public calls Its utmost effort forth, awakes each fense, The comely, grand and tender. Without this, This awful pant, fkook from fublimer powers Than thofe of Self, this heaven infus'd delight, This moral invitation, rushing forth To prefs the public good, My fyftem foon, Traverfe, to several selfish centres drawn, Will ree! to ruin, while for ever shut Stand the bright portals of defponding Fame. From fordid felf fhoot up the fhining deeds, None of thofe ancient lights that giaddens earth, Give grace to being, and aroufe the brave To just ambition, Virtue's quickening fire! 265
By fuch as tremble at the stiffening gale, And nervelels fink while others fing rejoic'd; 315 Or (darker profpe&t! scarce one gleam behind Difclofing) fhould the broad corruptive plague Breathe from the city to the farthell hut, That fits ferene within the foreft-fhade, The fever'd people fire, inflame their wants 320 And their luxurious thirst, fo gathering rage, That, were a buyer found, they stand prepar'd To fell their birthright for a cooling draught; Should fhameless pens for plain Corruption plead, The hir'd affaffins of the commonweal! Deem the declaiming rant of Greece and Rome, Should Public Virtue grow the public scoff, Till Private, falling, taggers thro' the land;
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