And Truth, in sunny vest array'd, In braided dance their murmurs join'd, High on some cliff, to heaven up-piled, Its glooms embrown, its springs unlock; An Eden, like his own, lies spread : I view that oak, the fancied glades among, From many a cloud that dropp'd ethereal dew, Nigh sphered in heaven its native strains could hear; On which that ancient trump he reach'd was hung; Thither oft his glory greeting, From Waller's myrtle shades retreating, With many a vow from Hope's aspiring tongue, In vain such bliss to one alone, Of all the sons of soul was known; Or curtain'd close such scene from every future view. 1 Tarsel:' the falcon. ODE, Written in the Year 1746. 1 How sleep the brave, who sink to rest, 2 By fairy hands their knell is rung; ODE TO MERCY. STROPHE. O THOU, who sitt'st a smiling bride Who oft with songs, divine to hear, Winn'st from his fatal grasp the spear, And hidest in wreaths of flowers his bloodless sword! Thou who, amidst the deathful field, By godlike chiefs alone beheld, Oft with thy bosom bare art found, Pleading for him the youth who sinks to ground: And decks thy altar still, though pierced with many a wound! ANTISTROPHE. When he whom even our joys provoke, O'ertook him on his blasted road, And stopp'd his wheels, and look'd his rage away. That bore him swift to savage deeds; To thee we build a roseate bower, 20 Thou, thou shalt rule our queen, and share our monarch's throne ! ODE TO LIBERTY. STROPHE. WHO shall awake the Spartan fife, What new Alcæus, 1 fancy-blest, Shall sing the sword, in myrtles drest, At Wisdom's shrine a while its flame concealing, (What place so fit to seal a deed renown'd?) 7 Till she her brightest lightnings round revealing, It leap'd in glory forth, and dealt her prompted wound! O goddess, in that feeling hour, When most its sounds would court thy ears, Let not my shell's misguided power E'er draw thy sad, thy mindful tears. No, Freedom, no, I will not tell, How Rome, before thy weeping face, With heaviest sound, a giant statue, fell, Push'd by a wild and artless race, From off its wide ambitious base, When Time his northern sons of spoil awoke, And all the blended work of strength and grace, With many a rude repeated stroke, 20 And many a barbarous yell, to thousand fragments broke. EPODE. Yet, even where'er the least appear'd, How wondrous rose her perfect form; Beneath her vines preserved a part, 30 ''Alcæus:' see his fragment on the two Athenian tyrannicides, Harmodius and Aristogiton. Till they,1 whom Science loved to name, (O who could fear it?) quench'd her flame. In jealous Pisa's olive shade! See small Marino2 joins the theme, To sad Liguria's 5 bleeding state. With those to whom thy stork is dear: Hail Nymph, adored by Britain, hail! Those: the Venetians. Him: Doge of Venice.- 'They' the Medici.-Marino:' the little republic thereof. See Addison's Travels. Liguria: 'Genoa.-'Helvetia :' Switzerland.the Dutch, amongst whom there are very severe penalties for those who are convicted of killing this bird. The common people of Holland are said to entertain a superstitious sentiment, that if the whole species of them should become extinct, they should lose their liberties.- 'British queen:' Elizabeth. |