7
Oh fact accurs'd! what tears has Albion fhed, Heav'ns, what new wounds! and how her old have
bled?
325
She faw her fons with purple deaths expire,
Her facred domes involv'd in rolling fire,
A dreadful series of inteftine wars,
Inglorious triumphs and dishonest scars.
At length great ANNA faid, "Let Difcord ceafe!"
She faid, the world obey'd, and all was peace!
13
In that bleft moment from his oozy bed
Old father Thames advanc'd his rev'rend head..
His treffes drop'd with dews, and o'er the ftream
His fhining horns diffus'd a golden gleam:
Grav'd on his urn appear'd the moon, that guides
His fwelling waters, and alternate tides;
The figur'd streams in waves of filver roll'd,
And on her banks Augufta rofe in gold,
Around his throne the fea-born brothers stood
Who fwell with tributary urns his flood!
VARIATION S.
VER. 321. Originally thus in the MS.
Oh fact accurs'd! oh facrilegious brood,
Sworn to Rebellion, principled in blood!
Since that dire morn what tears has Albion fhed!
Gods! what new wounds, etc.
VER. 327. Thus in the MS.
"Till Anna rofe and bade the Furies ceafe;
Let there be peace-fhe faid, and all was Peace.
Between Verse 330 and 331, originally stood these lines :
From fhore to fhore exulting fhouts he heard,
O'er all his banks a lambent light appear'd,
With sparkling flames heav'n's glowing concave fhone,
Fictitious ftars, and glories not her own.
He faw, and gently rofe above the ftream;
His fhining horns diffufe a golden gleam i
With pearl and gold his tow'ry front was dreft,
The tributes of the diftant East and Weft.
3
Firft the fam'd authors of his ancient name,
The winding Luis, and the fruitful Thame :
The Kennet fwift, for filver eels renown'd;
The Loddon flow, with verdant alders crown'd;
Cole, whofe dark streams his flow'ry islands lave;
And chalky Wey, that rolls a milky wave:
The blue, transparent Vandalis appears ;
The gulphy Lee his fedgy treffes rears;
And fullen Mole, that hides his diving flood;
And filent Darent, ftain'd with Danish blood.
VARIATION S.,
VER. 363. Originally thus in the MS.
Let Venice boast her Tow'rs amidst the Main,
Where the rough Adrian fwells and roars in vain;
Here not a Town, but fpacious Realm shall have
A fure foundation on the rolling wave
High in the midft, upon his urn reclin❜d,
(His fea green mantle waving with the wind).
The God appear'd: he turn'd his azure eyes
Where Windfor-domes and pompous turrets rife !
Then bow'd and fpoke; the winds forget to roar,
And the hush'd waves glide foftly to the shore.
Hail, facred Peace! hail long-expected days, 355,
That Thames's glory to the stars shall raise !
Tho' Tyber's ftreams immortal Rome behold,
Tho' foaming Hermus fwells with tides of gold,
From heav'n itself the fev'n-fold Nilus flows,
And harvests on a hundred realms bestows;
These now no more shall be the Mufe's themes,
Loft in my fame, as in the fea their streams.
Let Volga's banks with iron fquadrons fhine,
And groves of lances glitter on the Rhine,
Let barb'rous Ganges arm a fervile train;
Be mine the bleflings of a peaceful reign.
No more my fons fhall die with British blood
Red Iber's fands, or Ifter's foaming flood:
Safe on my fhore each unmolested swain
Shall tend the flocks, or reap the bearded grain; 370
The fhady empire fhall retain no trace
Of war or blood, but in the sylvan chace;
The trumpet fleep, while chearful horns are blown,
And arms employ'd on birds and beafts alone.
Behold! th' afcending Villas on my fide,
Project long fhadows o'er the crystal tide.
Behold! Augufta's glitt'ring fpires increase,
And Temples rife, the beauteous, works of Peace.
I fee, I fee, where two fair cities bend
Their ample bow, a new Whitehall afcend!
There mighty nations fhall inquire their doom,
The world's great oracle in times to come;
There Kings fhall fue, and fuppliant States be seen
Once more to bend before a BRITISH QUEEN.
;"
NOTES.
VER. 378. And Temples rife,] The fifty new Churches.
386
Thy trees, fair Windfor! now shall leave their woods, And half thy forefts rush into the floods, Bear Britain's Thunder, and her Crofs difplay, To the bright regions of the rifing day: Tempt icy feas, where fcarce the waters roll, Where clearer flames glow round the frozen Pole; 390 Or under fouthern fkies exalt their fails,
Led by new ftars, and borne by spicy gales!
VER. 385, etc. were originally thus:
Now shall our fleets the bloody Cross display
To the rich regions of the rifing day,
Or thofe green ifles, where headlong Titan Reeps
His hiffing axle in the Atlantic deeps:
Tempt icy feas, etc.
For me the balm shall bleed, and amber flow,
The coral redden, and the ruby glow,
The pearly fhell its lucid globe in fold,
And Phoebus warm the rip'ning ore to gold.
The time fhall come, when free as feas or wind
Unbounded Thames fhall flow for all mankind,
Whole nations enter with each fwelling tide,
And feas but join the regions they divide;
Earth's diftant ends our glory fhall behold,
And the new world launch forth to feek the old.
Then ships of uncouth form shall stem the tide,
And feather'd people crowd my wealthy fide,
And naked youths and painted chiefs admire
Our speech, our colour, and our strange attire!
Oh ftretch thy reign, fair Peace! from shore to fhore,
Till Conqueft ceafe, and Slav'ry be no more;
Till the freed Indians in their native groves
405
Reap their own fruits, and woo their fable loves, 410
Peru once more a race of Kings behold,
And other Mexicos be roof'd with gold.
Exil'd by thee from earth to deepest hell,
In brazen bonds, shall barb'rous Difcord dwell:
Gigantic Pride, pale Terror, gloomy Care,
And mad Ambition fhall attend her there:
There purple Vengeance bath'd in gore retires,
Her weapons blunted, and extinct her fires:
There hateful Envy her own fnakes shall feel,
And Perfecution mourn her broken wheel:
There Faction roar, Rebellion bite her chain,
And gafping Furies thirst for blood in vain.
VER. 398. Unbounded Thames, etc.] A wish that London may be made a FREE Port.
Here cease thy flight, nor with unhallow'd lays Touch the fair fame of Albion's golden days: The thoughts of Gods let GRANVILLE's verfe recite, And bring the fcenes of op'ning fate to light: 426. My humble Mufe, in unambitious strains, Paints the green forests and the flow'ry plains, Where Peace defcending bids her olives fpring, And scatters bleffings from her dove-like wing. Ev'n I more sweetly pass my careless days, Pleas'd in the filent fhade with empty praife; Enough for me, that to the lift'ning fwains Firft in these fields I fung the fylvan ftrains.
IMITATIONS.
VER. 423. Quo, Mufa, tendis? define pervicax,
Referre fermones Deorum et
Magna modis tenuare parvis.
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