Lady Bab. Vastly clever, Sir; but my pride on this Occasion is proof against all your jingling jokes

Hon. Mrs. U. And would you not really go my. : dear, if

Lady Bab. As I've a little soul to be saved

[Enter Servant.]

Servant. A gem'man, in one of the Royal liveries, brought this to be delivered into your Ladyship's own hands.

[Exit. Lady Bab. Royal livery ![Taking a card out of its cover, reads, partly aside.] Colonet commanded by Prince Regent !"--Oh, charming to desire Lady Bab Restless's company ! What a delightful princely creature!" at Carlton House to celebrate-birthday-earnestly desired dresses manufactures-kingdom!"-How thoughtful! What a splendid spectacle it will be!

Miss J. I hope to God she has not procured one at last [Aside.]

Sir Harry. If I mistake not, Lady Bab, although it stuck some time in the wheel, the ticket is come up a prize at last. [Lady Bab, musing.] Hon. Mrs. U. Why, surely she would not go, Sir Harry, after all that she has said, and almost sworn to the contrary.

Sir Harry. Oh! my life against the little fluctuating soul which she would so hastily have pledged, but she will!

Lady Bab. Kissing the card, and carefully replacing it in the envelope.]-Well, my dear creatures, you must excuse me; we shall meet at Catalani's hermitage-thing to-morrow! What a triumph over the D-woods, the Macf-nes; and, best of all, over that little spiteful devil, Lady Emily Tattle! [Aside. Sir Harry. Come, Lady Bab, I perceive that you

M- 4

have

have now a favourable opportunity for the full display of your natural fortitude and forbearance!

Lady Bab. And how do you know that, Mr. Inquisitor-General? When I pettishly threw out, that -that-yes-that I would not go for the world—you -you had so teased me-

Sir Harry. That is, my Lady Bab, quoth I,
You'd give the world to go!"

Lady Bab. Well, you are-a pleasant creature, it must be confessed; so let me go and arrange my dress, and I'll listen to your jingles till you have tired yourself with your own jingling!-Good by. [Exit. · Hon. Mrs. U. Come, Miss Juniper, let us drive to the W-ms's; we may hope that they, poor d-ls, at least, remain disappointed like ourselves!

Sir Harry. How consolatory and affectionate, and Miss J. Who could have thought that Lady Bab, with all her pride, would have so degraded herself? Hon. Mrs. U. Mean and spiritless creature!-Sir Harry, good morning; now, pray don't stir.

Sir Harry. You must allow me to see you to your barouche, ladies. [Exeunt omnes.

WRITTEN ON THE

VERSES

INSTALLATION OF HIS HIGHNESS

WILLIAM FREDERICK, DUKE OF GLOUCESTER, AS CHAN

CELLOR OF THE UNIVERSITY OF CAMBRIDGE.

BY WILLIAM ASHBURNHAM, ESQ.

[From the General Evening Post, June 27.]

SHALL Granta's sons, at this meridian hour,
Crawl in the dust to lick the feet of power?
Submissive own the mimic-thunderer's nod ?,
Obey the mandate, and adore the rod?
Forbid it honour, reason, science, truth,

Guides of my life! and guardians of my youth!
Let not fair Freedom in our days expire,
Oh! watch with care the animating fire;

Bid

INSTALLATION OF THE DUKE OF GLOUCESTER. 249

Bid the pure blaze in patriot bosoms glow,
Truth's firmest friend, and Error's deadly foe..
Confided only to the good and great,
The ancient sceptre of this classic state,
To our high ruler, civic power imparts,
To rule in science, and to reign in arts;
Merit alone should such a prize obtain,
And in these halls can merit plead in vain ?
No:-judging Granta, scorning all control,
To merit points, as magnet to the pole.
The requiem sang o'er Grafton's honour'd urn,
To active duties thy attention turn,

Love-beaming Granta !-duteous sons entreat-
Fill thy lamented Fitzroy's vacant seat.

If generous feelings, unassuming worth,
The glow of virtue, and the blaze of birth,
Should grace the Patron of the Muses' bow'rs,
Say, Alma Mater-is not Glo'ster ours?
Will not his virtues, with persuasive force,
Lead thy young sons in Order's peace-pav'd course?
Will not his bright example guide their way?
By night a watch-fire, and a flag by day?

Our sapient mother, from her seat on high,
Darts round these walls her scrutinizing eye;
And, as, before her pass the filial race,
Assigns to each his merit-purchas'd place;
Fixing, her just discernment to evince,
Her fullest radiance on this virtuous Prince;
Then bade him mount, proud such a son to own,

Her science-column'd, bay-encircled throne.

Round the throng'd courts this righteous sentence ran,
"'Tis not the Prince I honour, but the man.
What hand so fit to bear my fasces' sway
As his, whose fair example cries-obey?"

With shouts her sons applaud their parent's choice,
Plaudits re-echo'd by a people's voice.

Religion, Learning, Science, hear the sound,
And joyful tread this consecrated ground;

Well pleas'd 'mid these time-honour'd fanes to share
His lib'ral efforts, and his zealous care.

No bigot rage, no torch-compelling zeal,
No forc'd assent, no all-convincing steel;
But zeal like that which fires a martyr's eye,
Who, true to God and reason, dares to die;
Zeal, that with blessings crowds the parting breath,
Zeal, nerv'd by truth, and sanctified by death.
Such is the zeal a Christian spirit knows,"
Warm to its friends, benignant to its foes.
As 'neath some cedar, whose exalted head
O'er Eden's vale its grateful umbrage shed,
(To whose vice-regal care the charge was given,
To shield the tuneful harmonists of heaven,)
The ballow'd choirs enjoy the sacred shade,
And with melodious strains enchant the glade ;
So shall the vot'ries in the Muses' train,
Protected, warble 'neath a Glo'ster's reign.
Thy cheering voice shall wake the slumb'ring lyre,
Rouse British bards to rival Grecian fire;
In varied cadence, piercing, tender, strong,
Pour the wild ode, or swell the epic song;
Aspire to excellence before unknown,

3D

And with their patron's fame enwreathe their own.
A balmy fragrance round this dome extends;
In odours veil'd sweet Charity descends;
"Let me," she cries, "my grateful aid impart,
I rule his actions, I possess his heart:

Children of sorrow smile when he appears,

E'en grief-worn, wretches wipe their falling tears;

The rescu'd negro joins the loud acclaim,

While new-taught tongues pronounce my Glo'ster's name:

For, lo!-enliven'd by his fostering rays,

The deaf and dumb now hymn their Maker's praise;

Exert new faculties unfelt before,

And, wing'd by faith, to Heav'n exulting soar."

As exhalations from the bounteous, earth

Repay in dews the soil that gave them birth;
So noble boons, emitting sparks divine,
Will, halo-like, their donor's brow enshrine;
Blessing and blest, diffusive spreads the light,
And kindred worthies kindle at the sight.

0 M

Mind-opening

Mind-opening Science, picturing Poesy,
Snow-vested Candour, dove-ey'd Charity,
Religion, Learning, Virtue, all agree
To ratify our Parent's wise decree,

Decree that firms yon rock-supported chair
On adamant-by placing Glo'ster there.

As some hill-fort, possess'd by British power,
To Nature's strength adds Valour's strongest tower';
So our storm-beaten bulwarks know no dread,
Truth in our hearts, and Glo'ster at our head.
To us, illustrious Prince, thy care extend,
Be thou to us a guardian and a friend;
From clime to clime be thy example known,
And shine a star round Brunswick's glorious throne.

PERFORMED IN THE

ODE,
SENATE-HOUSE

ÁT

CAMERIDGE,

JUNE 29, 1811, AT THE INSTALLATION OF HIS HIGHNESS WILLIAM FREDERICK, DUKE OF GLOUCESTER AND EDINBURGH, CHANCELLOR OF THE UNIVERSITY.

RECITATIVE.

THOU, from thy realms of brighter day, Thou, the Bard, whose matchless lay Once gave to deathless fame thy Fitzroy's praise, Now, when again the festive pomp we lead, Oh, yet receive, for 't is the Poet's meed, The earthly homage, which the heart would raise; The fond, warm sigh, that would to life restore The Genius lov'd and mourn'd, that must return no more.

AIR.

O thou, lost Master of the British Shell !
Pleas'd in the calm of Academic bowers
To win the spoils of meditative hours,
And from thy studious cell

See thy lov'd Arts and Virtue's gentle train
Wide round the world securely reign,

Alas! how is that world defind, 3

How chang'd each sceney that peaceful smil'd,