AN ODE

ADDRESSED TO MR. JOHN ROUSE, LIBRARIAN OF THE UNIVERSITY OF OXFORD, ON A LOST VOLUME OF MY POEMS, WHICH HE DESIRED ME TO REPLACE, THAT HE MIGHT ADD THEM TO MY OTHER WORKS DEPOSITED IN THE LIBRARY.

This Ode is rendered without rhime, that it might more adequately represent the original, which, as Milton himself informs us, is of no certain measure. It may possibly, for this reason, disappoint the reader, though it cost the writer more labour than the translation of any other piece in the whole collection.

STROPHE.

My two-fold book! single in show,
But double in contents,

Neat, but not curiously adorn'd,

Which, in his early youth,

A poet gave, no lofty one in truth,
Although an earnest wooer of the Muse-
Say while in cool Ausonian shades,

Or British wilds he roam'd,
Striking by turns his native lyre,
By turns the Daunian lute,
And stepp'd almost in air,—

ANTISTROPHE.

Say, little book, what furtive hand
Thee from thy fellow-books convey'd,

What time, at the repeated suit

Of my most learned friend,

I sent thee forth, an honour'd traveller,

From our great city to the source of Thames,
Cærulean sire!

Where rise the fountains, and the raptures ring,
Of the Aonian choir,

Durable as yonder spheres,

And through the endless lapse of years
Secure to be admir'd?

STROPHE II.

Now what God, or Demigod,

For Britain's antient Genius mov'd
(If our afflicted land

Have expiated at length the guilty sloth
Of her degen'rate sons)

Shall terminate our impious feuds,
And discipline, with hallow'd voice, recall?
Recall the Muses too,

Driv'n from their antient seats

In Albion, and well nigh from Albion's shore,
And with keen Phœbean shafts

Piercing the unseemly birds,

Whose talons menace us,

Shall drive the Harpy race from Helicon afar?

ANTISTROPHE.

But thou, my book, though thou hast stray'd,
Whether by treach❜ry lost,

Or indolent neglect, thy bearer's fault,
From all thy kindred books,.

To some dark cell, or cave forlorn,
Where thou endur'st, perhaps,

The chafing of some hard untutor'd hand,
Be comforted-

For lo! again the splendid hope appears
That thou may'st yet escape

The gulphs of Lethe, and on oary wings
Mount to the everlasting courts of Jove!

STROPHE III.

Since Rouse desires thee, and complains
That, though by promise his,
Thou yet appear'st not in thy place

Among the literary noble stores,

Giv'n to his care,

But, absent, leav'st his numbers incomplete.
He, therefore, guardian vigilant
Of that unperishing wealth,

Calls thee to the interior shrine, his charge,
Where he intends a richer treasure far
Than Iön kept (lön, Erectheus' son
Illustrious, of the fair Creusa born)
In the resplendent temple of his God,
Tripods of gold, and Delphic gifts divine.

ANTISTROphe.

Haste, then, to the pleasant groves, The Muses' fav'rite haunt; Resume thy station in Apollo's dome,

Dearer to him

Than Delos, or the fork'd Parnassian hill!

Exulting go,

Since now a splendid lot is also thine,
And thou art sought by my propitious friend;
For there thou shalt be read

With authors of exalted note,

The antient glorious lights of Greece and Rome.

EPODE.

Ye, then, my works, no longer vain,

And worthless deem'd by me! Whate'er this steril genius has produc'd Expect, at last, the rage of envy spent, An unmolested happy home,

Gift of kind Hermes, and my watchful friend! Where never flippant tongue profane Shall entrance find,

And whence the coarse unletter'd multitude

Shall babble far remote.

Perhaps some future distant age,

Less ting'd with prejudice, and better taught,

Shall furnish minds of pow'r
To judge more equally.

Then, malice silenc'd in the tomb,
Cooler heads and sounder hearts,

Thanks to Rouse, if aught of praise

I merit, shall with candour weigh the claim.

TO CHRISTINA, QUEEN OF SWEDEN,
WITH CROMWELL'S PICTURE.

CHRISTINA, maiden of heroic mien!

Star of the North! of northern stars the queen!
Behold what wrinkles I have earn'd, and how
The iron casque still chafes my vet'ran brow,
While following fate's dark footsteps, I fulfil
The dictates of a hardy people's will.
But soften'd, in thy sight, my looks appear,
Not to all Queens or Kings alike severe.