Then Maurus in his proper fphere might shine,
And these proud numbers grace great William's fign,
*This is the man, this the Naffovian, whom
I nam'd the brave deliverer to come.
But now the driving gales fufpend the rain,
We mount our steeds, and Devon's city gain.
Hail, happy native land!-But I forbear,
What other counties must with envy hear.
Occafioned by the arrival of her
ROYAL HIGHNESS.
ADAM, to all your cenfures I fubmit, And frankly own I fhould long fince have : writ:
You told me, filence would be thought a crime,
And kindly ftrove to teaze me into rhyme:
K
No more let trifling themes your muse employ,
Nor lavish verfe to paint a female toy;
No more on plains with rural damfels sport,
>But fing the glories of the British court.
By your commands and inclination sway'd,
I call'd th' unwilling muses to my aid;
Refolv'd to write, the noble theme I chofe,
And to the Princess thus the poem rofe.
Aid me, bright Phoebus; aid, ye facred nine:
Exalt my genius, and my verse refine.
My ftrains with Carolina's name 1 grace,
The lovely parent of our Royal race.
Breath foft, ye winds, ye waves, in filence fleep;
Let profprous breezes wanton o'er the deep,
Swell the white fails, and with the ftreamers play,
To waft her gently o'er the watry way.
Here I to Neptune form'd a pompous pray'r,
To rein the winds, and guard the royal fair;
Bid the blue Tritons found their twisted fhells,
And call'd the Nereids from their pearly cells.
Thus my warm zeal had drawn the mufe along,
Yet knew no method to conduct her fong:
'I then refolv'd fome model to pursue,
Perus'd French criticks, and began anew.
Long open panegyrick drags at best,
And praise is only praife when well addrefs'd.
Strait, Horace for fome lucky Ode I fought:
And all along I trac'd him thought by thought:
This new performance to a friend I fhow'd;
For fhame, fays he, what imitate an Ode!
I'd rather ballads write, and Grubftreet lays,
Than pillage Cafar for my patron's praise :
One common fate all imitators share,
To fave mince-pyes, and cap the grocer's ware.
Vex'd at the charge, I to the flames commit
Rhymes, fimilies, lord's names, and ends of wit;
In blotted ftanza's fcraps of odes expire,
And fuftian mounts in pyramids of fire.
Ladies, to you I next infcrib'd my lay,
And writ a letter in familiar way:
For ftill impatient till the Princess came,
You from description wish'd to know the dame,
Each day my pleasing labour larger grew,
For ftill new graces open'd to my view.
Twelve lines ran on to introduce the theme,
And then I thus purfu'd the growing scheme.
Beauty and wit were fure by nature join'd,
And charms are emanations of the mind;
K 2
The foul tranfpiercing through the shining frame,
Forms all the graces of the Princely Dame:
Benevolence her converfation guides,
Smiles on her cheek, and in her eye refides.
Such harmony upon her tongue is found,
As fofiens English to Italian found:
Yet in those founds such sentiments appear,
As charm the judgment, while they footh the ear.
Religion's chearful flame her bosome warms,
Calms all her hours, and brightens all her charms.
Henceforth, ye fair, at Chapel mind your pray'rs,
Nor catch your lovers
eyes with artful airs;
Reftrain your laoks, kneel more and whisper lefs,
Nor moft devoutly criticize on drefs.
From her form all your characters of life,
The tender mother, and the faithful wife.
Oft have I feen her little infant train,
The lovely promife of a future reign;
Obferv'd with pleasure every dawning grace,
And all the mother op'ning in their face:
The fon fhall add new honours to the line,
And early with paternal virtues shine.
When be the tale of Audenard repeats,
His little heart with emulation beats;
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