A lively people curbing, yet undamp'd
Preferving still that quick peculiar fire,
Whence in the laurel'd field of finer arts,
And of bold freedom, they unequal'd fhone,
The pride of fmiling GREECE, and human-kind.
LYCURGUS then, who bow'd beneath the force 455
Of ftricteft difcipline, feverely wife,
All human paffions. Following him, I see,
As at Thermopyle he glorious fell,
The firm *DEVOTED CHIEF, who prov'd by deeds
The hardest leffon which the other taught.
Then ARISTIDES lifts his honest front;
Spotless of heart, to whom th' unflattering voice
Of freedom gave the noblest name of Just;
In pure majestic poverty rever'd;
Who, even his glory to his country's weal
Submitting, fwell'd a haughty + Rival's fame.
Rear'd by his care, of fofter ray, appears
CIMON fweet-foul'd; whofe genius, rifing strong,
Shook off the load of young debauch; abroad
The fcourge of Perfian pride, at home the friend 470
Of every worth and every splendid art;
Modeft, and fimple, in the pomp of wealth.
Then the last worthies of declining GREECE,
Late-call'd to glory, in unequal times,
Penfive, appear. The fair Corinthian boast,
*LEONIDAS.
+THEMISTOCLES.
TIMOLEON, temper'd happy, mild, and firm,
Who wept the Brother while the Tyrant bled.
And, equal to the best, the *THEBAN PAIR,
Whofe virtues, in heroic Concord join'd,
Their country rais'd to freedom, empire, fame.
He too, with whom Athenian honour funk,
And left a mass of fordid lees behind,
PHOCION the Good; in public life fevere,
To virtue still inexorably firm;
But when, beneath his low illuftrious roof,
Sweet peace and happy wisdom fmooth'd his brow,
Not friendship fofter was, nor love more kind.
And he, the last of old LYCURG U s' fons,
The generous victim to that vain attempt,
To fave a rotten State, AGIS, who faw
Even SPARTA's felf to fervile avarice funk.
The two Achaian heroes close the train.
ARATUS, who a while relum'd the foul
Of fondly lingering liberty in GREECE:
And he her darling as her latest hope,
The gallant PHILOPEMON; who to arms
Turn'd the luxurious pomp he could not cure;
Or toiling in his farm, a fimple fwain;"
Or, bold and skilful, thundering in the field.
Or rougher front, a mighty people come! A race of heroes! in thofe virtuous times
*PELOPIDAS, and EPAMINONDAS.
Which knew no stain, save that with partial flame
Their dearest country they too fondly lov'd
Her better Founder firft, the light of ROME,
NUMA, who soften'd her rapacious fons..
SERVIUS the King, who laid the folid base
On which o'er earth the vast republic spread.
Then the great confuls venerable rife.
The PUBLIC FATHER Who the Private quell'd, As on the dread tribunal sternly fad.
He, whom his thanklefs country could not lofe,
CAMILLUS, only vengeful to her foes.
FABRICIUS, fcorner of all-conquering gold;
And CINCINNATUS, awful from the plough. 515
Thy WILLING VICTIM, Carthage, bursting loofe
From all that pleading Nature could oppofe,
From a whole city's tears, by rigid faith
Imperious call'd, and honour's dire command.
SCIPIO, the gentle chief, humanely brave,
Who foon the race of fpotlefs glory ran,
And, warm in youth, to the Poetic Shade
With Friendship and Philofophy retir'd.
TULLY, whofe powerful eloquence a while.
Reftrain'd the rapid fate of rushing ROME.
Unconquer'd CATO, virtuous in Extreme.
And thou, unhappy BRUTUS, kind of heart,
Whofe fteady arm, by awful virtue urg'd,.
MARCUS JUNIUS BRUTUS.
REGULUS.
Lifted the Roman Steel against thy Friend.
Thoufands befides the tribute of a verfe
Demand; but who can count the stars of heaven? Who fing their influence on this lower world?
BEHOLD, who yonder comes! in fober ftate,
Fair, mild, and strong, as is a vernal fun:
'Tis Phoebus' felf, or else the Mantuan Swain!
Great HOMER too appears, of daring wing,
Parent of fong! and equal by his fide,
The BRITISH MUSE; join'd hand in hand they walk,
Darkling, full up the middle fteep to fame.
Nor abfent are thofe fhades, whofe skilful touch 540
Pathetic drew th' impaffion'd heart, and charm'd
Transported Athens with the MORAL SCENE:
Nor those who, tuneful, wak'd th' enchanting LYRE.
FIRST of your kind! Society divine! Still vifit thus my nights, for you reserv'd, And mount my foaring foul to thoughts like yours.. Silence, thou lonely power! the door be thine; See on the hallowed hour that none intrude, Save a few chofen friends, who sometimes deign To bless my humble roof, with sense refin'd, Learning digefted well, exalted faith, Unftudy'd wit, and humour ever gay. Or from the Mufes' hill will PoPE defcend, To raise the facred hour, to bid it smile, K 3
And with the focial spirit warm the heart:
For tho' not fweeter his own HoMER fings,
Yet is his life the more endearing fong.
WHERE art thou, HAMMOND? Thou the darling pride,
The friend and lover of the tuneful throng!
Ah why, dear youth, in all the blooming prime 560
Of vernal genius, where difclofing faft
Each active worth, each manly virtue lay,
Why wert thou ravish'd from our hope fo foon?
What now avails that noble thirst of fame,
Which tung thy fervent breast? That treasur'd ftore
Of knowledge, early gain'd? That eager zeal 566
To ferve thy country, glowing in the band
Of YOUTHFULL PATRIOTS, who fuftain her name?
What now, alas! that life-diffufing charm
Of fprightly wit? That rapture for the Mufe,
That heart of friendship, and that foul of joy,
Which bade with fofteft fighs thy virtues fmile?
Ah! only fhew'd, to check our fond pursuits,
And teach our humbled hopes that life is vain!
THUS in fome deep retirement would I pafs, 575 The winter-glooms, with friends of pliant foul, Or blithe, or folemn, as the theme infpir'd: With them would search, if Nature's boundless frame Was call'd, late rifing from the void of night, Or fprung eternal from th' ETERNAL MIND;.580
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