§ 74. Virtue the only true Source of Nobility.
THOMSON.
ITELL thee, then, whoe'er amidst the fons
Of reason, valour, liberty, and virtue,
Difplays diftinguifh'd merit, is a noble
Of Nature's own creating Such have rifen,
Sprung from the duft; or where had been our
honours ?
And fuch, in radiant bands, will rife again
In yon immortal city; that, when moft
Depreft by fate, and near apparent ruin,
Returns, as with an energy divine,
Which the rough hind, observing as they lay
Warm in their downy net, had ftol'n away:
But the in mournful founds does still complain,"
Sings all the night, though all her fongs are
And ftill renews her miferable ftrain [vain,.
when the spring renews the flow'ry field, And warns the pregnant nightingale to build; She fecks the fafett helter of the wood, [her. Where he may truft her little tuneful brood: On her aftonish'd foes, and fakes them from Where no rude fwains her fhady cell may know,
$75. The happy Effects of Misfortune.
THOMSON.
I
misfortune comes, she brings along
The bravest virtues. And fo many great
Illuftrious spirits have convers'd with woe,
Have in her fchool been taught, as are enough
To confecrate diftrefs, and make ambition
Ev'n wish the frown beyond the finile of fortune.
$76. A Defcription of the Morning. OTWAY.
WISH'D morning's come; and now upon
Nor ferpents climb, nor blasting winds may blow:
Fond of the chosen place, fie views it o'er,
Sits there, and wanders through the grove no
Warbling the charms it each returning night,
And loves it with a mother's dear delight.
$ 80. A worthless Person can claim no Merit from the Virtues of his Ancefors. Rowe. WERE honour to be feann'd by long descent
From ancestors illuftrious, I could vaunt A lineage of the greateft, and recount, Among my fathers, names of ancient ftory,
Heroes and godlike patriots, who subdued
The world by arms and virtue :
Nor will I borrow merit from the dead,
But that be their own praise :
Myfelf an undeserver.
[flocks, And diftant mountains, where they feed their The happy fhepherds leave their homely huts, And with their pipes proclaim the new-born day The lufty swain comes with his well-fill'd scrip Of healthful viands, which, when hunger calls, With much content and appetite he eats, To follow in the field his daily toil, And drefs the grateful glebe that yields him fruits: The beafts, that under the warm hedges flept, HIS only blot was this; that, much provok'd, And weather'd out the cold bleak night, are up ;] He rais d his vengeful arm against his And, looking tow`rds the neighbouring paf
$81. The love of our Country the greatest of Virtues. THOMSON.
tures, raife [morrow: And lo! the righteous gods have now chaitis'd Their voice, and bid their fellow brutes good-Evin by the hands of thofe for whom he fought. The cheerful birds too on the tops of trees Affemble all in cheirs; and with their notes Salute, and welcome up the rifing fun.
Whatever private views and palions plead,
No caufe can juftify to black a deed:
Thefe, when the angry tempeft clouds the foul,
May darken reafon, and her courfe control;
But when the prospect clears, her starti'd eye
Muft from the treach'rous gulph with horror
Aly,
On whole wild wave, by ftormy paffions toft,
So many helpless wretches have been loft,
Then be this truth the star by which they steer,
Above ourselves our country shall be dear.
$77. Another.
FROM amber throuds I fee the morning rife;
Her rofy hands begin to paint the skies :
And now the city emmets leave their hive,
And rouzing hinds to cheerful labour drive;
High cliffs and rocks are pleafing objects now,
And nature fmiles upon the mountain brow:
The joyful birds falute the fun's approach:
The fun too laughs, and mounts his gaudy coach, $82. The fame.
While from his car the dropping gems diftil,
And all the earth, and all the heavens do fmile.
$78. The charming Notes of the Nightingale. LEE.
THUS in fome poplar fhade, the nightingale, With piercing moans, does her loft young bewail :
LEARN hence, ye Romans, on how fure a
Yet ftill fuperior muft that hero prove,
To thefe as different fentiments facceeded,
Whofe first, beft paffion, is his country's love. As mixt emotions, when the man divine
$85. In what Philofot by really confifts. THOMSON.
PHILOSOPHY confists not
Thus the dread filence to the lover broke :
"We both are young, both charm'd. The right
"Has put thy beauteous mistress in my power;
With whom I could in the most facred ties
"Live out a happy life: but know that Romans
"Their hearts, as well as enemies, can conquer.
"Then take her to thy foul, and with her take
Thy liberty and kingdom. In return
I afk but this; when you behold thefe eyes,
"Thefe charms, with transport, be a friend to
"Rome."
In airy schemes, or idle fpeculations :
The rule and conduct of all focial life
Is her great province. Not in lonely cells
Obfcure the lurks, but holds her heav'nly light
To fenates and to kings, to guide their councils,"
And teach them to reform and blefs mankind.
All policy but her's is falfe and rotten;
All valour, not conducted by her precepts,
Is a destroying fury fent from hell,
To plague unhappy man, and ruin nations.
§ 87. The Blefings of Peace.
Beauteous peace:
THOMSON.
[thou,
Sweet union of a state! what elfe, but
Gives fafety, ftrength, and glory to a people!
$86. Scipio reftoring the captive Princefs to her I bow, Loid Conitable, beneath the snow
Royal Lover.
THOMSON. Of many years: yet in my breaft revives
WHAT with admiration [virgin A youthful flame. Methinks, I fee again
Struck every heart was this.-A noble' Thofe gentle days renew'd, that blefs'd our ifle,
Confpicuous far o'er all the captive dames, Ere by this wasteful fury of divifion,
Was mark'd the gen ral's prize. See wept and Worfe than our Etna's most deftructive fires,
[eye, It defolated funk. I fee our plains
blush'd,
Young, fresh, and blooming like the morn. An Unbounded waving with the gifts of harvest t;
As when the blue sky trembles through a cloud Our feas with commerce throng'd, our busy perts
Of purest white. A fecret charm combin d With chearful toil. Our Enna blooms afresh;
Her features, and infus'd enchantment through Afresh the sweets of thymy Hybla blow.
Her fhape was harmony.-But eloquence [them; Our nymphs and thepherds, fporting in each vale,
Beneath her beauty fails; which feem'd on pur-Infpire new fong, and wake the pastoral reed.
By nature lavish'd on her, that mankind [pofe
Might fee the virtue of a hero try'd
Almost beyond the ftretch of human force.
Soft as the pafs'd along, with downcalt eyes,
Where gentle forrow fwell'd, and now and then
Dropt o'er her modeft cheek a trickling tear,
The Roman legions languish'd, and hard war
Felt more than pity. Evin their chief hinfelf,
As on his high tribunal rais'd he fat, [aik'd
Turn'd from the dangerous fight, and chiding
His officers, if by this gift they meant
To cloud his virtue in its very dawn.
She, queftion'd of her birth, in trembling accents,
With tears and blushes broken, told her tale.
But when he found her royally defcended,
Of her old captive parents the fole joy ;
And that a hapless Celtiberian prince,
Her lover and belov'd, forgot his chains,
His loft dominions, and for her alone
Unfeen, that rules th’illimitable world,
That guides its motions, from the brightest star
To the leaft duft of this fin-tainted mould;
While man, who madly deems himself the lord
Of all, is nought but weakness and dependance.
Thou must have learnt, when wandering all alone,
This facred truth, by fure experience taught,
Each bird, each infect, flitting thro' the sky,
Was more fufficient for itself, than thou-
Tis godlike magnanimity, to keep,
When moft provok'd, our reafon calm and clear,
Wept out his tender foul; fudden the heart And execute her will, from a ftrong fenfe
Of this young, conquering, loving, God-like Of what is right, without the vulgar aid
Felt all the great divinity of virtue. [Roman, Of heat and paffion, which, tho' honeft, bear us
His wishing youth flood check'd, his tempting Often too far.
Reftrain'd by kind humanity.-At once [power
He for her parents and her lover call'd.
The various fcene imagine: how his troops
Look'd dubious on, and wond 'red what he meant;
While stretch'd below the trembling fuppliants
lay,
Rack'd by a thousand mingling paffions, fear,
Hope, jealoufy, difdain, fubmiffion, grief,
Anxiety and love in every shape;
§ 90. Defcription of Ships appearing at a Dif-
tance, and approaching the Shore. DRYDEN.
Guiom. As far as I could caft my eyes
Upon the fea, fomething, methought,
Like blueifh mifts, which, ftill appearing more,
Took dreadful shapes, and thus mov'd towards
the flore:
The object, I could first distinctly view, While from the fcaffolds, windows, tops of
Was tall ftraight trees, which on the water flew :
Wings on their fides inftead of leaves did grow,
Which gather'd all the breath the winds could
And at their roots grew floating palaces,
Whole out-blow'd hellies cut the yielding feas!
Montezuma. What divine monfters, O ye
Gods! are thefe,
That float in air, and fly upon the feas?
Came they alive, or dead, upon the fhore?
Guiom. Alas! they liv'd too fure: I heard
them roar :
All turn'd their fides, and to each other fpoke:
I faw their words break out in fire and finoke.
Sure 'tis their voice that thunders from on high,
And these the younger brothers of the sky:
Deaf with the noife, I took my hafty flight,
No mortal courage can fupport the fright.
$90. Virtue preferable to Kank. Rowe. WHAT tho' no gaudy titles grace my birth
Are caft fuch gaudy show'rs of garlands down,
That ev'n the crowd appear like conquerors,
And the whole city feems like one vait meadow,
Set all with flow'rs, as a clear heav'n with stars:
Nay, as I ve heard, ere he the city enter'd,
Your fubjects lin'd the way for many furlongs ;
The very trees bore men: and as our God,
When from the portal of the east he dawns,
Beholds a thoufand birds upon the boughs,
To welcome him with all their warbling throats,
And prune their feathers in his golden beams;
So did your fubjects, in their gaudy trim,
Upon the pendant branches fpeak his praise.
Mothers, who cover'd all the banks beneath,
Did rob the crying infants of the breast,
Pointing Ziphares out, to make them fimile;
And climbing boys stood on their fathers shoul-
ders,
Anfwering their shouting fires, with tender cries,
To make the concert up of general joy.
Titles, the fervile courtier's lean reward! § 93. A Shepherd's Life happier than a King's. Sometimes the pay of virtue, but more oft
The hire which greatness gives to flaves and TH' unbufied shepherd, stretch'd beneath the
Yet Heav'n, that made me honeft, made me more
Than e'er a king did, when he made a lord.
His careless limbs thrown out in wanton ease, With thoughtless gaze perufing the arch'd heavens,
[him; And idly whittling while his fheep feed round
§ 91. Description of an ancient Cathedral. Enjoys a fweeter fhade, than that of canopies, Heim'd in by cares, and shook by storins of treafon.
How rev'rend is the face of this tall Whose ancient pillars rear their marble heads, To bear aloft its arch'd and pond'rous roof! By its own weight made ftedfatt, and immoveLooking tranquillity, it ftrikes an awe [able. And terror to my aking fight! The tombs And monumental caves of death look cold, And foot a chilnefs to my trembling heart.
EXTRACTS from Translations of HOMER; from GLOVER, and from MILTON; and concluding with Extracts from MILTON'S fmaller Works: And with
An APPENDIX, of ludicrous Poems, Epigrams, claffical Songs, Odes, and Ballads, Prologues and Epilogues, and various other little Pieces, calculated for Recreation.
POPE'S HOMER'S ILIA D. Then thus-Patroclus, crown a larger bowl, $ 1. Embay of Ulyffes, Phoenix, and Ajax, Mix purer wine, and open ev'ry foul. to Achilles, to folicit Achilles's Reconcilia- Of all the warriors yonder hoft cau. fend, tion-Picture of the Simplicity and Tem-Thy friend most honours thefe, and thefe thy perance of ancient Times.
AND now arriv'd, where, on the fandy bay
The Myrmidonian tents and veffels lay;
Amus'd at eafe, the godljke man they found,
Pleas'd with the folemn harp's harmonious
found,
[came,
(The well-wrought harp from conquer'd Thæbe
Of polish'd filver was its coftly frame ;)
With this he fooths his angry foul, and fings
The immortal deeds of heroes and of kings.
Patroclus only of the royal train,
Plac'd in his tent, attends the lofty strain :
Full oppofite he fate, and liften'd long,
In filence waiting 'till he ceas'd the fong.
Unfeen the Grecian embaffy proceeds
To his high tent, the great Ulyffes leads.
Achilles tarting, as the chiefs he spy'd,
Leap'd from his feat, and laid the harp afide.
With like furprize arose Menetius' fon;
Pelides grafp'd their hands, and thus begun:
Princes all, hail! whatever brought you here,
Or ftrong neceffity, or urgent fear;
Welcome, tho' Greeks! for not as foes ye came;
To me more dear than all that bear the name.
With that, the chiefs beneath his roof he led,
And plac'd in feats, with purple carpets fpread.
He faid; Patroclus o'er the blazing fire. Heaps in a brazen vale three chines entire :
The brazen vafe Automedon fuftains,
Which flesh of porket, sheep, and goat contains:
Achilles at the genial feast prefides,
The parts tranfixes, and with skill divides.
Mean while Patroclus fweats the fire to raise;
The tent is bright'ned with the rifing blaze:
Then, when the languid flames at length fubfide,
He ftrows a bed of glowing embers wide,
Above the coals the fmoaking fragments turns,
And fprinkles facred falt from lifted urns;
With bread the glittering canisters they load,
Which round the board Menetius' fon beltow'd;
Himfelf, oppos'd t' Ulysses full in sight,
Each portion parts, and orders ev'ry rite.
The firtt fat off rings, to th' immortals due,
Amidst the greedy flames Patroclus threw
Then each, indulging in the focial feast,
His thifft and hunger foberly represt.
That done, to Phoenix, Ajax gave the fign;
Not unperceiv'd; Ulyffes crown'd with wine
The foaming bowl, and inftant thus began,
His fpeech addreffing to the godlike man:
Health to Achilles! happy are thy guests! Not thofe more honour'd whom A rides feafts: 3 R
Tho' gen'rous plenty crown thy loaded boards,
That Agamemnon's regal tent affords;
But greater cares fit heavy on our fouls,
Not eas'd by banquets, or by flowing bowls.
What fcenes of flaughter in yon' fields appear!
The dead we mourn, and for the living fear;
Greece on the brink of fate all doubtful ftands,
And owns no help but from thy faving hands;
Troy and her aids for ready vengeance call:
Their threat ning tents already fhade our wall:
Hear how with houts their conqueft they pro-
claim,
And point at every fhip their vengeful flame!
For them the father of the Gods declares,
Theirs are his omens, and his thunder theirs.
See, full of Jove, avenging Hector rife!
See! heav'n and earth the raging chief defies,
What fury in his breaft, what lightning in
his eyes!
Untouch'd fhe ftay'd, uninjur'd the removes, Pure from his arms, and guiltless of his loves. Thefe inftant fhall be thine; and if the pow'rs Give to our arms proud Ilion's hoftile tow'rs, Then fhalt thou ftore (when Greece the fpoil divides)
With gold and brafs thy loaded navy's fides.
Befides full twenty nymphs of Trojan race,
With copious love fhall crown thy warm em-
brace;
Such as thyfelf fhall chufe; who yield to none,
Or yield to Helen's heav'nly charms alone.
Yet hear me, further: when our wars are o'er,
If fate we land on Argos' fruitful shore,
There shalt thou live his fon, his honours share,
And with Oreftes felf divide his care.
Yet more-three daughters in his court are bred,
And each well worthy of a royal bed :
fair,
And bright Chryfothemis with golden hair ;
He waits but for the morn to fink in flame
The hips, the Greeks, and all the Grecian name. Her fhalt thou wed whom most thy eyes approve;
Heav'ns! how my country's woes diftract my He asks no prefents, no reward for love:
Left fate accomplish all his rage defign'd. [mind,[Himfelf will give the dow`r; se vast a store,
And muft we, Gods! our heads inglorious lay] As never father gave a child before.
In Trojan duft, and this the fatal day?
Return, Achilles ! Oh return, tho' late,
To fave thy Greeks, and ftop the courfe of fate;
If in that heart, or grief or courage lies,
Rife to redeem; ah yet, to conquer rife!
The day may come, when, all our warriors flain,
That heart hall melt, that courage life in vain.
Regard in time, O prince divinely brave!
Thofe wholefome counfels which thy father gave.
When Peleus in his aged arms embrac'd
His parting fon, thefe accents were his laft:
My child with ftrength, with glory and fuccefs,
Thy arms may Juno and Minerva blefs!
Truft that to Heav'n: but thou, thy cares engage
To calm thy paflions, and fubdue thy rage:
From gentler manners let thy glory grow,
And thun contention, the fure fource of woe;
That young and old may in thy praife combine,
The virtues of humanity be thine-
This now defpis'd advice thy father gave:
Ah! check thy anger, and be truly brave.
If thou wilt yield to great Atrides' prayers,
Gifts worthy thee his royal hand prepares;
If not-but hear me, while I number o'er
The proffer'd prefents, and exhaustless store.
Ten weighty talents of the pureft gold,
And twice ten vafes of refulgent mould;
Sev'n facred tripods, whofe unfully'd frame
Yet knows no office, nor has felt the flame;
Twelve fteeds, unmatch'd in fleetness and in
force,
And still victorious in the dufty courfe :
(Rich were the man whofe ample ftores exceed
The prizes purchas'd by their winged speed)
Sev'n lovely captives of the Lesbian line,
Skill'd in each art, unmatch'd in form divine,
The fame he chofe for more than vulgar charms,
When Lesbos funk beneath thy conq'ring arms.
All thefe, to buy thy friendship, fhall be paid,
And, join'd with thefe, the long-contefted maid;
With all her charms, Brifeïs he'll refign,
And folemn fwear thofe charms were only thine;
Sev'n ample cities fhall confefs thy sway,
Thee Enope, and Phere thee obey,
Cardamyle with ample turrets crown'd,
And facred Pedafus, for vines renown'd:
pea fair, the pastures Hira yields,
And rich Antheia with her flow'ry fields:
The whole extent to Pylos' fandy plain
Along the verdant margin of the main.
There heifers graze, and lab'ring oxen toil;
Bold are the men, and gen'rous is the foil.
There fhalt thou reign with pow'r and justice
And rule the tributary realms around [crown'd,
Such are the proffers which this day we bring,
Such the repentance of a fuppliant king.
But if all this, relentless, thou difdain,
If honour, and if int'relt plead in vain.;
Yet some redress to fuppliant Greece afford,
And be, amongst her guardian gods, ador’d.
If no regard thy fuffing country claim,
Hear thy own glory, and the voice of fame :
For now that chief, whofe unrefifted ire
Made nations tremble, and whole hofts retire,
Proud Hector, now, th' unequal fight demands,
And only triumphs, to deserve thy hands.
Then thus the goddess-born: Ulyffes, hear
A faithful fpeech, that knows nor art, nor fear;
What in my fecret foul is understood,
My tongue fhall utter, and my deeds make good.
Let Greece then know, my purpose I retain,
Nor with new treaties vex my peace in vain.
Who dares think one thing, and another tell,
My heart detefts him as the gates of hell.
Then thus in fort my fixt refolves attend, Which nor Atrides, nor his Greeks, can bend ; Long toils, long perils, in their cause I bore, But now th' unfruitful glories charm no more, Fight or not fight, alike reward we claim, The wretch and hero find their prize the fame ; Alike regretted in the duft he lies, Who yields ignobly, or who bravely dies. Of all my danges, all my glorious pains, A life of labours, lo! what fruit remains?
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