Faith is a Christian's and a subject's test;
Oh, give them to believe, and they are surely blest! They do; and with a distant view I see Th' amended vows of English loyalty: And all beyond that object there appears The long retinue of a prosp'rous reign. A series of successful years, In orderly array a martial manly train. Behold even the remoter shores
A conqu❜ring navy proudly spread; The British cannon formidably roars, While starting from his oozy bed,
Th' asserted Ocean rears his rev'rend head, To view and recognize his ancient Lord again, And with a willing hand restores
HEROIC STANZAS,
ON THE DEATH OF OLIVER CROMWELL.
WRITTEN AFTER HIS FUNERAL.
AND now 'tis time; for their officious haste Who would before have borne him to the sky, Like eager Romans, ere all rites were past, Did let too soon the sacred Eagle fly.
Tho' our best notes are treason to his fame, Join'd with the loud applause of publie voice; Since Heav'n, what praise we offer to his name, Hath render'd too authentic by its choice.
Tho' in his praise no arts can lib'ral be,
Since they, whose Muses have the highest flown, 10 Add not to his immortal memory,
But do an act of friendship to their own:
Yet 'tis our duty and our int'rest too, Such monuments as we can build to raise, Lest all the world prevent what we should do, And claim a title in him by their praise.
How shall I then begin, or where conclude, To draw a fame so truly circular?
STANZAS ON THE DEATH OF Q. CROMWELL. For in a round what order can be shew'd Where all the parts so equal perfect are!
His grandeur he deriv'd from Heav'n alone; For he was great ere Fortune made him so: And wars, like mists that rise against the sun, Made him but greater seem, not greater grow.
No borrow'd bays his temples did adorn, But to our crown he did fresh jewels bring; Nor was his virtue poison'd soon as born With the too early thoughts of being king.
Fortune, that easy mistress of the young, But to her ancient servants coy and hard, Him at that age her fav'rites rank'd among, When she her best-lov'd Pompey did discard.
He private mark'd the fault of others' sway, And set as sea-marks for himself to shun; Not like rash monarchs, who their youth betray By acts their age too late would wish undone.
And yet dominion was not his design; We owe that blessing not to him but Heav'n, Which to fair acts unsought rewards did join, Rewards that less to him than us were giv❜n. Dryden.1
Our former chiefs, like sticklers of the war, First fought t' inflame the parties, then to poise; The quarrel lov'd, but did the cause abhor, And did not strike to hurt but make a noise.
War, our consumption, was their gainful trade : He inward bled whilst they prolong'd our pain; He fought to end our fighting, and essay'd To staunch the blood by breathing of the vein.
Swift and resistless thro' the land he past,
Like that bold Greek who did the East subdue,
And made to battles such heroic haste,
As if on wings of victory he flew.
He fought secure of Fortune as of Fame: Still by new maps the island might be shown Of conquests, which he strew'd where'er he came, Thick as the Galaxy with stars is sown
His palms, tho' under weights they did not stand, Still thriv'd: no winter could his laurels fade; Heav'n in his portrait shew'd a workman's hand, And drew it perfect, yet without a shade.
Peace was the prize of all his toil and care, Which War had banish'd, and did now restore:
Bolognia's walls thus mounted in the air, To seat themselves more surely than before.
Her safety rescu'd Ireland to him owes; And treach'rous Scotland, to no int'rest true, Yet bless'd that fate which did his arms dispose Her land to civilize as to subdue.
Nor was he like those stars which only shine When to pale mariners they storms portend; He had his calmer influence, and his mien Did love and majesty together blend.
'Tis true his count'nance did imprint an awe, And nat'rally all souls to his did bow,
As wands of divination downward draw,
And point to beds where sov'reign gold doth grow.
When past all off'rings to Feretrian Jove, He Mars depos'd, and arms to gowns made yield, Successful councils did him soon approve
As fit for close intrigues as open field.
To suppliant Holland he vouchsaf'd a peace, Our once bold rival of the British main, Now tamely glad her unjust claim to cease, And buy our friendship with her idol, Gain,
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