"Tuning to knightly tale his British reeds,
Thy crowding bards immortal CHAUCER leads :
His hoary head o'erlooks the gazing choir,
And beams on all around celeftial fire:
With graceful step fee ADDISON advance,
The sweetest child of Attic Elegance :
To all, but his belov'd embrace deny'd,
See LOCKE leads reason, his majestic bride:
See facred HAMMOND, as he treads the field,
With godlike arm uprears his heav'nly shield.
All who, beneath the fhades of gentle peace,
Beft plan'd the labours of domestic ease;
Who taught with truth, or with perfuafion mov'd;
Who footh'd with numbers, or with fenfe improv'd;
Who told the pow'rs of reafon, or refin'd,
All, all that strengthen'd or adorn'd the mind;
Each priest of health, who mix'd the balmy bowl,
To rear frail man, and stay the fleeting foul;
All crowd around, and echoing to the sky,
Hail, OXFORD, hail! with filial transport cry.
And fee yon folemn band! with virtuous aim,
"Twas theirs in thought the glorious deed to frame:
With pious plans each mufing feature glows,
And well-weigh'd counfels mark theirmeaning brows:
Lo! these the leaders of thy patriot line,"
HAMDEN, and HOOKER, HYDE, and SIDNEY fhine.
These from thy fource the fires of freedom caught:
How well thy fons by their example taught !
While in each breaft th' hereditary flame
Still blazes, unextinguish'd and the fame!
Nor all the toils of thoughtful peace engage,
"Tis thine to form the hero as the fage.
I see the fable-fuited prince advance
With lillies crown'd, the spoils of bleeding France, EDWARD - the Mufes in yon hallow'd shade,
Bound on his tender thigh the martial blade:
Bade him the steel for British freedom draw,
And OXFORD taught the deeds that CRESSY faw.
And fee, great father of the laureat band,
The * BRITISH KING before me seems to stand.
He by my plenty-crowned scenes beguil'd,
And genial influence of my seasons mild,
Hither of yore (forlorn, forgotten maid)
The Muse in prattling infancy convey'd ;
From Gothic rage the helpless virgin bore,
And fix'd her cradle on my friendly shore :
Soon grew the maid beneath his foft'ring hand,
Soon pour'd her bleffings o'er th' enlighten'd land.
Tho' rude the † dome, and humble the retreat,
Where first his pious care ordain'd her seat,
Lo! now on high fhe dwells in Attic bow'rs,
And proudly lifts to heav'n her hundred tow'rs.
* Alfred. Regis Romani. V. Virg. Æn. 6.
Ad Capitolia ducit Aurea nunc, olim fylveftribus horrida dumis.
He firft fair Learning's and Britannia's caufe
Adorn'd with manners, and advanc'd with laws;
He bade relent the Briton's favage heart,
And form'd his foul to focial fcenes of art,
Wifest and best of kings ! -----with ravish'd
Elate the long proceffion he furveys:
Joyful he fmiles to find, that not in vain
He plan'd the rudiments of Learning's reign:
Himfelf he marks in each ingenuous breaft,
With all the founder in the race expreft:
With rapture views, fair Freedom still survive
In yon bright domes (ill-fated fugitive)
(Such feen, as when the Goddess pour'd the beam Unfullied on his ancient diadem)
Well pleas'd that in his own Pierian feat
She plumes her wings, and refts her weary feet; That here at laft fhe takes her fav'rite ftand, "Here deigns to linger, ere the leave the land."
ET others boaft their heaps of fhining gold, And view their fields with waving plenty crown'd, Whom neighb'ring foes in conftant terror hold, And trumpets break their flumbers, never found
While, calmly poor, I trifle life away,
Enjoy fweet leifure by my chearful fire,
No wanton hope my quiet fhall betray,
But cheaply blefs'd I'll scorn each vain defire.
III.
With timely care I'll fow my little field,
And plant my orchard with it's master's hand,
Nor blush to spread the hay, the hook to wield,
Or range the fheaves along the sunny land.
If late at dusk, while carelessly I roam,
I meet a ftrolling kid, or bleating lamb,
Under my arm I'll bring the wand'rer home,
And not a little chide it's thoughtless dam.
What joy to hear the tempeft howl in vain,
And clafp a fearful mistress to my breast?
Or lull'd to flumber by the beating rain
Secure and happy fink at last to rest!
Or if the fun in flaming Leo ride,
By fhady rivers indolently stray,
And with my DELIA walking side by side,
Hear how they murmur, as they glide away.
What joy to wind along the cool retreat,.
To stop, and gaze on DELIA as I go !
To mingle fweet difcourfe with kifles fweet,
And teach my lovely scholar all I know!
Thus pleas'd at heart, and not with fancy's dream, In filent happiness I rest unknown
Content with what I am, not what I feem,
I live for DELIA, and myself alone.
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