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XV,

O! foul of heart, her faireft dames
Decline the fun's intruding beams,

To mad the midnight in their gloomy haunts:
Alas! there is, who fees them there;

There is, who flatters not the fair,

When cymbals tinkle, and the virgin chaunts.
XVI.

HE fees, and thunders !- Now, in vain!
The courfer paws, and foams the rein;
And chariots ftream along the printed foil :
In vain! Her high, prefumptuous air

In

gorgeous vestments rich and rare,

O'er her proud fhoulder throws the poor man's toil.
XVII.

In robes or gems, her coftly stain,
Green, fcarlet, azure, fhine, in vain!
In vain! their golden heads her turrets rear;
In vain high-flavour'd foreign fruits,
Sydonian oils, and Lydian lutes,

Glide o'er her tongue, and melt upon her ear.
XVIII.

In vain! wines flow in various ftreams,
With helm and fpear each pillar gleams;
Damafcus, vain! unfolds the gloffy store;

The golden wedge from Ophir's coafts, From Arab incenfe vain, fhe boasts, Vain are her gods, and vainly men adore.

XIX. Bell

XIX.

Bell falls the mighty Nebo bends !
The nations hifs! her glory ends !
To hips, her confidence! the flies from foes;
Foes meet her there: the wind, the wave,
That once aid, ftrength, and grandeur gave,
Plunge her in feas, from which her glory rofe.
XX.

Her ivory deck, embroider'd fail,
And maft of cedar nought avail,
Or pilot learn'd! She finks, nor finks alone,
Her Gods fink with her! to the sky,
Which never more fhall meet her eye,
She fends her foul out in one dreadful groan.

XXI.

What though fo vaft her naval might,
In her first dawn'd the British right?
All flags abas'd her fea-dominion greet :
What though the longer warr'd than Troy ?
At length her foes that Isle destroy
Whofe conqueft fail'd, as far as fail'd her fleet.

XXII.

The kings he cloath'd in purple shake Their aweful brows: "O foul miftake! O fatal pride! (they cry) this, this is she, "Who faid-with my own art and arm, "In the world's wealth I wrap me warm" And swell'd at-heart, vain Empress of the Sea! XXIII. "This,

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XXIII.

"This, This is fhe, who meanly foar'd:
"Alas! how low, to be ador'd,

"And ftile herself a God !-Through stormy wars "This Eagle-Ifle her thunder bore, "High-fed her young with human gore; "And would have built her neft among the stars. XXIV.

"But ah, frail man! how impotent "To ftand Heaven's vengeance, or prevent! To turn aside the great Creator's aim! "Shall Island-kings with Him contend, "Who makes the Poles beneath him bend? “ And shall drink up the sea herself with flame? XXV.

"Earth, Æther, Empyréum bow,

"When from the brazen Mountain's brow "The God of Battles takes his mighty bow: "Of wrath prepares to pour the flood, "Puts on his vefture dipt in blood, "And marches out to fcourge the world below. XXVI.

"Ah! wretched Ifle, once call'd the great! "Ah! wretched Ifle, and wife too late! "The vengeance of Jehovah is gone out: "Thy luxury, corruption, pride,

"And freedom loft, the realms deride, "Ador'd thee ftanding, o'er thy ruins shout:

VOL. III.

S

XXVII. "To

XXVII.

"To fcourge with war, or peace beftow,
"Was thine, O fallen! fallen low!

" 'Twas thine, of jarring thrones to still debates:
"How art thou fallen, down, down, down!
"Wide wafte, and night, and horror frown,
"Where Empire flam'd in gold, and balanc'd states.”

STRAIN THE THIRD.

THE

ARGUMENT.

An inference from this Hiftory. Advice to Britain. More proper to her than other Nations. How far the ftroke of tyranny reaches. What fupports our endeavours. The unconfider'd benefits of liberty. Britain's obligation to purfue trade. Why above half the globe is fea. Britain's grandeur from her fituation. The winds, the feas, the conftellations, defcribed. Sir Ifaac Newton's praife. Britain compared with other States. The Leviathan defcribed, Britain's fite, and ancient title to the feas. Who rivals her. Of Venice. Holland. Some defpife Trade as mean. Cenfured for it. Trade's glory. The late Czar. Solomon. A furprizing instance of magnificence. The merchant's dignity. Compared with men of letters.

I.

HENCE learn, as hearts are foul or pure,
Our fortunes wither or endure:

Nations may thrive, or perish by the wave.
What ftorms from Jove's unwilling frown,
A people's crimes folicit down!
Ocean's the womb of riches, and the grave.

II.

This Truth, O Britain! ponder well; Virtues fhould rife, as Fortunes fwell: What is large property?-The fign of good, Of worth fuperior: if 'tis lefs,

Another's treasure we poffefs,

And charge the Gods with favours misbeslow'd.

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III. This

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