III.

Here, no demand for fancy's wing;
Plain truth 's illuftrious: as I fing,
O hear yon Spangled harp repeat my lay!
Yon farry lyre has caught the found,
And spreads it to the planets round,
Who best can tell where ends Britannia's fway,

IV.

The skies (fair-printed page!) unfold
The naval fame of heroes old;

As in a mirror fhew th' adventurous throng:
The deeds of Grecian mariners

Are read by Gods, are writ in ftars,
And noble verse, that shall endure as long.

V.

The skies are records of the main, Thence Argo listens to my strain ; Chiron, for fong renown'd, his noble rage For naval fame and fong renews,

As Britain's fame he bears, and views Chiron, the Shovell of a former age.

VI.

The Whale (for late I fung his praise)
Pours grateful luftre on my lays;

How smiles Arion's friend * with partial beams!
Eridanus would flatter too,

But jealoufies his fimile fubdue;

He fears a British rival in the Thames.

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*The Dolphin.

VII.

In pride the Lion lifts his mane,

To fee his British brothers reign

As ftars below: the Balance, George! from Thine,
Which weighs the nations, learns to weigh
More accurate the night and day;
From thy fair daughters Virgo learns to shine.

VIII.

Of Britain's court, ye lesser lights!
How could the wife-man gaze whole nights
On Richmond's eye, on Berenice's hair!
But, oh! you practise Shameful arts;

Your own retain, feize others' hearts,
Pirates, not merchants, are the British Fair.

IX.

This truth I swear by Cynthia's beam.
Pale Queen! be flush'd at Britain's fame;
And, rolling, tell the nations—“ o'er the main
"To bare her empire is thy pride.”
HE, mighty power! who curbs the tide,
Uncurbs, extends, throws wide Britannia's reign.

X.

What is the main? Ye Kings renown'd! Britannia's centre, and your bound: Auftrian! where-e'er Leviathan can roll,

Is Britain's home! And Britain's mine, Where-e'er the ripening fun can shine, Parts are for emperors; for ber the whole.

XI. Why,

XI.

Why, Auftrian! wilt thou hover still
On doubtful wing, and want the skill
To fee thy welfare in the world's ? Too late
Another Churchill thou may'st find,
Another Churchill, not fo kind,
And other Blenheims, big with other fate.

XII.

Ill thou remember'ft, ill doft own,
Who rescued an ungrateful throne;
Ill thou confider'ft, that the kind are brave;
Ill doft thou weigh, that in Time's womb
A day may sleep, a day of doom,

As great to ruin, as was That to save.

XIII.

How would'ft thou fmile to hear my ftrain,
Whofe boafted infpiration's vain!
Yet what if my prediction fhould prove true?
Know'st thou the fatal pair who shine
O'er Britain's trading empire? Thine
As one rejected, what, if one fubdue?

XIV.

What naval fcene adorns the feat
Of awful Britain's high debate *,

Infpires her councils, and records her power?
The nations know, in glowing balls

On finking thrones, the tempeft falls,
When her august assembled fenates lour.

*The Spanish Armada in the House of Lords.

XV.

O language fit for thoughts so bold! Would Britain have her anger told; Ah! never let a meaner language found,

Than that which proftrates human fouls, Through Heaven's dark vault impetuous rolls, And Nature rocks, when angry Jove has frown'd.

XVI.

Not realms unbounded, not a flood
Of natives, not expence of blood,
Or reach of counfel gives the world a lord:
Trade calls him forth, and fets him high,
As mortal man, o'er men can fly :

Trade leaves poor gleanings to the keenest sword.

XVII.

Nay, her 's the sword! For fleets have wings;
Like lightning fly to diftant kings;

Like Gods defcend at once on trembling states:
Is war proclaim'd? Our wars are hurl'd
To fartheft confines of the world,
Surprize your ports, and thunder at your gates.

XVIII.

The king of tempefts, Æolus,

Sends forth his pinion'd people, thus, On rapid errands: as they fly, they roar,

And carry fable clouds, and sweep

The land, the defert, and the deep!

Earth shakes! proud cities fall! and thrones adore!

XIX. The

XIX.

The Fools of Nature ever strike
On bare outfides; and loath, or like,
As glitter bids; in endless error vie ;
Admire the purple and the crown:
Of human welfare and renown,

Trade 's the big heart; bright empire, but their eye.

XX.

Whence Tartar GRAND? or Mogul GREAT?— Trade gilt their titles, pour'd their state; While Afric's black, lafcivious, flothful breed, To clafp their ruin, fly from toil; That meanest product on their foil, Their people fell: one half on t'other feed.

XXI.

Of Nature's Wealth from Commerce rent,
Afric's a glaring Monument:

Mid citron forefts and pomegranate groves
(Curft in a paradife !) the pines;
O'er generous glebe, o'er golden mines
Her beggar'd, famish'd, tradeless native roves:
XXII.

Not fo thine, China, blooming-wide!
Thy numerous fleets might bridge the tide;
Thy products would exhaust both India's mines:
Shut be that gate of Trade! Or woe

To Britain's! Europe 'twill o'erflow.-
Ungrateful fong! Her growth infpires thy lines.

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XXIII. Bri

* Coffee.