Whose Mufe ftill offers at thy sacred shrine ;- Which now in foothing murmurs whisp'ring
Thy Bard, whɔ calls THEz His, and makes him glides,
THINe.

Wat’ring with genial waves the fragrant soil, 0, sweet FORGETFULNESS, supreme

Now rolls adown the mountain's steepy fides, Rule supine o'er ev'ry theme,

Teaching the vales full beauteously to smile,
O'er each sad subject, o'er each soothing strain, Dame NATURE's handy-work, not form'd by
Of mine, O GODDESS, stretch thine awful reign ! lab'ring coil.

Nor let MEM'Ry steal one note,
Which this rude hand to Thee hath wrote !

III.
So shalt thou save me from the Poet's shame,
Though on the letter'd Rubric DoDSLET poft my The MUSEs fair, these peaceful shades among,
Name.

With skilful fingers sweep the trembling itring i

The air in silence liftens to the song,
III.

And Time forgets to ply his lazy wings;

Pale-visag'd CARE,with foul unhallow'd feet, O come! with opiate poppies crown'd,

Attempts the summit of the hill to gain, Shedding Numbers soft around!

Necan the hag arrive the blissful feat; O come! Fat GODDESS, drunk with Lau- Her unavailing strength is spent in vain, reat's Sack!

CONTENT fits on the top, and mocks her empts See where she fits on the benumbid Torpedo's pain.

back!
Me, in thy dull Elyfium lapt, o bless

IV.
With thy calm Forgetfulness !
And gently lull my senses all the while

Oft PHOLBUS self left his divine abode,
With placid poems in the linking stile !

And here enshrouded in a lady bow'r,
Whether the Herring-Poet fing,

Regardless of his state, lay'd by the God,
Great Laureat of the Fishes' King,

And own'd sweet Music's more alluring pow's.
Or Lycophron prophetic rave his fill,

On either fide was plac'd a peerless wight, Wrapt in the darker strains of Johnny-;

Whose merit long had fill the trump of Fame; Or, If He sing, whose verse affords

This, Fancy's darling child, was SPINSLA A bevy of the choiceft worús,

hight, Who meets his Lady Muse by moss-grown cell, Who pip'd full pleasing on the banks of Tame; Adorn'd with epithet and tinklir.g bell :

That no less fam'd than He, and MILTON was his
There, GODDESS, let me still forget,

With all the dearth of Modern Wit!
So may'rt Thou gently o'er my youthful breast,

V.
Spread, with thy welcome hand, OBLIVION's friend-
ly vett.

In these cool bow'rs they live supinely calm ;
Now harmless talk, now emulously fing;
While VIRTUA, pouring round her sacred balm,
Makes happiness eternal as the spring.
Alternately they sung ; now SPENSER 'gan,

Of jousts and cournaments, and champions strong ; THE PROGRESS OF ENVY.

Now Milton sung of disobedient man,

And Eden loft: The bards around them throng,

Drawn by the wond'rous magic of their princes' song WRITTEN IN THE YEAR. 1751.

VI.

name

Whatever Spirits rove in earth or air,

With careful eye each realm she did explore,
Or bad or good, obey his dread command; Ne mote the ought of happiness observe ;
To his behefts these willingly repair,

For happiness, alas ! was now no more,
Those aw'd by terrors of his magic wand, . Sith ev'ry one from virtue's paths did swerve,
The which not all their pow'rs united might with. And trample on religion base designs to serve.
stand.

XIII.
VIII.

At length, on bleft Parnafsus seated high,
Befide the bard there stood a beauteous maid, Their temple circled with a laurel crown,
Whose glittering appearance dimm'd the eyen; SPENSER and MILTON met her scowling eye,
Her thin-wrought vesture various tints display'd, And turn'd her horrid grin into a frown.
Fancy her name, ysprong of race divine ;

Full fast unto her sister did she post,
Her mantle* wimpled low, her filken hair,

There to unload the venom of her breast,
Which loofe adown her well-turn'd shoulders To tell how all her happiness was crost,
Itray'd,

Sith others were of happiness pofseft:
• She made a net to catch the wanton air,' Did never gloomy hell send forth like ugly pest.

Whose love-lick breezes all around her play'd
And seem'd in whispers soft to court the heav'nly

XIV.
maid.

Within the covert of a gloomy wood,
IX.

Where fun'ral cypress star-proof branches spread,

O'ergrown with tangling briers a cavern stood :
And ever and anon the way'd in air

Fit place for melancholy * dreary-head.
A fceptre, fraught with all-creative pow'r: Here a deformed monster joy'd to won,
She wav'd it round: Eftfoons there did appear

Which on fell rancour ever was y bent,
Spirits and witche , forms unknown before : All from the rising to the setting fun,
Again the lifts her wonder-working wand ;

Her heart pursued spite with black intent,
Eftsoons upon the flow'ry plain were feen

Ne could her iron mind at human woes relent.
The gay inhabitants of fairie land,
And blithe attendants upon Mas their queen

XV.
In mystic circles danc'd along th' inchanted green,

In Aowing sable itole she was yclad,
X,

Which with her countenance did well accord;

Forth from her mouth, like one through grief
On th' other side stood NATURE, goddess fair ;

gone mad,
A matron seem'd the, and of manners ftrid; A frothy sea of nauseous foam was pour'd ;
Beauteous her form, majestic was her air,

A ghaftly grin and eyes asquint, display
In loofe attire of pureft white array'd :

The rancour which her hellith thoughts contain,
A potent rod she bore, whose pow'r was such, And how, when man is blest, the pines away,
(As from her darling's works may well be shown) Burning to turn his happiness to pain ;
That often with its foul-enchanting touch, MALICE the monster's name, a foc to God and

She rais'd or joy, or caus'd the deep-felt groan,
And each man's pafsions made subfervient to her own.

XVI.
XI.

Along the floor black loathsome toads still trawl,

Their gullets swell’d with poison's mortal bane,
But lo! thick fogs from out the earth arife, Which ever and anon they spit at all
And murky mitts the buxom air invade,

Whom hapless fortune leads too near her den i
Which with contagion dire infects the skies,

Arour.d her waist, in place of filken zone,
And all around their baleful influence thed; A life-devouring viper rear'd his head,
Th’infected sky, which whilom was so fair, Who no diftinction made 'twixt friend and foen,
With thick Cimmerian darkness is o'erspread; But death on ev'ry side fierce brandished,
The fun, which wilom shone without compare, Fly, reckless mortals, fly, in vain is † hardy-head,

Müffles in pitchy veil his radiant head,
And fore the time fore-grieving seeks his wat'ry

XVII.
bed.

Impatient Envy, through th' ætherial waste, XII.

With inward venom fraught, and deadly spite,

Unto this cavern steer'd her panting haste.
Enry, the daughter of fell Acheron,

Enshrouded in a darksome veil of night.
(The flood of deadly hate and gloomy night) Her inmost heart burnt with impetuous ire,
Had left precipitate her Stygian throne,

And fell destruction sparkled in her look,
And through the frighted heavens wing'd her flight Her ferret eyes flash'd with revengeful fire,

A-while contending paffions utt'rance choke,
* Vimpled. A word used by Spenser for hung At length the fiend in furious tone her filence broka
doron. The line inclosed within Commas is one of
Fairfax's in his wanitation of Taco.

* Dreary-head. Gloominels. + Hardy-headi Courage.

man,

1

XXIII.
XVIII.

Aloft in air the rattling chariot flies,
Sifer, arise! see how our pow'r decays,

While thunder harshly grates upon its wheels; No more our empire Thou and I can boast,

Black pointed spires of smoke around them rises Sith mortal man now gains immortal praise,

The air depress'd unusual burthen feels ;
Sith man is blet, and Thou and I are lost : Detested sight! in terrible array,
See in what state Parnassus' Hill appears ;

They spur their fiery dragons on amain,
See PHOEBUS' self two happy bards atween ; Ne mote their anger suffer cold delay,
Sea how the God their song attentive hears ;

Until the wish'd-for region they obtain, This SPENSER hight, that MILTON, well 1 And land their dingy car on Caledonian plain.

ween! Who can behold unmoy'd like heart tormenting

XXIV. fcene ?

Here, eldest son of MALICE, long had dwelt XIX.

A wretch of all the joys of life forlorn;

His fame 0:1 double fallities was built: Sifter, arise ' ne let our courage droop,

(Ah! worthlefs son, of worthless parent born!) Perforce we will compel these mortals own,

Under the shew of semblance fair, he veil'd That mortal force unto our force shall stoop ;

The black intentions of his hellish breast; Envy and MALICE then shall reign alone : And by these guileful means he more prevail'd Thou best has known to file thy tongue with lies, Than had he open enmity profeft; And to deceive mankind with specious bait : The wolf more safely wounds when in sheep's cloath. Like TRUTH accoutred, spreadest forgeries,

ing drest, The fountain of contention and of hate ;

XXV. Arise, unite with me, and be as whilom great!

Him then themselves atween they joyful place, XX.

(Sure sign of woc when such are pleas'd, alas !)

Then measure back the air with swifter pace, The Fiend obey'd, and with impatient voice- Until they reach the foot of Mount Parnals. “ Tremble, ye bards, within that blissful seat ;

Hither in evil hour the monsters came, “ Malice and Envy shall o'erthrow your joys,

And with their new companion did alight, “ Nor PHOEBUS self shall our designs defeat.

Who long had lost all sense of virtuous shame, “ Shall We, who under friendship's feigned veil,

Beholding worth with poisonous despight; ☆ Prompted the bold archangel to rebel ; On his success depends their impious delight. « Shall We, who under show of sacred zeal, « Plung'd half the pow'rs of heay'n in lowest

XXVI. hell Such yile disgrace of us no mortal man fhall tell. Long burnt He fore the summit to obtain,

And spread his venom o'er the blissful feat; XXI.

Long burnt He fore, but still He burnt in vain ;

Mote none come there, who come with impious And now, more hideous rendered to the light,

feet. By reason of her raging cruelty,

At length, at unawares, he out doth spit She burnt to go, equipt in dreadful plight,

That spite which else had to himself been bane ; And find fit engine for her forgery.

The venom on the brea! of Milton lit, Her eyes inflam'd did cast their rays askance, And spread benumbing death thro' every vein ; While hellith imps prepare the monster's car,

The Bard of life bereft sell senseless on the plain, In which she might cut through the wide expanse, And find out nations that extended far,

XXVII. When all was pitchy dark, ne twinkled one þright llar

As at the banquet of Thyestes old,

The sun is said thave shut his radiant eye,
XXII.

So did he now through grief his beame with-hold,

And darkness to be felt o'erwhelm'd the sky; Black was her chariot, drawn by dragons dire,

Forth issued from their dismal dark abodes And each fell serpent had a double tongue,

The birds attendant upon hideous night, Which ever and anon spit flaming fire,

Shriek-owls and ravens, whose fell croaking The regions of the tainted air among;

bodes A lofty feat the fifter-monsters bore,

Approaching death to miserable wight : In deadly machinations close combin'd, Did never mind of man behold like dreadful fight? Dull Folly drove with terrible uproar, And cruel DışCORD follow'd fast behind;

XXVIII.
Gad help the man 'gainst whom such caitiff foes are
join'd.

APOLLO wails his darling done to die
By foul attempt of Envy's fatal bane;
The Muses sprinkle him with dew of Castaly,
And crown his death with many a living Atrain;

Heary PARNASSUS beats his aged breast, But peace! the gentle prologue custom sends,
Aged, yet ne'er before did sorrow know; Like drum and ferjeant, to beat up for friends.
The flowers drooping their despair atteit, At vice and folly, each a lawful game,
Th’aggrieved rivers querulousy flow;

Our author Aies, but with no partial aim,
All nature sudden groand with sympathetic woe. He read the manners, open as they lie

In nature's volume to the general eye.
XXIX.

Books too he read, nor blush'd to use their store.

He does but what his betters did before.
But lo! the sky a gayer livery wears,

Shakspeare has done it, and the Grecian stage
The melting clouds begin to fade apace,

Caughe truth of character from Homer's page.
And now the cloak of darkness disappears,

If in his scenes an honest skill is shewn,
(May darkness ever thus to light give place !)

And borrowing little, much appears his own ;
Erst griev'd APOLLO jocund looks resumes,
The Nine renew their whilom chearful song,

If what a master's happy pencil drew
No grief PARNASSUS' aged breast consumes,

He brings more forward, in dramatic view;
For from the teeming earth new flowers sprong,

To your decision he submits his cause,

Secure of candour, anxious for applause.
The plenteous rivers flow'd full peacefully along.

But if all rude, his artless scenes deface
xxx.

The simple beauties which he meant to grace;

If, an invader upon others' land,
The stricken Bard fresh vital heat renews, He spoil and plunder with a robber's hand,
Whose blood, erft ftagnate, rushes through his Do justice an him!--As on fools before,
veins ;

And give to Blockheads past one Blockhead more,
Life through each pore her fpirit doth infuse,
And Fame by Malice unextinguished reigns :
And see, a form breaks forth, all heavn'ly bright,
Upheld by one of mortal progeny,
A Female Form, yclad in snowy white,

Ne half so fair at distance seen as nigh;
DOUGLAS and TRUTH appear, Envy and LAU-

, DER die.

PROLOGUE,

B Y

MR.

THE

T 0 THE

praise.
When Kings themselves the proper judges sit
O'er the bleft realms of science, arts and wit,

Each eager breast beats high for glorious fame,
J E A LO US W I F E. And emulation glows with active flame.

Thus, with Augustus rofe imperial Rome,

For arms renown'd abroad, for arts at home.
SPOX IN

GARBICK. Thus, when Eliza fill'd Britannia's throne,

What arts, what learning was not then our own ?

Then finew'd Genius, strong and nervous rose,
HE JEALOUS Wire! a Comedy! poor In Spenser's numbers, and in Raleigh's prose;
man!

On Bacon's lips then every science hung,
A charming subject ! but a wretched plan.

And Nature fpoke from her own Shakspeare's tongue,
His skittish wit, o'erleaping the due bound,

Her patriot smiles fell, like refreshing dews,
Commits flat trespass upon tragic ground.

To wake to life each pleasing useful Muse,
Quarrels, upbraidings, Jealoufies, and spleen,

While every virtue which the Queen profess'd,
Grow too familiar in the comic scene.

Beam'd on her subjects, but to make them blest.
Tinge but the language with heroic chime,

O glorious times !- theme of praise divine ! 'Tis Passion, Pathos, Character, Sublime !

-Be happy, Britain, then--such times are thine. What round big words had fwell’d the pompous scene,

Behold e'en now strong science imps her wing,
A kir.g the husband, and the wife a queen!

And arts revive beneath a Patriot Kink,
Then might distraction rend her graceful hair,

The Muses too burst forth with double light,
See fightless forms, and scream, and gape, and stare. To shed their lustre in a Monarch's fight.
Drawcansir death had rag'd without controul,

His cheering smiles alike to all extend
Here the drawn dagger, there the poison'd bowl. Perhaps this spot may boast a Royal Friend.
Whateyes had stream'd at all the whining woe!

And when a Prince, with early judgment grac'd,
What hands had thunder'd at each Hah and Oh!

Himself thall marshal out the way to taste,

N Nor to the fabled Sikers Nine;

A

OR at Apollo's vaunted thrine,
PROLOGUE TO HECUBA, .

Offers the youth his ineffectual vow,
Far be their rites !—Such worship fits not sow;

When at Eliza's sacred name
SPOLIN BY MR. GARRICK, 1761.

Each breaft receives the present flame :

While eager genius plumes herinfant wings,
Grecian bard, two thousand years ago,

And with bold impulse strikes the accordant strings,
Plann'd this sad fable of illustrious woe ;

Reflecting on the crouded linc

Of mitred sages, bards divine,
Waken'd each foft emotion of the breast,
And called forth tears, that would not be supprett.

Of patriots, active in their country's cause,

Who plan her councils, or direct her laws. Yet, Oye mighty Sirs, of judgment chaste,

Oh Memory! how thou lov't to stray,
Who, lacking Genius, have a deal of Taste,

Delighted, o'er the flow'ry way
Can you forgive our modern ancient piece,
Which brings no chorus, tho’ it comes from Greece ? Pour'd the pure dictates of ingenuous truth!

Of childhood's greener years! when simple youth Kind social chorus, which all humours meets,

'Tis then the souls congenial meet, And fings and dances up and down the streets.

Inspir'd with friendship's genuine heat,
-Oh! might truc taste, in these unclaffic days,

Ere intereft, frantic zeal, or jealous art,
Revive the Grecian fashions with their plays !
Then, rais d op stilts, our Players would talk and Have taught the language foreign to the heart.
ragc,

'Twas here in many an early itrain
And, at three steps, stride o'er a modern stage ; Dryden first try'd his claffic vein,
Each gesture then would boat unusual charms, Spurr'd his strong genius to the distant goal,
From lengthen'd legs, Auff d body, sprawling arms ! In wild effufions of his manly foul ;
Your critic cye would then no pigmies (ce;

When Busby's skill and judgment sage,
But Buskins make a giant, even of me.

Repress’d the poet's frantic rage, No features then the Poet's mind would trace,

Cropt his luxuriance bold, and blended taught But onc black vizor blot out all the face.

The flow of numbers with the strength of thought O! glorious times, when actors thus could ftrike, Expreslive, inexpressive, all alike !

Nor, Cowley, be thy Muse forgot! which Arays Lefs change of face than in our punch they faw, In wits ambiguous flowery maze, For punch can roll his eyes, and wag his jaw ; With many a pointed turn and studied art : With one set glare they mouth'd the rumbling verse ; Though affectation blot thy rhyme, Our Gog and Magog look not half so fierce ?

Thy mind was lofty and sublime,

And manly honour dignified thy heart : Yet, though depriv'd of inftruments like these, Though fond of wit, yet firm to virtue's plan, Nature, perhaps, may find a way to please ; The Poet's trifles, ne'er disgrac'd the Man. Which, wheresoe'er the glows with genuine Aame, In Greece, in Rome, in England, is the same. Well might thy morals sweet engage

Th'attention of the Mitred Sage, Of raillery then, ye modern wits, beware,

Smit with the plain fimplicity of truth, Nor damn the Grecian poet for the player.

For not ambition's giddy strife, Theirs was the skill, with honett help of art,

The gilded toys of public life, To win, by just degree, the yielding heart,

Which snare the gay unstable youth, What if our Shakspeare claims the magic throne,

Cou'd lure Thee from the saber charms, And in one instant makes us all his own ;

Which lapt thee in retirement's arms, They differ only in one point of view,

Whence Thou, untainted with the pride of States For Shakspeare's sature, was their nature too. Coud'it smile with pity on the bustling Great.

Such were Eliza's fans. Her fort'ring care-
Here badę free genius tune his grateful fong
Which else had wasted in the desart air,
Or droop'd unnotic'd 'mid the vulgar throng.

-Ne'er may her youth degenerate Ahame :
The glories of Eliza's name !
But with the poet's frenzy bold,

Such as inspir'd her bards of old,
Pluck the green laurel from the hand of Fante!